High End Amp Price Collapse musings

"It’s good to hear that $58K amps sound incredible, but at that price, they better. I don’t think that such a price range is really the heart and soul of
the market place."

You are right the "heart and soul" of the marketplace is not at the $60K range.... Nor is it at the $40K, 20K 10K, 5K, 1K, or $500.00. There exists no heart and sould of the marketplace per se.... There is however what is important for any particular audiophile, bearing in mind that his/your/her/mine is only a particular point of view, which has the same value or phylosophicl relevance as anyone else's.

All I am trying to assert is that any price range, there exist some class A, or AB, or D, or triod amps that someone will find preferable to every other amp.... And it is quite likely that what one audiophile finds nirvanic, may be found atrocious by someone else.

THe only thing to remember is that there is an incredibily large world out there, and the expeirience of any one individual is inherently limited.

There are so many Class D amps that are definitely worth exploring at prices less than $15K.... I will mention here only a few that either have an extraordinary musical reputation, or that I have tried myself.... But there are many more than this list:

D-Sonic M3/600 and M3/1500 -- Based on Pascal M-Pro2 and X-Pro2. The underlying pascal modules are capable of doing wonderful things.... Even the M3/1500 at 1500W per channel costs less than $300/pair.

Merrill Teranis stereo --  Based on NCore NC500 $2500. Amazing price/performer.... I have had it in my system for a few months.... It makes music at a level that I would be comfortable paying about $6K.

Bel Canto REF600. Already discussed. Based on NCore NC500 in mono configuration with the NC1200 power supply. If I remember correctly, this one might be about $5000 for the pair. Sorry I have not heard it yet, but I suspect REF600 to be a very good performer

Theta Prometheus Monos. $9K / pair (unless price has changed). Monos based on NCore NC1200, but sporting a custom toroidal power supply..... The combination is bound to be unique.... Sorry I have not heard it.

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Rowland M125 bridgeable. This one is about $3K. Based on a newer implementation of ICEpower. Reports tell of this amp  being incredi bily musical and sweet... Sorry, I have not heard it yet,  but know it by reputation.

Merrill Veritas monos -- Based on NCore NC1200. $12000 list. Incredible musical machines.... You will find my review on Positive Feedback.... I would expect an amp doing what this one does to cost about $20K.

Rowland Continuum S2 integrated. Based on Pascal M-Pro2, $9500. Heard it several times at RMAF.... Integrates also the Capri S2 linestage.... THis one is magic..... Had I not the big M925, I would be as happy as punch with CS2.

Will the above appeal to everyone? No chance.... Lots of audiophile have sonic preferences that are outside of what these amps do. Will they appeal to many.... Yes, provided the listener does not suffer from "Princess and the Class-D Pea" syndrome *Grins!*

Example... When ROwland M125 was first shown at Munich Show, a well known European media insider was mesmerized by the sound he was hearing.....

Thence came the fatidic question: "Does this marvel run in class A/B?".

The answer was in the form "No, it runs in class D."   

To this revelation the insider replied: "Ah, we do not like class D!", and left in a hurry.

G.

All, Over the last 30 years, I have owned a variety of high end amps, running in low bias class A/B (Aragon 4004), high bias class A/B (Rowland M7, M625, M725), and class D (Rowland M312, M925).

My current amps are the $58K Rowland M925 monos which amongst their many technologies use the Hypex NCore NC1200 modules in their power conversion components. I adopted these 4-chassis monos because of what they "do for living" in absolute terms. In other words, they totally enchanted me. ANd excepted for 160 Lbs per side being more than what I would have liked, their ability to make music the way I like exceeded nearly every statement-level SS, or tube amp I heard at RMAF, running in class A, A/B, D, or tubed triod... for example De Agostino, VTL, ARC, Krell, Levinson. Why "nearly"? Because I enjoyed the music from Solution amps as much as from my monos.

Class D amps today range from relatively entry level amps priced below $1K, to reference-level devices costing $60K or more. You will find in the mix amps that may wow you, amps that seem to be very competent at their price range, and amps that make you run away from the listening room wondering if the designer should get their hearing examined... Or perhaps are terminally tone death *Grins!* ... In other words, class D amps are Just like any other classes of amplifiers, having amongst their midst the Great, the good, the fair, and the horrid.

One fair comment to make about class D amp is that their break-in process may be a little more frustrating than with other classes.... Often they sound very dry, limited and uninvolving right off the factory floor, and the break in may extend a little beyond the 1K hours mark.... And what is more annoying is that the break-in is filled with temporarily discouraging performance dips.... Thankfully these gradually taper off past the midpoint. In other words... Breaking in a class D amp is not for those seeking instant gratification... Patience of such audiofool best remain steadfastedly Golden.

Note that there are on the market many entry level class D amp that are worth listening to and are likely to make you fall in love.... Magnificent performers beyond their pricepoint. I am thinking of the D-Sonic M3 series based on Pascal M-Pro2 and X-pro2 modules... Visit D-sonic.net for info and pricing. Or the Merrill Teranis, just to name a couple. 

Concerning Rowland:  his designs are class-neutral. While most of his current amps are class D designs, the M625 S2 stereo and the M725 S2 monos run in high bias clas A/b.

Finally.... As for the original conjecture of the OP.... A crash of pricing for non class D boxes is unlikely.... Ideological biases apart, there are as many sonic/musical preferences as there are audiophiles.... There is room for every audio-taste imaginable in audiophilia nervosa.

Saluti, Guido

 pr

electroslacker, you may want to recalibrate your generalizations... Class D amps are analog devices, not digital. digital amps work on different principles.

G.

Sure thing Dave_B, would love to know what excellent cable you discovered... What it bests, and how.

Saluti, G.