@devinplombier Class D amps do sound fine with vinyl if the phono section and the line amp section are carefully selected. Vinyl sound is all about the details. Probably the least important of which is the amp. I am not saying that the amp is not important, everything is important, but what I am saying is that to achieve excellent sound from your vinyl records is a complex mix of a lot of things. Even if you throw a lot of money at it, buying top level cartridge, tonearm, turntable, wire, phono stage etc., even then there is no guarantee that the outcome will be a first class result. It requires finesse in set up, experience, patience, good vinyl and on and on. I think that is why a lot of people throw their hands up in despair and say the hell with it. Also, even if you get it all right, in my experience, and I am a vinyl guy going back almost 60 years, I have digital sources that very often sound just as good or better that cost a whole lot less. But back to your question, yes Class D amps can sound just fine for vinyl if everything else is right first.
What Does 80 Grand Get You Nowadays?
A system was playing in a shop. I sat down and pretty soon I thought gosh, I’m glad my system sounds better than this.
That system - just preamp, amp, and speakers - cost about $80,000 new.
I didn’t make the speakers at first, because Sabrinas look far better than the usual Wilson house look. They were driven by one of those new high-end Marantz amps, and I don’t think that was a match made in heaven. The Marantz was driven by a Dan D’Agostino pre that looked like a Minion had been crushed in a hydraulic press. Audiophile music was streaming, but I did not catch whence issued those dulcet ones and zeroes.
I suppose that system constitutes high-end for some. Now, it certainly sounded competent, but it also sounded boring. I thought, this is the Audi SUV of audio: competent and boring.
Conversely, I was impressed and pleased to no end that the end sound of my modest system from the last century could play in the same league as an almost-six figure modern system, and do so in a more engaging and fun fashion - to my ears, at least.
I’m biased, of course; and I am certain many high-priced systems out there leave mine in the dust. Still, I would have thought $80,000 guaranteed a better baseline sound.
How about you, have you heard a lot of gear whose sound was way out of whack with its price?
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Ah. I was off slightly. So it’s AOC, not Karl. I apologize. unfortunately I don’t have $80,000 to donate at the moment but when I donate what I can, I send it to St. Jude Children with Cancer, and Wounded Warrior Project, as well as other organizations with similar missions. |
@audphile1 what you said was absolutely disgusting, punching down, of bullying nature. Stuff at a level that a level that these days is not uncommon but it does not make it OK. You are not compensating by listing what you donate to/intend to. You are making it a whole lot worse by implying masturbating to AOC. I rather die a poor person than be filthy rich and ever be like you even for a day. |
Audiophiles are in two groups: Not only the subjectivist and objectivist gangs conflating acoustics with room acoustic, but the other two group are the filthy rich and the filthy poor... The rich one brag about their brand,the poor at least (i am one) sometimes know that sound quality dont related merely to price but also to basic knowledge... Discussing about which brand is better or with car is better or which wrestler is better remind me of the children playground... The OP experience is also mine... Anything at any price not well optimized may sound and often sound underpar...
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