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

For those following along:

2/17/26 Listening report, NAD M23 (Eigentakt 1) vs Hypex NCore DIY amp:

Observations: NAD winning still

• NAD still smoother; never cringey
• More timbrel presence in NAD
• Bass more accurate and full in NAD
• Sound stage more compressed in Hypex

Wife  listened to both:

• Hypex was: “one dimensional,” “muddy/congested”, “more confined in the center (sound stage)” “felt like it had less power”
• NAD was: “like movies, Dolby; really big filling the space”

To Ralph @atmasphere I was combing back through various audio show videos and vendors, PNW, Capital AudioFest and others, looking for examples of Atma-Sphere amps  in play at the shows with (your Tube & Class-D amps). Nothing serious, but it is another data point for reference. I have not been to a show in a while, may go again in the next year.  Sometimes it can be fun to do. I really like looking at who pairs up with who to put on a good room at the shows.    

Sure, we are noting the Fritz and Tektons both in a few rooms with your Class-Ds. Nice but kinda non-starter references for me. I may have missed a good example.  Do you have reference to anything past two to three years with your new Class-D amps, possibly an accomplished and well known multi-driver speaker, 3-way, 4-way, at a show - that you can share with us?  Thanks in advance.  

@decooney 

it may not satisfy, but I’m using a pair of the AS Class Ds to drive Sonus Faber l Cremonese speakers very successfully. I have a different, considerably more expensive amp in my other system. The Class Ds earned their place and yet, are the least expensive component by a huge margin in that system. 

I have the strange feeling that if they were in a bigger/fancier case, Ralph could charge a price similar to other high end amps and no one would blink an eye. 

Ralph could charge a price similar to other high end amps and no one would blink an eye. 

[blink, blink]

For anyone following along with my shoot out, the NAD m23 is the definitive winner. 

I compared the Pass XA-25 vs. the NAD m23 yesterday but I am not going to report conclusions until a couple more days of trial. Let's just say they're quite different. "Better" is going to take some more trials and deliberations.

Nice but kinda non-starter references for me. I may have missed a good example. 

@decooney At last year's AXPONA the class Ds were in a room with Magnaplanar, along with other manufacturers from Minnesota and Wisconsin.  We were also in the room with the Popori electrostatics.