I just received my first free promo edition of the November issue of The Absolute Sound. There is a very interesting article entitled "Is Class D The Future Of Amplification that is a very good informative read,including some interviews/questions with Jeff Rowland, Dan D'Agostino and Bruno Putzeys (designer of the Kharma MP150). This is a good issue to pick up.
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Stan -
HI,
Being a digital specialist, for decades I have been predicting that switching amps would become the dominant audio amplifier technology. I have experimented with them. Ecomomics alone offers sufficient reason to develop the technology to a level of performance that is competitive with linear amps.
I've been waiting--for decades. I don't think the day of equal performance has quite arrived. There is no denying that the Watts per Dollar tradeoff is starting to lean towards switching amps. This will continue and may be considered a trend.
I believe that more technological development, mostly concerning improved integrated circuits, is needed before parity is achieved. But that day is sight.
Sparky -
I'm way behind the curve. After decades of listening exclusively to Class A amps, I recently am thrilled with a certain Rotel Class AB amp that I picked up used. It is not a stock amp, having been extensively modified, and it produces a fair amount of heat, so I'm guessing that the first several watts are in Class A mode, but boy for the life of me I can't hear any difference worth mentioning between it and my (excellent) Class A amp.
I have been underwhelmed by the two Class D amps that I own. I have some 41Hz kits sitting around here waiting for me to build them. I have a really nice power supply and I hope that will make the 41Hz kits shine. If the 41Hz kits don't sound considerably better than the two Class D amps I already own, I'll be dissapointed.
ChrisComment
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My own experience with NuForce taught me that Class D amps seem to be affected more so than Class A/B amps by different interconnects and speaker cables.
The best part of the Class D amps is the bang for the buck as overall, the consumer gets a lot for less $$
Best advice as always is to demo before purchasing, and Class D amps due to their size are much easier to demo.StanComment
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you know, when the nuforce amps came out, there seemed to be a jump, but most the people I know that moved to them are moving back to the traditional type of amp, including myself, although it won't be until later next year.I'm just sittin here watchin the wheels go round and round...Comment
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I got one of the 4 channel UcD180 amps Kevin Haskins of Exodus Audio builds from the Hypex components, and have to say it is at best indistinguishable from my Odyssey Stratos, and possibly a little better, except for power output, and possibly a little better.
I am using the Hypex amp for surrounds as it is not quite up to driving Maggie 1.6's at my occasional high volume, but when I was putting it into the system I did some comparisons and was really impressed.
BBComment
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I agree with Brandon that the UCD modules are pretty nice, but being the resident board curmugeon, I still have to say I'll stick by my Ayre's, Aragons, and personal designs. The UCD's need a little more in the way of output SOA (more/bigger FETs), and like any amp, they're quite depencdent on the power supply implementation.
But they've come a long ways... and it's hard to top a K series Crown for sub amplifiers, but then I'm hardly objective with them, any more than I am about Ayre.the AudioWorx
Natalie P
M8ta
Modula Neo DCC
Modula MT XE
Modula Xtreme
Isiris
Wavecor Ardent
SMJ
Minerva Monitor
Calliope
Ardent D
In Development...
Isiris Mk II updates- in final test stage!
Obi-Wan
Saint-Saëns Symphonique/AKA SMJ-40
Modula PWB
Calliope CC Supreme
Natalie P Ultra
Natalie P Supreme
Janus BP1 Sub
Resistance is not futile, it is Volts divided by Amperes...
Just ask Mr. Ohm....Comment
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The one I have has a up-to-5-channel version of the power supply Bruno Putzeys designed for the modules for Hypex. Seems pretty well designed, but you'd know more about that than I (as in you'd know quite nearly everything about it and I'd know very little
).
My subs are being run off a bit bigger crown amp.
BBComment
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I'm demoing a RSX-1550 (class a/b) vs a RSX 1560 (class d). Speakers are Era Design 14s. What I've come to decide is that the class d amp has more power (duh) and is more precise or detailed perhaps? However, when i'm listening to the 1560, I feel like it's obvious that I'm listening through speakers.... -
During the process of putting another HT together, I began auditioning amps to replace a Sunfire Series 1 Load Invariant and an Anthem MCA20 – noteworthy at the respective price points in their day and for the Sunfire: novel. Appreciating the ideas and most of the execution designed into the Sunfire,... -
I Would like to DIY an amplifier (no special requirements) but im not sure what the difference is between these two kits. Which one will sound/perform better, does the Toroidal power supply make a difference in relation to sound/power? They are both Class D however kit A only supports 200wpc @ 4 Ohm... -
Does anyone beside me wonder why just about every major amp manufacturer doesn't use Class G designs in their amps? Most amps are A/B with varying bias in pure Class A. These new Outlaw/NHT 200 watt monoblocks go from A/B to G at 80 watts. So above 80 watts, you are listening to G. If Class G sounded... -
I'm still in the process of trying to find where I stand in the Class D vs traditional linear amp debate knowing that the debate may never be put to rest and that both may coexist for many years to come. In any case I need to do more listening with some different speakers.
I've been encouraged...
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