What could I expect to hear from a Class A amp?

Bearotti, class AB amps usually operate in class A up to some power level. The exact amount will vary from a few milliwatts to several watts, depending on how generous the designer is with biasing of the output stage.

You mentioned a concern with low level listening. The Classé Model Fifteen, when biased to factory spec should deliver about 5.3 watts in class A into an 8 ohm load. That should be enough to keep you in class A for most listening at low volumes with reasonably efficient speakers.

Once system becomes linear (by negative feedback or otherwise) it doesn't produce IMD - just look at IMD specifications of class AB amplifiers. Because amplifier has limited bandwidth it introduces delay to signal and negative feedback cannot compensate in proper phase (is too late) to fast changing (high slew rate) input signals. Because gain of amplifier before feedback is in thousands momentary lack of feedback response causes spikes in output signal causing unpleasant odd harmonics up to a point of saturation. Momentary saturation of output transistors causes charge to be trapped at their junctions for a moment. For this moment there is no sound. We don't hear it since our brain fills the gaps but it makes us tired.

It is possible to design class AB amp without (or with minimum TIM). Sane designer would set up gain before feedback to get with feedback only about 0.5% THD (or even 1%). Than he would measure bandwidth before negative feedback and would limit it (with feedback) in input stage to the same value. That would guarantee no TIM. Also he would use many local negative feedbacks avoiding deep global one. I don't want to bore you with detail of amp design (and I don't design audio) but my point is this: If you see a class AB amp with THD=0.001% stay away from it (something has to give).

There are amps that allow to adjust depth of feedback and people claim that the best sound is at the lowest feedback and highest distortion. Designing class AB for THD=0.001% is insane since speakers have few percent of THD. (Look at Stereophile article "Life without feedback")

Buy an amp for the sound and don't even look at specifications.

Class A is the best but at the price of electric bills.

Class A means that the bias on the 'device' (transistor or tube) is set to allow the device to be "on" 100% of the time. Very linear for the signal (that's why they sound good), but poor efficency. That's why real Class A amps are huge and expensive.

Class B amps are used in a "push-pull" arrangement - two tubes or transistors are used. While the signal is positive, only one tube is 'on' while the other is 'off'. Visa versa for the neg signal. Not used in transistor
audophile amps because of crossover distortion.

Crossover distortion is caused by the fact that the input of a transistor needs 0.7 volts to forward bias the junction. By keeping a small dc voltage at the junction to prevent the signal itself from being used to turn on the junction, this eliminates crossover distortion.

Class AB is a compromise between pure class A (sounds great, but runs very hot and is expensive) and class B (which runs cooler - more efficent - but doesn't quite sound as great as class A).

I don't believe that negative feedback is used to eliminate crossover distortion, but rather "regular" or non-linear distortion in general. Feeding back part of the signal in a 'negative' or degenerative manner increases amplifier linearity somewhat, but can produce other kinds of distortion (intermodulation, odd-order harmonic distortion, etc.)

Class C is for RF amplifiers almost exclusively (except bullhorns)

Bearotti - class D is very good at low levels (lows, highs, definition, dynamics, clarity etc)

Well designed class AB doesn't have crossover distortions because it is removed by negative feedback. There is no THD or IMD but instead hidden TIM distortion. TIM causes odd harmonics (sharp sound) and fatigue (brain fills moments of silence caused by momentary saturation).

Class A doesn't need feedback as deep because of operation on linear characteristic of transistors but also because it needs less of overall gain before output stage.

Unfortunately while class AB consumes, playing music, on average only few percent of maximum rated power the same time class A consumes full rated power.
Efficiency is extremely poor - in order of 12%.

My 2x200W class D amp consumes, during playback at full power about 35W while class A would consume 3200W (even idling).

As mentioned above, it is probably more about overall design and execution than choosing pure Class A vs. Class A/B.

That being said, all my current amps are pure Class A:

Atma-Sphere MA-1 mono blocks, Audio Mirror 45 SET mono blocks, and a couple of different Nelson Pass DIY amps are all pure Class A amps.

What do they all have in common? Very liquid and organic sound that you can listen to for hours and hours (as well as significantly higher electricity bills).

George

My Sugden compared to many other fine A/B amps I've owned is much quicker, open with very solid bass. Vocals and acoustic piano and bass are particularly well delivered.

I guess that part of my question is if Class A amps hand loads better than those that switch?

A lot depends on how the amp is designed. The supposed advantage of Class A operation is to eliminate crossover distortion. However, a well designed Class AB amp will not have appreciable crossover distortion. I doubt that reputable manufacturer designs class B amps

I used to have a Krell KSA-50S amplifier about 10 years ago. 50wpc. class A. It had a rolled off top end--trying to emulate tubes. I currently have a Jungson JA-88D 80WPC class A. Excellent sounding unit. Bottom line, you can't just assume because a unit is class A or a single ended triode or whatever that it will have a certain sound. It is voiced by the designer to have a certain sound. You can make vague generalities about a certain circuit design, but that's about it.

I was wondering also if perhaps a class A amp would be better for listening at lower volumes?