Class-D amps - a different re view


Martin Colloms, the editor of HiFi Critic (ad-free mag from the UK) have recently published the review of several different Class-D amps, together with an in depth technical analysys and measurments.

His conclusions were not favourable, to say at least:

"I regret that not a single model merits unqualified recommendation. Price is not the issue; the poor listening tests speak for themselves. (...)
At present we have to take the prudent view that good sound might be possible from switching amps, but we haven't heard it yet."

BelCanto REF1000 (ICEpower) - score 10.5 pooints
"The ICE power module used has a dependable reputation, and the design is well built and finished as a whole. While I would not suggest that you shouldn't try this amp, on sound quality grounds alone I cannot recommend it for audiophile use."

Channel Islands D100 (UcD) - score 13 pooints
"While I have reservations about a number of aspects of sound quality, and advise personal audition, given the solid lab results (...) the overall performance and the moderate price, these CA Audio monos do make it to the 'worth considering' cathegory."

NuForce 8.5V2 (proprietary technology) - score 9 pooints
"Yes, the price is good for the power output. Yes it's pretty, light, small and runs cool. However, the sound quality simply does not justify recommendation." (on top of that the NuForce amp measured very poorly - Elb)

Pro-Ject Amp Box (Flying Mole) - score 5 points
"I'm sorry to say that Project (...) was a real disappointment in the listening tests, and can't be recommended."

Just as a point of reference, recently reviewed Krell 700CX scored 100 points, CJ Premier 350 - 110 points and ARC Ref 110 - 135 points.

At least someone have had the balls to say it. This is why HiFi Critic is THE mag to subscribe.
128x128elberoth2
There are 3 kinds of switching noise in Class D amp:
Carrier frequency - approx 0.5MHz
Switching spikes of output Mosfets - approx few ns
Switching power supply frequency approx 50kHz

Carrier has very little chance to get thru linear power supply with all capacitors then power transformer and finaly input chokes and capacitors (pi filter). It has even less chance to get thru regulated switching power supply (my Rowland).

Switching spikes have very little energy and are filtered on power supply as above, and on the speaker cables by means of common mode chokes and capacitors (zobel network).
Carrier in not completely filtered on speaker cables (about 1% left) but needs 525 fett of speaker cable to become 1/4 wave antena.

Switching power supplies are present in probably every modern TV set and are strictly regulated. Not only that my Rowland for instance has CE certification (part of which is measurement of radio emissions) but also Icpower module used inside (200ASC) has folowing info in the datasheet:
EMI conforms to: EN55013
EN55020
EN61000-2
EN61000-3
FCC part 15-B

Elberoth2 - There are few early amps with poorer filtering like previous EVOs (not Icepowers) from Bel Canto or some NuForce amps but he implies they have poor performance because of it or that the company performs some illegal acts designing the switcher.

His point 1. is practically same as ponit 2. It is not possible to push noise out without pushing in - it's the same thing. He just makes it sound worse.
Elberoth2 - jus shortly

9. "Use steep low pass filters to limit the upper high frequency range, partially negating the purpose of wider bandwidth, e.g. SACD, source material while resulting filter phase shifts may be audible in the working band"
Don't know what he means - Icepower has 65kHz bandwidth (-3dB) and typical phase shift at 20kHz.

10. "Have input circuits which are highly susceptible to higher frequency input signals including upper band noise shaper noise and DAC artefacts, and which then contribute to poor treble sound"
Why input circuit are more susceptible ti higher freaquency - I don't know.

11. "Have output circuits with poor high frequency resolution resulting in high levels of intermodulation products at the high frequency end of the spectrum"
Resolution is unlimited (analog) and IM distortions for my Rowland are 0.0005% at 10W 4 Ohm 14kHz/15kHz. How many other amps can do that?

12. "Have 'sampler' noise shaped noise floors which vary dynamically with the level frequency and complexity of the input signals"
I don't understand this language - what samplers is he talking about in analog modulator?

13. "Have comparatively small power supply reservoirs, in the light of their low frequency output current potential"
My Icepower being smallest of the series has peak current 11A. Larger 201 has 20A and largest 501 has about 50A.

14. "Have thermal dissipation limitations due to the small power module size which means that thermal dynamic variations are present in the performance with time"
Nonsense - my amp dissipates abot 5W and runs completely cold. Output switchers (Mosfets) have close to zero resistance when "ON" and switch within nanoseconds - not much power dissipated there (even no heatsinks).

15. "To protect the fragile output stages all kinds of pre-clip, and aggressive fold back protection regimes are included which are frequency dependant and are also programmed for duty cycle"
Again - tossing terms. Output is more robust than traditional amps having strong Mosfets in H-Bridge and all sorts of protection. Foldback protection is used only in linear regulated supplies (not used in amps for output power). Someone was testing Icepower at full power with music, sinewave and noise for many hours - found them to be exceptional. I can find it if you want.

16. "Operate at an equivalent sample rate which is insufficient for good resolution above 7kHz. DSD 1 bit pulse-width modulation operates at 2.4MHz, nearly ten times the rate used in Class D amplifiers"
It does not sample anything and has unlimited resolution at any frequency (it is analog). Has bandwith limit of 65kHz because of 0.5MHz carrier. 2.4MHz he mentiones or 2.8 MHz with SACD has different purpose (sampled system Nyquist - there is no DAC here)

17. "Deliver high constant DC voltages relative to local ground (up to 70V) at the output terminals (of course not between the +,- terminals) and hence the loudspeaker connections and cable"
DC voltage on output of my amp is under 1mV. What he means by "High Constant DC Voltage"? I don't know terms like that. This is garbage - believe me
Just one more comment to pnt. 17 - I said I cannot understand what he's saying. It looks like he things there is up to 70V of constant DC voltage on the speaker terminals???? Please help me to understand this!!
I don't know what bothers me more claim of 70V DC on the speaker terminals or terms like "Constant DC" (had impresion that DC is constant by definition)
Kijank, I want to thank you for taking the time to unmask this pretender, Cplloms.

I am just a listener. One critic of class D, and tube lover extraordinaire, told me recently he can hear class D sampling. When I questioned how, he used the example of upsampling DACs vs. non-upsampling. I had to agree with him on the difference of those two. I also had to tell him I cannot hear any similar sampling distortion in the ICE amp I am using, H2O.

From what I think I understand from what you said, ICE modules do not sample. Am I correct here? That would explain why I do not hear anything.

I can put my ear directly to my drivers and hear nothing but pure music. There is no noise.

Another question I'd like to put to you is whether you have found everything inserted into the best class D amps has to be as faultless as possible?

Thanks again for your input.
Kijanki, FWIW your comment:

My Icepower being smallest of the series has peak current 11A. Larger 201 has 20A and largest 501 has about 50A.

has an ambiguity. The 50A peak current you mention- is that the output? Assuming a 1 ohm load and 50Amps, that's 2500 Watts. Assuming a 2 ohm load that's 5000 watts... So into what impedance does this spec occur or is it 'marketing'?