Class D is just Dandy!

I do not. I have the v1 which has a USB input instead. 

Best,

E

Well I bought a NAD D3020V2 and have to say pretty darn impressed for the money.

Great features include a built in MM phono stage, an additional analog input,a toslink input and a spdif input. Another nice touch is a subwoofer output. Add all that to its tiny form factor, if you cannot find room for this then there is something wrong!

Sure 30wpc is not going to rattle the roof beams but paired with Epos ELS3 speakers it plays louder than I need it to.
Oh headphone output as well so very hard to criticize for a bedroom unit or third system which is where it now resides.

$300 shipped as a factory NAD refurbished unit with full warranty.

So, with all of this Class D talk, where to the new ATI 52X and 54X rate in the scheme of sound quality?  How do they compare to the D-Sonic and their Pascal modules?

jwincville22,

You’re likely getting no responses to your request for sound quality reports on the 2 newer 52X and 54X ATI class D amps because you’re only reaching members who own one of these specific amps AND happen to still be following this long running thread. You may get more responses by starting a new separate thread.

Sorry, I’ve never auditioned any ATI class D amps but I can verify that the D-Sonic M3-600-M class D mono-blocks I own are excellent amps.
However, I bought mine about 4 years ago when they utilized Anaview/Abletec ALC1000-1300 class D amp modules. Anaview discontinued the ALC100-1300 modules in 2014 and I believe the current D-Sonic M3-600-A monos utilize the newer Anaview AMS-1000-2600 modules. I think D-Sonic only uses Pascal modules in their top of the line M-1500 mono-blocks.
Both Anaview and Pascal are Scandinavian companies and their class D modules differ from most by combining the amp section and the switch mode power supply (SMPS) on the same board. Most other class D module design/manufacturing companies, such as Hypex-Ncore and B&O-Ice, offer the amp sections and SMPS as separate products on separate boards.

I asked D-Sonic’s owner, Dennis Deacon, back in 2014 about the sonic differences he noticed between the Anaview ALC-1000-1300 and AMS-1000-2600 modules and here was his response:

" Tim,

I have been shipping amplifiers with the new AMS1000-2600 modules. The sonic differences with the previous ALC1000-1300 are very subtle with most source material. They do have a more natural resolution of detail and a more natural impact in the upper bass to lower midrange area. This is where most big dynamics are heard such as percussion, cellos, baritone and bass horns."

Here’s the name of that thread that you might find useful and interesting:

D-SONIC SOA Class-D Core Amps. The best Class-D ?

Tim

I just spent the last hour catching up on this entire thread.

@erik_squires
Well done, my friend! You’ve navigated a wonderfully positive thread.

@georgehifi
Great contributions throughout. I very much would like to have seen the YouTube videos from EPC regarding their new class D modules for audio applications. Alas, they were blackened out on my iPhone. But I did enjoy your shares about new Gn-based transistors having higher switching frequencies. And your Aussie round table thread from high-end designers was special. Erik might complain about your rain, but it’s welcomed by me, as it seeks to clarify where the class D tech needs to improve. The opinion of Nelson Pass is a good benchmark to base all future commentary. 😂

@atmasphere
And yes, the motivation for class D amplification was all about increasing dynamic headroom—avoiding clipping. Yet, as @atmasphere will point out, it’s the first Watt that matters the most and where the class D tech really needs to focus.

As a teenager, I auditioned an Infinity SWAMP, which was a class D amp the late John Ulrick designed and based upon tech that John and Infinity was awarded a US Patent for. I bought a Digital One amp from Spectron Audio (apparently now defunct) in 1997 or thereabouts. I spoke with John numerous times about his topologies over the years. He said the SWAMP design was ahead of its time because the high speed switching transistors really didn’t exist during the 1970’s to make the amp stable. That all improved later in the 1990’s. He later told me in ~2006 or thereabouts that John Dunlavy used the Spectron amps to voice his SC series of Dunlavy speakers. He said that my SCIVa’s mated with the Spectron amp was a magical combination. I only saw one post here from a contributor who had a Musician III amp.

So my question is: how do the Spectron amps stack up in the mix of present class D amp technology? Back in the day, it was a 300WPC 8-Ohm) stereo amp at $2500. I’d appreciate personal accounts rather than speculation.

—Dan

P.S. Here is a link that is a tribute to John:

https://www.stereophile.com/content/john-ulrick