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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.
erik_squires
stereo5's avatar
stereo5
6,280 posts
 
Sorry Erik, but every Class D amp I have heard tells me they still aren’t ready for prime time.  Close, but no cigar.    I hear a brightness to the overall sound that many call “detailed”.  I do not like detailed sound, I prefer the lush romantic sound, think Mac.  What I don’t get is the price of some of the Class D amps, much fewer parts than a conventional class a/ b amp yet they  cost as much if not more.  

With that being said, I do prefer the sound of the Hypex modules over the Ice slightly, but that is just my opinion.  I am basing my observations on the Merril monoblocks, the wyred4Sound amps and a few others I really cant remember. 
illuminator
59 posts
 

Stereo5,

Have you ever listened to a Spectron Musician III Mk2?

erik_squires OP
15,930 posts
 
@stereo5 Then consider me one of the lucky one’s.

Sighted or blind, I cannot hear a difference between them an Parasound A23s. None. Zero. Nada.

So, since it is my wallet and tastes that pay those bills, I’d rather go with the more energy efficient one.

And in fact I prefer the sound far over and above the sound of Pass. Same for Parasound vs. Pass. :)

But it isn’t because of anything I can hear as "class D sound."

You don't have to like a particular amp, but I think being dismissive of them as a class is short sighted. 
atmasphere's avatar
atmasphere
11,640 posts
 
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.
Make that 1990s....

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