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A great article on Class D/switching amps

The latest edition of The Absolute Sound has, in my opinion, the best overall perspective and evaluation of the eight most regarded class D switching amps on the market today.

The article contains an explanation of the technology, an interview with a couple of the most important designers, the individual reviews and finally a round table discussion regarding these amps.

I believe any of you GON members who might be considering auditioning a class D switching amp would want to review this piece regarding their different sonic signatures.

I had the pleasure of listening to the Kharma MP150 which the panel picked as being on top of the "heap" compared to Audio Research 300.2,Channel Island Audio D-200, Nuforce Reference 9 Special Edition, Red Dragon Audio Leviathan Signature, Jeff Roland Design Group 201, Cary Audio Design A 306,and finally the Spectron Musician III.

Each amp had at least two different reviewers with different systems evaluate them and then compare their experiences. This was a well done piece and if you read it I believe you find it both educational and helpful to understand what these amps are all about.
teajay

Showing 8 responses by muralman1

muralman1
1,527 posts
 
The Red Wine will not drive a difficult load. It goes head to head with SET amps, and fairs exceedingly well. Krell's real threat are the powerful Class D amps like my H2O. It thunders as Krell amps only try to, while being airy at the same time, Krell only wishes for.
muralman1
1,527 posts
 
Phd and Tbg, B&O recently spent a great deal of man hours improving their least popular module, the 500A. This module requires an add on power supply. The designer of the H2O, Henry Ho, cut his teeth making class A amps for his own use, and later for sale. His class D amps benefit from Henry's deep knowledge of conventional amps. B&O knows their best sound is sourced from outside designers. It is a matter of prestige they provide a great quality module to them. I have their new module inserted into my analog power supply H2O amps, and I want to say thank you B&O.
muralman1
1,527 posts
 
The lack of depth is a power supply problem. The digital power supplies can be steely accurate, but it takes a big analog power supply to bring out the best from the ICE amps. I enjoy tremendous staging side to side and fore to aft.
muralman1
1,527 posts
 
Arthur, I applaud you for getting your PhD. I am puzzled by your proclamation. Just what genre of amp do you prefer over class D? I have listened to all tube gear, and delved into it myself. I have heard a great deal of solid state amps, and have owned some of the finest. There is no doubt in my mind, nor my listener's minds that class D has got to be the cat's meow. The designer of my amps, Henry Ho, has told me he can make the ICE module sound anyway he wants. He is a senior electronics engineer, with a passion for audio.
muralman1
1,527 posts
 
Teajay, Henry has class A amps that will give your XA-100 amps tough competition. He isn't producing them because class A is a far cry from what his class D amps sound like. His first ICE amps were very much like the best of Class A amps. Now he has moved on towards making them sound just real.

Like many threads, this one has evolved, one idea building on another. There is no doubt simple class D amps are not the equivalent to first rate class A amps in some respects. What was brought out was a linear power supply steps up both the sound and the cost of a class D amp.
muralman1
1,527 posts
 
Right on, Dazzdax
muralman1
1,527 posts
 
Teajay, there have been two pairs of H2O amps for sale recently. One was sold along with speakers for financial reasons. The other sale was speaker driven IMHO. In any event, that seller is a die hard tube lover. There is no telling for preferences.

I would love Nelson to drive down the hill to hear what I have. My bet is he would change his design priorities straight away.

Who says there must be one design? Henry makes ICE ASP amps at a substantially lower price for those who want them. He sells the Signature monos direct, and makes only a decent return. It takes some dough to make these amps in America.

muralman1
1,527 posts
 
Teajay, you got me, Reading back on what you say, I don't know what I was replying to. BTW Henry's amps are just a bit less expensive than the Kharma.

There is one big drawback for all highly resolving amps. A persons attending fair is likely to betray itself as not up to snuff. My Pass preamp was the first to go, then the wires, and after that I revamped my front end. Visitors have brought over their CDPs, and they all were non-listenable. I am now a super believer in non oversampling rigs. I did not spend a lot of money fixing things. Henry took care of the preamp issue. I did not have to look elsewhere.

For a lot of audiophiles, changing out stuff may seem normal. I am a conservative audio enthusiast.
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