Can class D amps compete with class A?

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#3
The things that you hear in a class A amp and good tube amps is a lack of crossover distortion and distortion that is primarily 2nd and third harmonic. So you would like to see the same things in a class D amp.

The new Hypex NCore that is coming out looks interesting.
 
#4
john dozier said:
Can any of the class D amps compete sonically with class A amps? If so which ones specifically. I currently use tube amps but would like to try class D if they can provide SOTA sound quality. Thanks
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Yes. Of course, there are all kinds of tube amps (and class d amps), good and bad.

The classdaudio.com amps are a good way to start. Quite a few people rate them equal or better to their tube gear. There's a mammoth thread here

One of many reviews here. Note the frenchman comparing to an $8000 amp further down.

I have a SimpleSe tube amp that I love but I can't say that it is better than the classdaudio (CDA-254) with Connexelectronic SMPS with DCB1 buffer I had before it. That setup had a special sound all it own. Just a question of taste. Anyone who thinks class d is still sub-par is not paying attention to the rapid rate of development.
 
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#6
What we unfortunately don't have are people with several types of amps to give good comparisons. I'm not interested in tube amps - built some in the 50s and 60s and long ago gave up on them. But it would sure be helpful if we had more comparisons between the different Class D amps, for example ClassD Audio and HiFiMeDIY.

And for the topic of this thread any of you that have both Class A & Class D amps to post your impressions.

Thanks to any of you that can contribute.

Rod
 
#7
kevinh said:
The things that you hear in a class A amp and good tube amps is a lack of crossover distortion . . . you would like to see the same things in a class D amp.
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Exactly. The flaw that characterizes most (though not all) "solid state" amps is crossover distortion . . . and class D amps (like class A, but for different reasons) don't have it. A weakness of many class D designs is low load immunity . . . high frequency response can vary depending on the loudspeaker impedance. This is not an issue if you are carefull matching amp to speaker . . . class D is near ideal for "active" systems where the amp is almost by definition "matched" to the load . . . but it can be an issue to watch for if you are in the habit of constantly switching loudspeakers. IMO there is simply no audible improvement to be had over an IRS2092 based amp properly matched to a single driver . . . and they are certainly inexpensive enough to be used that way, as a complete amplifier board can easily cost less than a single foil inductor or or beautique capacitor in a "passive" crossover.
 
#8
To John and others, if you would trust my music lover ears, i would be able to compare an Aleph clone to a optimized Tripath based amp which is on the way to be operative .
I think will be able to post opinion around Xmas time. Come back to you.
Cheers
 
#10
ad010685 said:
To John and others, if you would trust my music lover ears, i would be able to compare an Aleph clone to a optimized Tripath based amp which is on the way to be operative .
I think will be able to post opinion around Xmas time. Come back to you.
Cheers
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Many years ago I had a smile when LC questioned amp designers for continuing with the "classical" amp technology as compared to the new class-D technology. It has been so many years, still I have a smile reading posts like this 🙂

To my believe, Tripath can only be good for non-sensitive ears. Audiophile ears should be able to hear or detect something wrong with the sound of this amp, and thus directly reject it. It's about who is listening to it. I know who will accept it and who will not.

Good ears will be questioning the chance of class-D amps to compete. Not sonically, but... :cheers:
 
#12
I done A/B tests of Tripath and other Class-D amps against several highly rated and some very expensive Class-A amps. Class-D holds its own. I've usually thought the Class-A (tube or SS) was better, but not by a huge margin. And the comparison in price, power use, heat, weight, etc. certainly tip the scales toward Class-D. Those don't count toward SQ, or course, but they do count for most people who choose an amp.

I consider myself an Audiophile, have ears (two) and have listened to a lot of Class-D compared to Class-A on a lot of systems. Where Class-D falls behind (to my ears) is in space and image. Class-A seems to have no equal there.
 
#13
Hello, Jay.....just one remark.....time ago when I was a high-end youngster I remember candidly asking to Mr. Pass about which amp (different brand names)was better for a specific job. He repeated to me what I should have already picked up from his manuals.
Not remembering the exact reply but what more or less "Audio is a SUBJECTIVE experience"
I still like the game "which is better" but to my understanding has more to do with the "have fun, kids" syndrome or "humans like certainties"

I think many agrees and disagress at the same time, just because we are humans ;-)), and like to play with this hobby.
 
#14
ad010685 said:
Hello, Jay.....just one remark.....time ago when I was a high-end youngster I remember candidly asking to Mr. Pass about which amp (different brand names)was better for a specific job. He repeated to me what I should have already picked up from his manuals. Not remembering the exact reply but what more or less "Audio is a SUBJECTIVE experience"
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Subjective? Sure. But the more we understand, the less subjective things are. Everyone who is knowledgeable will tend to answer "it depends...", "it is a subjective things...", "if A then X, if B then Y, if C then Q..."

ad010685 said:
I still like the game "which is better"
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"Better" is subjective. Less subjective is "why it is better", "better in what sense".

Second harmonics... third harmonics... it's not about preference.
 
#17
Any listening experience is subjective.

I have an Arcam AVR350 which I think uses Class D amps. It just doesn't compare with my Pass Class A Aleph 4.

This is going to sound wrong. I find the Class D amps very harsh and tiring to listen to.

My Class A amp is just a pleasure to listen to. I never want to turn if OFF to listen to anything else.

As has already been mentioned - The match between speakers and amp in Class D is CRITICAL. Class A amps are generally very forgiving.

BUT - HEY. You are the one listening to it. If you like the sound then you have achieved your goal.
 
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