Chip amps vs class D amps

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Has anyone compared the Chip amps against Class D amps?.
I have build LM3875/LM3886 But now I would love to try to build one Class D amp.How will the sound compare to the chip amps from this company classdaudio.com. They told me I can just add a potentiometer 10K and it can be used as integrated amp.
 
Been following this, Discrete, vs chip vs D.
I have not heard the best of the best in D, but the D forum claims they are there now, The production units I have heard were harsh, closed, and dull. Great for a sub, or a car. I may even build one. I have not heard the new NAD.

Chip-amps sound middle of the road. Maybe I have not heard a really good one, but none I have heard can match even my old Rotel's for musicality. Guess I should sacrifice an old Hafler chassis and build one.

Old school, bottom of the line Hafler or B&K, move up to Rotel, Parasound, and then up to the good stuff. Let me know when a new technology can beat a Naim, Krell or Pass. I am sure it will someday :)
 
Not even a comparison IMHO, until technology in class D gets better, not to say it is not "good", and I have heard very good switch mode amps. I personally find even good D amps to have a narrow analytical sound.

Thanks tiltedhalo, I know for sure the LM3875/LM3886 sound really good but I just wanted to know if these class D amps can kick some butts too. But I guess they do not...lol.;)
 
Hi lanchile: my humble opinion is it depends on what speaker you are using the amps on and how efficiently you want to run your system. I've got or had all the amp technologies, even at the moment got digital Tripath/ICE/Equibit; Krell KSA50; Accuphase; Pass Labs; LM 3875/3886/4780; triode tubes etc.

The digital amps are great if you want good clarity and power on speakers that require this, say conventional sorted high quality not-so-efficent threeways. On the other hand, the chips amps sound better through the midrange (more bite and forwardness) and are great on speakers like Lowther and Fostex where their tactile nature shines.

That siad given an undemanding loudspeaker - tubes rule! ...all just my opinion though. :)

Regards,

Steve M.
System pics & words: AudiogoN Forums: Supratek Grange Based System
 
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the truth thing is chipamp diy friendly.for class d,you have to fix more issue.

-zang

Agree!:D

Got a chance to do a comparison between chip amp, Heavy A/B Mosfet, and Class D/ Class T early Y2009 and confirms to Steve's earlier comments that the speaker systems does have to be considered, not to mention the style of music that we want to hear..

Back then, personally, what I recalled was (IMHO):
1. Class T with SLA battery supply was the cleanest sounding amp, strong in vocal and mid range,
2. Heavy A/B Mosfet was the most powerful with lots of dynamics on all lines, good and sweet sounding...
3. Chip Amps LM3886 based, satisfactory, was in between Class T and Heavy A/B Mosfet, not so dynamic as Mosfet but much more powerful compared to Class T.

But... all comes back to each individual taste, of course,:):)
 
Tripath TC2000/TK2050 is better than my chip amps

I have tried quite a few different diy amps. TDA7294, Behringer A500, Rega Delta 290, Velleman 50watt module with TIP147, original AKSA, single 3886, Bridged/balanced 3875 BA100, Ucd180, and the previous champ, TDA7250 driving TIPs. In that order of increasing sonic performance. By the time you get back to the A500 it is very disappointing. The 7250 was quite a step ahead of the rest although the BA100 showed how much better the 3875 can be with more chips if you have a balanced source such as my direct out DEQ2496. For chip amps, I would consider a BPA200 a minimum that might get you into the ball park if you have a nice balanced source to feed it with so you don't need a phase splitter on the input. A modified Sure 2X100 with a cheap smps beats them all. At a lower price. As long as you can get by with a powerful sounding 70 watts. Explosive dynamics and very transparent. I don't build any class A or tubes but have read from another guy with a KSA50 clone and an Aleph that his unmodified classD audio amp sounds better. Most people think of the little Tamp running on 12V when they talk about Class D but the newer, more powerful Class D can be quite impressive when run with a wide open output filter.
 
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Yet another discussion of Class A/B versus Class D. I really wish everyone would stop trying to compare things so generally. It only produces ignorance and misinformation.

The result here is that someone will say this class of amp is better because I listened to this amp and this other class of amp at this one was better. The assumption being made is that it was better because it was a different class of amp, which usually has little to do with the verdict.

I've compared my own DIY Mauro Penasa "My_Ref" to my own DIY Hypex amp, all other things equal, I prefer the Hypex. Do you think it's because of the class? I sure don't.
 
I completely agree, execution is just as important as topology, but when we are relying on integrated circuits we don't have control over the internal execution. New technologies take some understanding. I have only heard class D that sounded edgy, and only heard chip-amps that sounded "limited". I have heard both superb and horrid Class A, and AB. I need to build some amps.

Example, Op-Amps took a bad beating in preamps. Crown IC-150, Apt Holman. Horrible sounding. Well, they had 741's in them. Now that new National chip will give most anything a run for it's money. At that time, op-amps were bad. Both technologies under question here are still on the rise.
 
:rolleyes: I think its reasonably fair for the OP to ask what the sonic signature of a particular amp might be? Afterall, if you don't entertain ideas like this, then what are we in it for (audio pursuits, that is)? ...what, the building of bits of equipment for the sake of building? In the end 'the sound' is what matters not the electronic theory.

Regards,

Steve M.

But with a well-designed and well-implemented amplifier, there should be no "sonic signature" that could be correlated on a per-class basis. Period.

The only true general statement that I can think of that might indulge that type of idea is that the sound produced by tubes might be different, in general, from that produced by semiconductors, because tubes tend to produce even harmonics while semiconductors tend to produce odd harmonics.

Cheers,

Tom
 
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