It would also be interesting to know where people feel that the newest 41hz offering, Truepath, stands in the Class D/T arena, in terms of sound quality.
I have an excellent opinion for some "harcore" Tripath chips but unfortunately, they are no longer in production so a comparison wouldn't really have a point.
I have an excellent opinion for some "harcore" Tripath chips but unfortunately, they are no longer in production so a comparison wouldn't really have a point.
Strummer61 said:
No. At least not in my experience. There is no question that they have in the last couple years started to be contenders and that for really low cost amps they have little competition.
It hasn't been made yet. This technology really has the same roots as computer technology, and like computer technology we will see huge gains made very quickly.
If one were to do an analogy that compares Class-D amps to the history of computers we are probably somewhere around about when Windows 3.1 was released (and the ground-breaking SI T-amp was the equivalent of the Macintosh 128)
dave
TheShaman said:
Tripath will rise from the dead... expect to see things even more tightly integrated with other products from Cirrus... a single chip DAC/amplifier is probably only one of the 1st.
And with the intellectula migh & slant of a bigger company, i would expect them to get better & cheaper.
dave
The only Class D amp I've heard so far is a Bel Canto S300iu. I have to say, it was quite Stunning! Big Soundstage, loads of detail, very musical. If their Ref-1000 is better than that, I'd be VERY happy to own it.
What I'm trying to find out is which is the best?
Has anyone compared Hypex or NewclassD to Bel Canto?
Thanks again!
Ian
What I'm trying to find out is which is the best?
Has anyone compared Hypex or NewclassD to Bel Canto?
Thanks again!
Ian
Having owned a few digital amps, IMO they all sound good and differ slightly in how the manufacturer has tuned the treble output. The filter coil controlling hypersonic RF upper frequencies in all digital amps has a major impact on the eventual sound of the amp.
Power output requirements is an important issue. The little Sonic Impact T-amp is an incredible amplifier within its power envelope! It miraculously drives my Edgar Horns to perfection but these are 104dB loudspeakers so do not need much power (I have four SI amps actively driving my Edgars with DBX crossover). Obviously, if you need high power then you need to look at Bel Canto; ICE; UCD & HYpex.
I have owned or auditioned the following digital amplifiers in my home:
- Bel Canto EVO200.2 (100w/ch)
- Bel Canto Evo2 (100w/ch)
- ICE 250&500 monoblocs (100-500w/ch)
- Panasonic XR-57 (6x100w/ch)
- Sonic Impact T-Amp
I have also heard the Bel Canto Ref1000; eAR from Denmark; and Nuforce digital amplifers.
To my taste the older Bel Cantos while overall excellent in sound are tailored towards a smooth sound. The ICE amps that followed it are much more vivid sounding. The new Bel Cantos use the new ICE modules from B&O Denmark, so should sound good. The eAR sounds clear and detailed and is good value, again using the ICE module. The Panasonic (using a Texas Instruments digital chip) is powerful and excellent sounding, and great value at RRP: $500USD. The Sonic Impact is as good as any other digital amp I've heard so long as you don't stress it with inefficient speakers - there's something inherently simple and 'right' about these little amps. Although there is much controversey over the issue in the DIY camp, the Nuforce amps are possibly the best of the digitals ?
Having said all that, at the end of the day you can't beat a competent valve amplifier. All things aside and comparing all of the above digiamps with my Supratek Merlot single ended triode monoblocs driving my Stax Lambda electrostatic headphones, the sense of three-dimensionality; transparent hear-through soundstaging and palpability of the midrange and treble is patently superior with the SET valve amp.
All just my opinion ...
Regards,
Steve M.
System Pics: http://forum.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/fr.pl?vevol&1146370182&view
Power output requirements is an important issue. The little Sonic Impact T-amp is an incredible amplifier within its power envelope! It miraculously drives my Edgar Horns to perfection but these are 104dB loudspeakers so do not need much power (I have four SI amps actively driving my Edgars with DBX crossover). Obviously, if you need high power then you need to look at Bel Canto; ICE; UCD & HYpex.
I have owned or auditioned the following digital amplifiers in my home:
- Bel Canto EVO200.2 (100w/ch)
- Bel Canto Evo2 (100w/ch)
- ICE 250&500 monoblocs (100-500w/ch)
- Panasonic XR-57 (6x100w/ch)
- Sonic Impact T-Amp
I have also heard the Bel Canto Ref1000; eAR from Denmark; and Nuforce digital amplifers.
To my taste the older Bel Cantos while overall excellent in sound are tailored towards a smooth sound. The ICE amps that followed it are much more vivid sounding. The new Bel Cantos use the new ICE modules from B&O Denmark, so should sound good. The eAR sounds clear and detailed and is good value, again using the ICE module. The Panasonic (using a Texas Instruments digital chip) is powerful and excellent sounding, and great value at RRP: $500USD. The Sonic Impact is as good as any other digital amp I've heard so long as you don't stress it with inefficient speakers - there's something inherently simple and 'right' about these little amps. Although there is much controversey over the issue in the DIY camp, the Nuforce amps are possibly the best of the digitals ?
Having said all that, at the end of the day you can't beat a competent valve amplifier. All things aside and comparing all of the above digiamps with my Supratek Merlot single ended triode monoblocs driving my Stax Lambda electrostatic headphones, the sense of three-dimensionality; transparent hear-through soundstaging and palpability of the midrange and treble is patently superior with the SET valve amp.
All just my opinion ...
Regards,
Steve M.
System Pics: http://forum.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/fr.pl?vevol&1146370182&view
Great feedback Steve.
I see you've worked with custom ICE modules and I wanted to ask...Would you happen to know if B&O people are working on something new to come in their ICEPower range? Is the 1000ASP their latest and greatest "platform" or is there something new coming along?
Any inside info?!
I'm really thinking of going for a pair of REF 1000s or a 300S or even a 300iu (depending on how work goes), but if B&O plan to release an upgraded/updated model perhaps I should wait for it to be used in the BelCanto products.
The Trends amp does the job just fine for now.
I see you've worked with custom ICE modules and I wanted to ask...Would you happen to know if B&O people are working on something new to come in their ICEPower range? Is the 1000ASP their latest and greatest "platform" or is there something new coming along?
Any inside info?!
I'm really thinking of going for a pair of REF 1000s or a 300S or even a 300iu (depending on how work goes), but if B&O plan to release an upgraded/updated model perhaps I should wait for it to be used in the BelCanto products.
The Trends amp does the job just fine for now.
I'm very happy with my Coldamp modules and switch-mode power supply, I was bi-amping my speakers with 4 channels of a TAG McLaren 5x100R power amp but now I'm just using 2 Coldamp modules and I have fuller and better controlled bass and a generally more musical (better to listen to) sound.
The Hypex modules seem the most popular however not many people seem to have directly compared them with the Coldamps, however someone on this forum (with Lowther loudspeakers) did and preferred the Coldamps.
Cheers
Simon
The Hypex modules seem the most popular however not many people seem to have directly compared them with the Coldamps, however someone on this forum (with Lowther loudspeakers) did and preferred the Coldamps.
Cheers
Simon
Some time ago Audio Physic released a class D amplifier developed by Mircea Naiu. This amp got good press in Germany and was placed among the (Class A transistor and valve) references. The attention faded soon, and Audio Physic stopped building it. Now amps using the technology are sold under the fairly unknown Cruz label.
http://www.cruz-digital.com/
The concept is quite interesting. It works analogue at very low levels.
Some questions:
Conventional modulators work with higher switching rates at lower levels. Could this give problems, as the switching speed of transistors is limited? And is this the problem Mircea Naiu wanted to avoid? My observation is that the T-amp is losing detail at very low levels with very sensitive speakers. Is this due to this effect?
Greets,
Oliver
http://www.cruz-digital.com/
The concept is quite interesting. It works analogue at very low levels.
Some questions:
Conventional modulators work with higher switching rates at lower levels. Could this give problems, as the switching speed of transistors is limited? And is this the problem Mircea Naiu wanted to avoid? My observation is that the T-amp is losing detail at very low levels with very sensitive speakers. Is this due to this effect?
Greets,
Oliver
Nice to hear that you also like them, Simon.
When I bought my coldamp amplifiers, first I was using a linear PSU with 625VA transformer and LPS30 PSU, but then I "switched" to their switching PSUs. The difference is quite noticeable, with more controlled bass and power reserve. Mids and highs are also quite clear without becoming annoying at all, and you don't need to be muscled to carry the amplifier from one room to another . Furthermore, the cost was, all things considered, lower with their switching PSU than using the linear one.
When I bought my coldamp amplifiers, first I was using a linear PSU with 625VA transformer and LPS30 PSU, but then I "switched" to their switching PSUs. The difference is quite noticeable, with more controlled bass and power reserve. Mids and highs are also quite clear without becoming annoying at all, and you don't need to be muscled to carry the amplifier from one room to another
. Furthermore, the cost was, all things considered, lower with their switching PSU than using the linear one.
I have yet to get to listen to the UcD a friend of mine had been playing around with. I thought NCD was quite good. Last week talking with a friend that had also been playing around with UCD as well as the NCD I lend him, his initial response is that he likes the NCD more, and it seems that the NCD will deliver more trasient power than the UCD. I personally had not compared, but found the transformer critical for transient power capability.
Class D is like the development of DACs. It's going to take a while until designs that can compare with the state of art linear amps appear.
Class D is like the development of DACs. It's going to take a while until designs that can compare with the state of art linear amps appear.
I owned one of the original Bel Canto evo power amps,200.2,I found it very clean sounding,good bass control,but I also felt the midband was rather recessed.
I've now heard the Huygens MCD class D,while it lacks the scale and power of the bel Canto,I agree with the previous comments in that it(class D) has more get up and go,not so laid back as the bel canto,but with even better bass control and speed which I like alot
I've now heard the Huygens MCD class D,while it lacks the scale and power of the bel Canto,I agree with the previous comments in that it(class D) has more get up and go,not so laid back as the bel canto,but with even better bass control and speed which I like alot
Thanks for the opinions. Keep 'em coming.
I've heard the Bel Canto S300 & know what that can do (very impressive, clean, powerful, good soundstage etc.) so I would be really interested to hear any comparisons with the S300.
Has anyone heard an S300 & Bel Canto Ref 1000 compared?
Anyone compared S300 with Hypex, NewclassD, NuForce or any other?
Thanks again.
I've heard the Bel Canto S300 & know what that can do (very impressive, clean, powerful, good soundstage etc.) so I would be really interested to hear any comparisons with the S300.
Has anyone heard an S300 & Bel Canto Ref 1000 compared?
Anyone compared S300 with Hypex, NewclassD, NuForce or any other?
Thanks again.
- Status
- This old topic is closed. If you want to reopen this topic, contact a moderator using the "Report Post" button.