Time to buy a class D amp?



Will some new class D amplifiers outperforming the current ones appear soon

(the newest ones i know were released a  few years ago)?

Class D amps attract me as I consider them the most ecological ones with obvious non-auditionable benefits.

I have no doubts that they posses the maximum ratio performance/sound quality among the amplifiers of all classes.

At the same time, the sound quality the class D amplifiers that I have auditioned produce, although is quite good,

but not yet ideal (for my taste).


I use PS Audio Stellar S300 amp with PS audio Gain Cell pre/DAC with Thiel CS 3.6 speakers in one of my systems.

The sound is ok (deep bass, clear soundstage) but not perfect (a bit bright and somehow dry, lacking warmness which might be more or less ok for rock but not for jazz music).

I wonder if there are softer sounding class D amps with the same or better details and resolution. Considering two reasonable (as to the budget) choices for test, Red Dragon S500 and Digital Audio Company's

Cherry  2 (or Maraschino monoblocks), did anybody compare these two?



128x128niodari

Showing 4 responses by clearthink


noble100
"demonstrates you are either just making things up or have absolutely no experience....they are the least noisy of all existing amp types by a wide margin. Everyone who has ever heard class D will concede this...What exactly is your problem?

Perhaps his "problem" is that "everyone" does not agree with your opinion, assessment, or reasoning and you can insist that you are correct and try to insult others into agreeing with you and so the "problem" is in you’re refusal to properly acknowledge, accept, and reconcile with those with who you do not find yourself in complete agreement.

I've heard Class 'D' and think it's ironic that it's Class 'D' because a 'D' or an 'F' is what it deserves IMO..

noble100
clearthink,Anyone stating class D is "noisy as hell" very obviously doesn’t know what the heck they’re talking about. It’s simply not scientifically or anecdotally true. It’s not my opinion that class D is quiet as hell, it is a scientific fact. I stand by my statement that anyone claiming class D is "noisy as hell" has either never auditioned it or purposefully lying."

I have never asserted or claimed that Class "D" is "noisy as hell" so you must be quoting some one else but I do understand that you believe your opinion is not an opinion at all but a "a scientific fact" supported by actual science which certainly lends an air of authority and righteousness to your beliefs that you embrace and insist others accept as a Literal Truth. It might amaze you to know that there are those here who will disagree with you and yet they are not lying but actually are expressing their own, individual, personal opinion that has as much value, validity, and authority as you're "opinion" which you assert as an indisputable, unquestionable, verifiable "fact." 
noble100"Anyone who claims class D amps are noisy has obviously never listened to one"

This is wholly, completely, and utterly false, speculative, and prejudiced not only have some of us "listened' we have also actually "measured" using reliable, repeatable, objective measurement techniques that are recognized by engineers, scientists, and industry as fitting, proper, and appropriate but of course if you are happy with Class D you should absolutely enjoy it but you're reasoning, arguments, and suspicions are unfounded and false.
  noble100 "Oh, and just to guarantee fairness and honesty, it is stipulated that your failure to respond on this thread will be an admission that class D amps have the highest Signal to Noise Ratios of all the amp types and, therefore, can be scientifically declared as the quietest amp type. "

Well here you have my little response to you're "stipulation" of "facts" and demand that I share with you research again that I have already provided and that you have dismissed, ignored, or refuted based on your deeply held cherished beliefs.