Class A vs. AB vs. D... can you hear a difference?

My system is all bowers and wilkins.
802d htm1 in the front.
802n for the back channels.
804S for expansion chanels.

My amp is am anthem statement p5.

I am looking to add the 804s speakers for 6 and 7 channels.

Short of buying another anthem statement amp. I am looking into other options.

Anthem makes their mono amps. 1000 watts (for me over kill) but it is a class D design.

I had thought about class A.... but I hear of a lot of heat coming from the amps. And I want to be more effienct.

B&W recommends speaker cables with a low ohm per a given foot.

I am not one that believes cables beyond a certain point help or hurt. But then again my ears are not all that great.

So that is the background for my question on amps classes.

I could easily use the anthem for surround channel only.... if I found 3 channels to use up front from another amp or amps.

Thanks
Bill

Bill, for the 6 and 7 channels, just effects, you don't really need another statement amp, but I'd use your 5 channel on the front channels for sure. You could get an Anthem MCA amp or even go to another brand I think. I'd suggest Parasound too, they are voiced similarly to Anthem I believe. Their Classic line would do a fine job, and of course the Halo line, depending on your preference/budget.

Still not convinced with the high frequencies of any class D I've heard, but I've only heard a handful. Could say the same about most tube amps I've heard. Still have concerns about AC pollution of SMPS but that has become universal.

Having a pair of Plinius that can switch from AB to A, which is close to "all other things being equal", I prefer A. However, I could easily live with AB if I didn't have the choice and be joyfully ignorant of the subtle difference.

To me there's a chance that a class D would differ too much with what the Statement amp is doing with the B&W's. Class A is too hot and getting 200 plus wpc would be pretty rare and expensive I think. No point in trying to re-invent the wheel here, stick with what is in the rest of the system, Bill.

There are newer designs of class A operation that does not put off so much heat, with the likes of fans,very low stand by power consumptions and etc.., me, I enjoy the Heat of pure class A operation in big class A older amps, keeps my family warm in the winter, and I appreciate the amp's value more, by thinking of the amp as a jet engine that blows the sound quality out the window with any other class of operation of amps, might not make sence, but I love it!