Can you tell us about the speakers you evaluated with when you say the Parasound took the Devialet to school?Magnepan 1.7is - so it didn't even take very high performance speakers to do so.
The Truth about Modern Class D
All my amps right now are Class D. ICEpower in the living room, and NAD D 3020 in the bedroom.
I’ve had several audiophiles come to my home and not one has ever said "Oh, that sounds like Class D."
Having said this, if I could afford them AND had the room, I’d be tempted to switch for a pair of Ayre monoblocks or Conrad Johnson Premiere 12s and very little else.
I’m not religious about Class D. They sound great for me, low power, easy to hide, but if a lot of cash and the need to upgrade ever hits me, I could be persuaded.
The point: Good modern Class D amps just sound like really good amplifiers, with the usual speaker/source matching issues.
You don’t have to go that route, but it’s time we shrugged off the myths and descriptions of Class D that come right out of the 1980’s.
I’ve had several audiophiles come to my home and not one has ever said "Oh, that sounds like Class D."
Having said this, if I could afford them AND had the room, I’d be tempted to switch for a pair of Ayre monoblocks or Conrad Johnson Premiere 12s and very little else.
I’m not religious about Class D. They sound great for me, low power, easy to hide, but if a lot of cash and the need to upgrade ever hits me, I could be persuaded.
The point: Good modern Class D amps just sound like really good amplifiers, with the usual speaker/source matching issues.
You don’t have to go that route, but it’s time we shrugged off the myths and descriptions of Class D that come right out of the 1980’s.
Showing 8 responses by helomech
Straight from the horse's mouth: S&V: Generally speaking, what are the key benefits of Class D versus the traditional Class AB and Class A designs that have long been favored by audiophiles? |
Vladimir Shushurin (Lamm) Bingo |
We better put up the question again to what this answer above relates to, which is: I believe it may be someday but it isn't yet to my ears. I've heard the Parasound Halo Integrated take the Devialet Pro monoblocks to school. The new NAD N-Core based amps sound no better than class D of 15 years ago: cold, analytical and fatiguing. Same for the hybrids I've heard. I'll continue to give new designs a chance, but I've yet to encounter one that sounds as smooth/listenable as a halfway decent class AB amp. I think some audiophiles just don't hear the digital-like character that most, if not all of them exhibit. |
@erik_squires helomech -Maybe you didn't read through my other posts in their entirety, but no, I've heard many class D amps I didn't like, including but not limited to Devialet, NADs new M class, the Rogue hybrids, Bel Cantos, Audio Alchemy, Peachtree Novas and countless mobile audio amplifiers. I know I left off a few, but anyhow, the one trait they all shared was a sort of analytical (maybe "sterile" is a better description) presentation. For me, they just suck the soul out of music. One reason I no longer listen in my car - has a factory "premium" system powered by class D. |
What many of you will realize is class D is the future of audio amplification. I believe that is inevitable. IMO.It already is, but that's because most consumers don't care about audio quality and manufacturers are constantly looking for ways to skimp on production costs. The benefit to the consumer is saving a few $$ on their electric bill. The benefit to the manufacturer is lower production and shipping costs. As BP clearly states, sound quality is not the intended benefit: S&V: Generally speaking, what are the key benefits of Class D versus the traditional Class AB and Class A designs that have long been favored by audiophiles? Which approach is best: modding a Prius to be almost as quick as a Lambo (with better MPG), and charging Lambo prices, or just starting from the ground up with a real gas-guzzling Lambo? Personally, I'd take the latter though I can understand the argument for the former. |
Not to steer this off topic, but no system can produce a convincing life-like sound, partly because the recording equipment cannot capture it. This is most evident in note decay. Musicians will know what I'm referring to. Anyone who thinks their system can recreate a live performance should go buy a cheap guitar, play a few chords and compare that to their very best acoustic recordings. |