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Break-in of a Class D amp?

I'll spare everyone the "brand tribe" debate, and keep my question/details generic.

I recently had to have my 2ch ClassD amp "serviced" by the manufacturer.  Yes, it's an ICEPower derived unit.  I'd been SUPER happy with it for well over 18 months, until one morning when I heard a buzzing coming from inside the amp itself.  I took a video, poked the manufacturer, and they voluntarily opted to fix it for me.

Fast forward a week, and the amp is back in my stack.  But something is amiss. 

I can tell they wholesale replaced the entire ICE module, as the "power up" delay from standby is "different" than before, and it seems to exhibit less overall "gain" than prior to repair.

But the most disturbing thing, and one that literally smacked me in the face... was the lack of high frequency authority.  While there is a soundstage, and lows are not an issue... it's missing all the "presence" and "life" in the top end.  I have tracks that I can play that elicit EMOTION when I queue them.  All the detail and fidelity is like, muted.

The previous board had hundreds of hours of time to burn in, and boy I exercised it.  Is this what I'm now encountering?  Or has anyone out there experienced this situation?  

I would normally just knuckle down and "grind out" hours of "work" for the amp... and not come here asking for advice... but the fidelity difference is so striking... that I can't get over it.

Thoughts?
rabbottmke
yyzsantabarbara
4,466 posts
 
I recently bought a Class D (Pascal) stereo amp and the owner for the company told me he did not think the amp needed any burn-in. I think he may have been correct since I have not notice a change in the sound (brand new build). My Benchmark AHB2 amp did not need any burn-in either. 

All other gear I have owned sounded considerably better with burn-in.
millercarbon's avatar
millercarbon
12,531 posts
 
Sounds like they fixed a problem with a hyped top end to me. In any case I have never heard any component go from rolled off to extended during burn-in. Always the other way around as the high frequency grain and etch that masquerades as detail becomes more liquid natural with time.
rabbottmke OP
20 posts
 
Thanks for the feedback, everyone (pun intended).

I guess I'll keep at my burn-in over the next week or so, and if it's not improved... it goes back in the box, and into storage or something.

I've always lusted after blue VU meters.  Maybe it's time to chase some down.
russ69's avatar
russ69
3,360 posts
 
Call the manufacturer and tell them what you are hearing, they might be able to explain it. 
rabbottmke OP
20 posts
 
Yeah, I thought about sending a note to the mfgr.  But having worked in the industry on the sales/consulting side in my earlier days... I can't rule out that something in the past week has not changed.  My streaming/dac just processed a firmware update, the weather has changed here in "Cheddar Land", and maybe my ears are clogged... 

There are too many variables to discount, before I start pointing fingers at a brand new (and supposedly certified) amp.  As a vendor/retailer, I'd be suspect of my situation, before I'd be suspect of the amp.

I'm grateful the mfgr did the repair... cause "letting the smoke out" would have been worse.  I don't want to be "that guy".  
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