That's always been my experience with Class D in my audio system.Wonderful technology,energy friendly,no worries,but it just doesn't capture the expressiveness and artfullness of the music.
SET vs ICE vs GAINCLONE vs HYBRID vs other?
I'm looking for amp recommendations. Here's my situation:
I just gave up a nice JAS Array 2.1 int amp using 805's and 300B's. That amp was rated at 45W. I traded it in toward a Wyred 4 Sound ST-500. This amp is very nice.
I have no real complaints although I do notice the slight loss of intimacy and "wetness of sound" compared to the JAS and I feel the Wyred's top end to be slightly soft overall. Still, I'm quite satisfied with the sound and thrilled at not having the expense of tube replacement nor the insane amound of heat 805's put out.
The rest of my system unfolds like this: I run a Consonance Droplet directly into the amp (balanced) using Sunny Cables D1000X. The CDP and an a PS Audio P-600
get connected with Sunny Cables P600 power cords and the amp gets a 6Sons Audio Windigo. I have Porter Ports in the conditioner and the wall outlet. Speakers are custom-
jobbies similar to Legacy Focus using Eton drivers and I just had fellow Audiogonner M VanSloten upgrade the crossovers (thanks to another thread-good call!). I run Anti-cables directly into the speakers and connect them to the crossovers without binding posts. The soundstage is huge but very well focused and resolution is excellent.
Tone is colorful but not quite as rich as with the JAS.
So, my question to you ever-so-wise audio sages is how do I get the best of both amps without adding a preamp and not spending much more money than I can generate selling the Wyred ST-500? I absolutely need to maintain a high level of detail AND I must get excellent (almost) pinpoint imaging. I would also appreciate an extended top end but not too bright. My speakers are quite efficient. The 45W JAS almost was enough (efficiency in the mid 90db/1w).
I was considering gainclones such as the Patek or Audio Zone AMP1 or hybrids such as Pathos' Classic One MK II/III
or Valve Audio's Predator. I would greatly appreciate comments on the above listed amps especially if you can compare them to the Wyred amps. Thanks so much!
I just gave up a nice JAS Array 2.1 int amp using 805's and 300B's. That amp was rated at 45W. I traded it in toward a Wyred 4 Sound ST-500. This amp is very nice.
I have no real complaints although I do notice the slight loss of intimacy and "wetness of sound" compared to the JAS and I feel the Wyred's top end to be slightly soft overall. Still, I'm quite satisfied with the sound and thrilled at not having the expense of tube replacement nor the insane amound of heat 805's put out.
The rest of my system unfolds like this: I run a Consonance Droplet directly into the amp (balanced) using Sunny Cables D1000X. The CDP and an a PS Audio P-600
get connected with Sunny Cables P600 power cords and the amp gets a 6Sons Audio Windigo. I have Porter Ports in the conditioner and the wall outlet. Speakers are custom-
jobbies similar to Legacy Focus using Eton drivers and I just had fellow Audiogonner M VanSloten upgrade the crossovers (thanks to another thread-good call!). I run Anti-cables directly into the speakers and connect them to the crossovers without binding posts. The soundstage is huge but very well focused and resolution is excellent.
Tone is colorful but not quite as rich as with the JAS.
So, my question to you ever-so-wise audio sages is how do I get the best of both amps without adding a preamp and not spending much more money than I can generate selling the Wyred ST-500? I absolutely need to maintain a high level of detail AND I must get excellent (almost) pinpoint imaging. I would also appreciate an extended top end but not too bright. My speakers are quite efficient. The 45W JAS almost was enough (efficiency in the mid 90db/1w).
I was considering gainclones such as the Patek or Audio Zone AMP1 or hybrids such as Pathos' Classic One MK II/III
or Valve Audio's Predator. I would greatly appreciate comments on the above listed amps especially if you can compare them to the Wyred amps. Thanks so much!