How is it ? that a tuner smokes the table ???

Great reply Kirkus. I was trying to be general enough to not step on toes, but help explain the transmit chains and possible sources of degredation. A set of good ears make much of the processing minimalistic loss-wise. Often times the processing can improve attributes of the sound. While in no way can it be considered a simple signal chain, it's not necessarily negative in results (not necessarily positive either though I must add).

Great dialog!

It's important to remember that radio stations use serious processing in their transmission chains. First off, they brick wall filter at 50 Hz and 15Khz. Second, they compand the signal which is basically compressing then expanding the information in order to simplify the transmission of that signal through their STL path between the radio station and their transmit facility tower. Then it is Frequency Modulated (FM) or Amplitude Modulated (AM) for broadcast, and run through 20 to 100 thousand watt transmitters. Both of which are lossy mediums. Let's just say, those signals are dynamically compressed and band pass filtered to a very large degree.

This massive processing may or may not be pleasing in a system. How many times have you listened to a song on the radio, thought it would sound excellent in your system, bought it and then discovered that the vinyl or CD was poor at best by comparison? That would be because of the processing and the transmission characteristics. Processing is used on a very large scale during studio and mastering, but that processing usually pales in comparison to that used in a transmission chain.

Wonderful tuners such as those smooth sounding Magnum Dynalabs are indeed nice, but be careful to not confuse "nice" with "accurate".

Hi Jim-
I applaud your level of DIY, but I have to disagree about your generalization about the various ICE modules. Since the manufacturers of class-D amps readily admit that voicing is crucial, and that the class-D amps using ICE modules all sound different, it is far more than the manufacturers simply putting them in fancy boxes. It has been argued by the designers themselves that voicing the Class-D module based amps is at least as important, if not more important, than voicing A or AB amplifiers. The choices of connectors, wire, chassis damping, power supply components, binding posts, even boards make even greater differences than with linear supply A and AB amps.

I have no doubt that your amplifiers sound fine, and applaud your thrift in making equipment. Money spent is hardly the point in audio- good sound is everyone's goal. However, make no mistake, the upper echelon ICE module amps have more design and thought into them than simply putting them in fancy boxes.

BTW, congratulations on not letting this thread get to you, and maintaining civility. Kudos!