Is D for Dry? Class D...

clearthinker371 posts05-23-2021 1:46amCheap shortcuts rarely work.

What does that mean?

@arcticdeth

Have you listened to an EVS1200, or evenly the lowly (by comparison) PS Audio M1200s?

You might know I have owned a EVS 1200 for almost 2 years now. My preamp/dac is a Audio Alchemy DDP-1 + PS 5 (outboard PS).


I had taken out the optical cable so was listening via my Oppo 105 with upgraded LPM, and it was VG, BUT, the HFs were on the harsh side and depth was ok, even though I was using WireWorld Series 8 XLRs.  I finally figured that out and hooked up a WireWorld optical cable- WOWish, BUT, was rolled off. I decided to replace the 5ish yo Morrow Audio unjacketed multistrand power cord to the PS 5 with a WireWorld Electra 7 PC  to a fantastic a transformation in warmth, clarity, imaging and holographic sound stage

hth

I love the anti - Class D folks and welcome their Critique .
Hence Allowing me to procure Class D Amps at a great price before the rest of the community really gives them a chance

My vote goes to dry, or at least dry'ish and lacking in that last touch of "realness," which better amplifiers are able to convey.  For subs and general listening Class D is great, but when compared to better Class A or Class AB amplifiers the NC1200 Ncore amplifiers that I owned (Acoustic Imagery Atsah monos) fell short.  
This quote from a review of the Mola Mola Kaluga in Mono &
Stereo comes as close as any to what I heard from the NC1200 monoblocks:

"All notes were there but the illusion of musicians standing in front of me wasn`t convincing at all. The music didn`t sound inviting and involving, it was just… there.
The emotional content was missing and the tonal colours were somewhat bleached. For lovers of analog reproduction and concert goers the sound could also be quite fatiguing and plain boring."

Bondmanp wrote:
"My back and I love our Class D Arion Audio S-500 amp."

(Sorry, I haven't mastered the art of quoting on this forum.)

I love bondmanp's remark, because it sums up how everything is a trade-off. I have a Yamaha AS-501 integrated, in large measure because it's about 25 pounds and that's my upper limit. But I'd love more power! And Class D seems the only way for me to get that without injury. Is it everything sonically a powerful A/AB amp would be? Maybe, maybe not. But the powerful A/AB amp is not an option. I am more and more intrigued by the world of Class D.