The Truth about Modern Class D

Absolute Sound March of 2016 compared the Audio Alchemy components to Soulution quite favorably

Granted the AA amp is a hybrid, but, $4K vs unobtanium. I bought them and am extremely happy

Hey Folks.  Interesting discussion to me as I've had the NAD M2 (not Dad's NAD 3020... $6K) for several years, now.  My "flavor" of sound is the sound of vocals and un-amplified instruments in an actual space, my having grown up around lots of live music.  I am an "ANTI-RESONANCE" disciple since the mid 1990's, using the Marigo Audio Labs tuning dots expertly applied by Rick Taylor on all serious gear, internally and externally.  Out of the box, there was some dryness and coldness that I do not favor.  The M2's cabinet is horribly resonant and needed addressing.   The tuning dots on the cabinet and exposed electronics brought things much closer to my liking.  My "perfect world amp" would be the best of modern tubes and solid state merged.  The beauty of modifying a single box approach like the M2 is that everything improves, pre/dac/amp.  Upgrading the isolation feet and the power cord on the M2 came next, followed by Synergistic "blue" fuse.  To begin to approach "world class" my DSP expert and I went to work on my small dedicated studio.  Well done Class D begins from a very silent noise floor and terrific capability for high resolution with great sources.  We can make 1/10th of a decibel adjustments and add a "taste" of tube harmonic sweetness.  For hard core "purists"...lets not forget this is all "illusion."  Again, not Dad's slider EQ at work here. 
As a 72 year old, passionate music lover of all genres, with knowledgeable friends using NCore amps, great sound is available using Class D...with a little work and great cost effectiveness.  Good power, dedicated lines, upgraded outlet(s) good wire can approach world class outcomes.  Cheers, Norm

@pinthrift
I would have to agree, "with knowledgeable friends using NCore amps, great sound is available using Class D...with a little work and great cost effectiveness. Good power, dedicated lines, upgraded outlet(s) good wire can approach world class outcomes"

Well put Norm. especially about the "auxiliary" equipment to allow the Class D units to sound their best. 

And just to note, the supportive/auxiliary gear (conditioners, etc) I ORIGINALLY used to make my transistor and tube gear sound better. But then all I did was exchange the SS/tube gear for Class D with the same conditioners, etc, and I got BETTER sonic outcomes with the Class D. 

In other words, if someone wants to make a case that "Class D only sounds better with cleaner power, etc"-- I am saying, that is not generally true. 

E.g:
1.  Clean Power: I use a transformer isolator and a small conditioner for my front end gear. No etch or grain in the sound.
2. clean power cords: I'm now using a power cord from Triode Wired Labs for Class D units that removes any digital etch. 

Last, I've found that I can have "better" Class D sound with a hybrid design. E.g, I have a Cherry Ultra Class D amp (Digital Amplifier Company in PA) that uses an 1800w transformer with Class D for transients and big bands, and I'm hearing instruments and nuance I never heard before. also, with a more balanced and larger soundstage 

I enjoy Class D and I'm a tube guy. 

The front end of my winter system is a Primaluna Dialogue HP Integrated running either EL34 variants or KT150s.  It's just too much heat and electricity for the summer in my dedicated third floor room.  I have a roof mounted AC unit that is pretty quiet, which I could crank up but that seems wasteful and I like the changing of system front end every 2 seasons. 

In the warmer months, I am running a Schitt Freya tube preamp with an NAD M22 power amp--Class D.  I won't belabor things with long explanations about the sound. Instead, I'll just say the Class D "summer rig" is pleasant and isn't the abject, non-musical failure that some would seem to suggest in this Class D and other Class D posts.  

As a side note, I'm super curious to see if a Primaluna or similar/better tube preamplifier would be better than the Schitt.  The Freya sounds great and only has a few drawbacks to me (i.e. power button on the rear of the unit, volume control intentionally makes clicking noise as you advance it up or down, no 12v trigger out).  

I will note that the Schitt/NAD M22 combo sounds way better with vinyl feeding my Manley Chinook than it does with Tidal feeding an NAD M51 DAC.  But, I would say the same thing if the Primaluna integrated were swapped in for the Schitt/NAD M22 combo.  

I would have Paid $50.00 more dollars for an On/Off Switch in the front on the Freya. A 12V Trigger would have been a Bonus as well.Don't mind the clicking volume to much but you got to remember it goes to ZERO when ya mute it.Spent a couple of days trying to figure out why my Front Speakers quit working after installing an XBOX.Seems I accidentally hit the Mute Button on my Harmony 650 Remote.