Comments please on: NAD M23 vs c298 vs. other newer Class D
I'm interested in comments about the new-ish NAD M23 amp. It gets rave reviews on the Absolute Sound channel, by Doug Schneider and by the review at Sound Stage, and by others. Reviews describe not only an even response across frequencies, but layering of the soundstage (left-right and front-back) as well as excellent measurements. Some describe the sound as somewhat tube like in the mids and upper range, others as neutral, but all agree it does not have the harshness which typically characterized reports about earlier amps with this design.
I am not giving up my Pass XA 25, nor my QS Mono 60 tube amps. Or my ST-35 Dynaco. What I'm interested in is a another amp in the stable that can play nicely among different speakers (not all are as sensitive as my main 97db ones), and that might bring that snappy dynamic speed to the sound but without making me cringe from the highs.
If you have some opinion of this Eigentakt design, especially in comparisons to Atma-sphere's Class D or other amps with similar technologies inside, please comment. (PS Audio, Bel Canto, et al.)
If you have some opinion of the NAD M23 vs. the cheaper-but-still-Eigentakt NAD c298, I'm interested in that, too.
I'm NOT interested in super pricey amps. Say, above $8k
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. |
[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. |
@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. |
Would still like @atmasphere to address why he thinks there's a greater difference in sound between the Class D he's heard vs. tubes. See my comment below. It's an amazing claim to me, and I'm really interested in hearing it explained a bit. If you have time. |
Would still like @atmasphere to address why he thinks there's a greater difference in sound between the Class D he's heard vs. tubes @hilde45 What I said was IMO there is a bigger difference between various class D amps than you hear between various tube amps. IOW just because you heard one class D amp says nothing about how the next one might sound. |
