Is D for Dry? Class D...

Hi @edgewound 

Thanks for your reply.
I mean Class D is much cheaper to build, particularly for big power outputs.  So Class D manufacturers put them out at a third of the price or less of Class AB and a small fraction of Class A.
Class D is therefore a shortcut to big power but not to good sound.
There is more to designing an amp than big power.

Wise people speak of 'something' and 'nothing'.

First, the price for quality class D (or all things, including food) is much higher due to world-wide money inflation: thank you world monetary 'leaders'= banksters. Now...
I am one of the very lucky few to have made the leap of faith roughly 2 years ago, that ric had so improved the stock IcePower 1200 modules with his amazing circuit and parts knowledge when he came out with his EVS 1200, but the amp alone may not bring happiness. Case in point...
Prior to purchasing the EVS 1200 I upgraded my Oppo 105 with a Linear Power Module + replaced the OEM IEC with a rhodium IEC that has a stiff heavy gauge silver tail attached to the LPM and a silver jumper bypassing the 110/220 power switch (all from ebay). Easy peasy DIY. Huge improvement for~ $400

I was/am using a Audio Alchemy DDP-1 + PS -5 (outboard power supply). The IC from 105 to DDP-1 is a WireWorld series 7 XLR (my system is 100% diff balanced). As much as I rave/d about the EVS 1200, the sound I was hearing was a bit hot and the sound stage was not as big as I thought it should be, but I put up with it thinking it was the dac in the DDP-1, which I was/am not in a position to replace. Anyway...

Some 9 months ago I compared my Wire World optical cable (MSRP $165) to a uber expensive optical cable that I borrowed, which was/is glorious. Why, was well beyond what I could comprehend, but after a few months I had to return it. What I failed to do was reconnect my WW optical cable, and so was not listening to the DDP-1 dac, instead all the redbook music was playing via the stock internal 105 dac.

About a month ago I realized the optional DDP-1 filters were not engaging on my remote. WTH? So... I reconnected the WW optical cable and all my redbook CDs took on a much wanted roundness (bass was improved), plus a very deep and wide 3D sound stage. After a few minutes I decided to replace an old  Modwright(?) multi-stranded, unjacketed PC with my WW Eclipse power cord. That, too was not subtle, a huge improvement over the Modwright.

Moral of the story (for me at least) was: cables I had on hand took my EVS 1200 to an even higher level than I thought
hth

Thanks tweak1 for your informative post.  You prefer a little roundness in sound obtained from the WW optical cable.  With the other cable, you described the EVS1200 as sounding "a bit hot" which is music to my ears.  If its soundstage was not as big, that is expected from an accurate amp which focuses the instruments to sound thinner or more pinpoint.  The opposite of this effect is most pronounced in euphonic tube amps which bloat all the sound, making images larger on a bloated soundstage.  More subtlely, euphonic SS amps or other components inflate images slightly with the overlay of fuzzy warmth not present in the natural unamplified instruments.

Ric now writes that the Rouge Audio Studio N-10DM with his mods will yield the same sound as his original EVS1200, for roughly the same money, $2100, without the euphonic tube stage of the already excellent PS Audio M1200.  Fabulous.

@viber6 Thanks pointer to Ric's site. A couple of links on it are non-functioning (including the link to the info where he actually talks about what he mods on the 1200 modules) however, I was able to follow the link to the page about the Rouge amps.  Beyond binding post and one other mod there isn't much info there but honestly was not expecting a full core dump on all his "secret sauce" so to speak.

in a couple years when my warranty runs on out this newer amp I might try these mods as they are at the time however, I'd void warranty between now and then so it'll have to wait.

To a couple of other posts on this thread my reference is both great recorded music in a large number or genres out of an extensive collection as well as a lifetime of chasing live music from the player(s) on the streets here and various places I've traveled to jazz and other live clubs around the world, concert halls, cathedrals, etc....my passion is music of all kinds and I find it live whenever I can.

"I asked Ric to name one amp at any price that he has personally A/B'ed to be better in clarity than these IceEdge amps, and so far no word.  I offer you the same challenge."

Well I won't be going out to buy amps just to A/B against what I have today; not practical or feasible and frankly a waste of money.  If someone wants to send them, I'll be happy to test side by side :-). 

All kidding aside, I can think of many reasons why Ric or someone in his position would not answer with 1 or more amps on that list.  For myself, in recent years, the only amp I remember having this clarity, musical versatility, beauty and realism while not over-emphasizing, saturating and/or 'warming' any one frequency band are the Esoteric Grandioso M1 monoblocks that I've heard multiple times over recent years however, that is not an A/B.

There’s a reason basically no music is mastered using tube equipment, there’d be no way to ensure a consistent experience across platforms.

This statement is false. Pick up a copy of Tape Op magazine. Tube mics, tube mic preamps, tube compressors and as pointed out, some are using tube amps for LP mastering.