I posted in another thread that I've used Wyred 4 Sound SX-1000 Mono amps in my system for almost 10 years. I've never experienced any "listener fatigue" and don't really have any desire to replace them. If I do replace them I will most likely go with the upgraded SX-1000R mono amp. E.J. Sarmento builds a quality amp and the Bascom H. King engineering and board design is nothing to sneeze at. And, 625 watts @ 8 ohms and 1200 @ 4 ohms means it will drive anything. All for 3K a pair.
agreed with you with tubes. but i personally doubt that even the best of class d can compete with true lateral mosfets or class a.
The Lyngdorfs do a nice job, at least I think so on my TDIA-2710. Those supposedly while a totally digital system inside their Integrateds, they are supposedly somewhat different than Class D.
Checks in on thread Looks at box of numerous 12AX7's, and CV4004's Logs out. Goes back to listening to Class D integrated amp. M~
The ELAC DPA-2 is on my list of Class D amplifiers. I heard on a while back and it was very impressive. DPA-2 Stereo/Mono Amplifier
class D amps can be fine but if you've got $10K to spend (even Canadian), not sure why you would make it a main thing to look for. they do have the advantage of running cool though, if that is a concern at all.
I'm not the one to talk about juicy mids & silky highs, I hear minimal differences between amps. I hear a bigger difference when I change speakers, they are the mouth of the system. The amp should be able to drive the speakers properly and powerful amps do that. When I put the XTZ in Crown's place I heard a slightly leaner sound, slightly less low end, it's also a little quieter. With the Crown there's a slight hiss if I put my ear on the tweeter. I have a tube preamp, I'm sure there's some noise from there even with the NOS Mullards I have. From the sweet spot can't hear noise even between songs. The important thing of Class D amps for me, excluding their affortability, are their power. I like to open up from time to time, with my previous budget 80 watt integrated the sound started to distort when the volume went higher. Some people don't understand that because they are used to distortion but an A-B test can show the difference.
Hi, thought I’d chime in as someone who owns a modest Class D amp... Temple Audio Bantam Gold. High Quality Digital Stereo Amplifier. Made in the UK Please bear in mind my set up is very much ‘budget’ compared to the vast majority on here: This amp, Cambridge CDP as a transport, Cambridge Dacmagic Plus DAC and Dynaudio Audience Speakers. My first ‘proper’ hifi had a Cambridge Audio 640 amp. Out of curiosity I bought a cheaper Temple Audio tripath amp to see how it sounded some years later. That one maxed out at 15 watts and I was sceptical it would drive my hungry speakers. I was very wrong, and after spending a day with it I sold my Cambridge amp. The clarity and soundstage of the Temple Audio amp was significantly better, and it went plenty loud enough without distorting in what was at the time a medium size listening space. A few years later I bought the ‘Gold’ which was a similar experience, but went a bit louder, and was more detailed and a little smoother. I have no regrets moving on from the Cambridge at all. Once I stuck a refurbed Dacmagic Plus in the chain, I could really start hearing mastering differences and I’m sure that’s in combination with the amp. To play fairly loud on a Friday night, the Gold sits at ‘1 o’clock’ on the dial for a ‘loud’ album, but for a very dynamic album I can go up to ‘4 o’clock’ no problem. The sound fills my now smaller listening space very well, with some very impressive bass for my small speakers. If you gave me several hundred £s to replace my amp, would I buy another Class D? Honestly I don’t know, I probably listen to different options, but for anyone getting a whole new budget kit, if you have £500 to spare for an amp (and maybe the same for speakers) and only need one input, I wouldn’t hesitate to get one of these, and use the change to spend £750 on speakers.
I've had an eye on the Temple monoblocks some time ago ... very interesting. Anyone knows what class D technology is used? I think the distinct amplifiers tends to "converge" when they work without distortion and without any limitation condition (electrical, thermal, etc). Maybe with 20k speakers this can be different ... but that's way outside my budget .
I have the class D integrated Marantz PM-10 that has replaced McIntosh MC601's/C50 for the moment on a pair of JBL 4365 horn loaded speakers. I find the sound much clearer and has much more separation in instruments. I think its a keeper.
They do this one now: The Temple Audio Bantam One Website Basically it’s an integrated amp, with 2 newer mono blocks in one case, with a newly designed linear power supply I think for each one, more inputs and 100 watts of power...
I’m starting to get that drift also. Obviously, down the road technologies will emerge that will blows today’s SOTA away. But that’s not today. I guess I’ll still be looking towards McIntosh.
I’m starting to come to the conclusion that if class D was really “there” we wouldn’t have to ask the question. Maybe down the road it may improve but then who knows what technologies might emerge.
You could ask the same question about macIntosh or any other amp probably and get the same mixed response. You won't know really until you try some class D amps. All you are doing is forming a conclusion on a bunch of opinions. My count of the posts are 9 folks that love their Class D amps, 6 say they don't prefer class D, and the rest are speculation without real class D experience.
Using Spec class D integrate with Audio note AX-2 speaker combination, non fatigue sound, mids are richer, very close to tube but still misses the vocal warmth that is present in Tubes. Below is the link of the review which resonates to my experience, however for me it is overpriced, basically I like tube and never felt to trade the class D integrate(so far and in summer they are in the driver seat), only few choices of speakers to match with. Spec me up!
True that nothing beats first hand experience but that may not always be available. Tried and true technologies have long and well deserved track records and can be relied upon. BTW I’ve had McIntosh in the past, like their sound and wouldn’t hesitate investing in them again.
I spent time posting on the Polk forum, re: RTiA9's desire for WPC. The consensus (@F1nut) was the Polks really started to sing with a Parasound HCA-3500 (Circa 1998) 350 watts RMS x 2, 8 Ω (here's one on the bay @ BIN $1,520.00 + $134.99 shipping). Then there was talk of recapping, etc. So I needed a competent tech in the boonies (@Helom) to go thru it. Or, I could ship it to some Polk forum re-nown tech (+ shipping, both ways) . . . . I'm approaching $2K to find out what the RTiA9s sound like w/350 WPC. I took the Class D route, with the QSC, < $500 (recouped on resale). There's lots of threads on replacing the QSC's noisy fan with a quieter one. I now knew what the Polks sounded like w/ 2 X that Parasound's 350Ws. There's "rules of thumb" on matching pro amps with manufacturer's recommended 50-500 WPC. When Googling "audiophile brands" delivering > 500 WPC, I could imagine the cock&bull story I'd be serving up for my wife's approval. Google led to many instances of HT installers using Yamaha P7000s pro amps; several replacing their own HT amps. No significant # of failures. So I scored one, & have had no disappointments. @Helom I've seen your I've heard the best that modern class D has to offer currently and it still falls a little short statement several times. I wonder how close you are, & IF you would listen to my Yamaha (not Class D) in your system. I got the admonishment on the Polk forum that the Yamaha P7000s would have the "Yamaha house sound" (Yamaha uses the phrase natural sound, as I recall). I have no idea IF my pro amp sounds anything like the 4 Yamaha AVRs I have on hand, none > 150 WPC. They also scoffed @ an owner who was using Emotive XPA=1 mono blocks (600 watts at 8 Ohms), until a fellow member confirmed they sounded better than w/350WPC. IMHO, Yamaha may have reached SOTA as far as sound goes with their EEEngine topology. They just failed to get a pro amplifier demo at Axpona or RMAF. The replacement D topology pro amps are likely a cost-cutting maneuver. I'm certainly glad I didn't go the Parasound HCA-3500 route.
I had Macs running a pro JBL system in the seventies. I guess if the description “Tried and True” describes anything it surely applies to McIntosh equipment.
I have recently taken possession of a Hattor Dual Mono stereo power amplifier and a Khozmo passive preamp. Initially the sound was slightly too forward, a bit too bright with PMC DB1i mini monitors but swapping them out for a pair of Neat SX3 really improved just about everything. Sometimes it won’t be the amps fault, look elsewhere before just writing some very good products completely off. I would compare the sound via the Neats as Solid, detailed and ever so slightly rolled off in the hf. Taking a gamble and picking up the Hattor/Khozmo basically new in opened boxes has paid off for me, only six weeks old and for what I paid a bargain. They will not be replacing my Exposure amplification (their presentation suits me) as my main system but they will get a lot of listening in my conservatory system where I do spend a lot of time. Having two sets of speakers that have different presentations has been invaluable (PMC’ are mini monitors with a Transmission Line and the Neat’ are ported to the rear) in judging the amps. If I only had the PMC’ I would concur that the one class D amplifier I have heard was leaning towards brightness but would assume that the general consensus thus far was somewhat exaggerated. Much more than just Subwoofer Amplifiers methinks. YMMV
