Comments please on: NAD M23 vs c298 vs. other newer Class D

@hilde45 "...speakers in a room that was too small. The brightness and shrillness was unbearable, but I’m sure it was the fault of the speakers and room.".

"Unbearable" you say. I experienced this once in an audio show room with a very well known high quality amplifier manufacturer paired with a well known speaker manufacturer, and music tracks being played by someone who does this regularly. 

The components were great. The room setup and result was absolutely horrible.  The worst sound out of 87 different rooms.  I’ll never forget it. Embarrasing, and I felt bad for the people running the room, as visitors came through, and you could see the expressions on their faces as the room emptied back out, quickly. 

As we well know @hilde45 until we get any of these components into our own rooms, running with our sources, our cables, our setups, its a crapshoot guess at best if any of us take other’s feedback too seriously. I remind myself of this regularly now when I see posts by folks about gear that sounds great in my room and horrible in their rooms and setups.  Lots of other variables as we know.  :)  

@hilde45. I have the Class D Mono blocks from Atmasphere and they are not bright or shrill in my system. I would assume that was an effect from the room. Ralph is super easy to work with and he has a very long home evaluation period.

Good Luck..

Rooms at shows are always tricky. The best time to hear equipment at a show is usually the last day, when the people in the rooms have sorted out how to make things work. I've had so many shows where the first day sucked. 

I've never been able to get a room at a show to sound as good as at home.

IMO the best thing at shows is to allow you to meet people. And some rooms can sound quite good, but you must always look at that as a side benefit :)

I totally agree about rooms, so I was just trying to emphasize that despite my experience, I attribute it to the room and setup. And to the Tektons. So, totally open and positive mindset about the potential of these amps.

Just wanted to make that super clear.

@hilde45 

You might want to reach out to Leo at Orchard Audio and get added to the tour for his new Starkrimson 25 mono amps.  If you're not inclined to wait then you might want to consider just ordering a pair with the no questions asked 30 day return policy and listen with your gear for a longer period of time than the tour rules allow for.  I've owned a pair since June and they are very satisfying little 150wpc amps for $2500 a pair.  Unlike previous Class D amps I have owned with ICE, Ncore and Nuprime modules these amps have a tonal density somewhere between a good SS amp and a tube amp. None of that bleached out tone or bright top end. Like Ralph's amps these are not just off the shelf parts in a box.