Class D/Class T amps?

[Tony_J]

There seem to be lots of these around at prices ranging from near enough F-all to a lot. Any experiences to share? Any that are worth a listen? Any worth avoiding? Any that are REALLY worth a listen?

 

[Mr_Sukebe]

Have owned a couple of sonic Ts (wasn't impressed), dem'd an IcePower Bel Canto (bored), and use a Bel Canto Evo2, which is tripath powered and I love.

My experiences suggest that just like most other technology, there's good and bad implementations and also that system matching is vital.

If you're in south London, you're welcome to come and have a listen.

 

[Tony_J]

Have owned a couple of sonic Ts (wasn't impressed), dem'd an IcePower Bel Canto (bored), and use a Bel Canto Evo2, which is tripath powered and I love.My experiences suggest that just like most other technology, there's good and bad implementations and also that system matching is vital.

If you're in south London, you're welcome to come and have a listen.

Thanks - Manchester unfortunately, but appreciate the offer.

 

[Emlin]

I'm perfectly happy with my Temple Audio Bantam Classic. It drives my large speakers in a small(ish) room with no problems at all. Hope that helps

 

[rockmeister]

Also ran Bel Canto for a while. It's hard to fault the sound technically, in other words I imaging the response would measure well, there was a ton of power quite cheaply and it ran cool and reliable...so?

I changed because of those imponderable odd things that are hard to quantify. Maybe the word is simply 'life' or 'organic' but valves and my kind of compromise. If you are into digitally produced and recorded music, played loud with a sub, then maybe class D is one way to go.

 

[speedysteve]

I use 2 fairly large D-class / T-amps on the 2 bass channels. One the mid/upper mid/tweeter channels the sound is to lifeless and grey in comparison to EL84 Single Ended Triode amplification.

The bigger T-amps do a good a job as anything else I've tried to control and convey fast bass on my 2 X 15" deep bass and 2 X 15" mid bass speakers - that's why I used them. At 80wpc they pressured / filled the biggest room at Scalford no problem. We are talking Tapped and Front loaded horns here though... so efficiency is up in 105dB/w and 110dB/w levels.

I would not recommend such amps on their own running everything, they work but don't sound involving enough on treble work for me.

Much more expensive D-class - I have no experience off. They may be much better.

 

[Fatmarley]

I know i've said this before but I had the same experience as Steve with my little Muse t-amp (grey or dull mids) but interestingly I sent it to Serge to measure it and he couldn't find anything to suggest it would have grey or dull mids. Bass is much better than my Onix though...

 

[MUJI]

For a desktop setup it is perfectly fine. I heard one Class T with an Audio Engine A5. Play at moderate volume as background music and it sounded good enough. For a budget of 75-150 there is really nothing that anyone could critical about. But if you are thinking about critical listening then it wouldn't be ideal as the lack of resolution from Class T will start to become glaring.

 

[hullevad]

I have supplemented my Joplin 2A3 pp (8w) with a Audiomega PW-400 to drive the 2 10" woofers in my DTQWT loudspeakers. Works great with very dry accurate bass and the Joplin really sings not having to cope with 2 77mm voicecoils and the unavoidable back EMF. So for biamping very good. The PW-400 does not sound agressive or so on its own, it is just lifeless compared to The Joplin that has been pampered with the very best available parts (cost no object).

 

[DPICT]

I had a Sonneteer tripath based amp for a bit but it didn't do it for me i'm afraid although Kate Bush - Ariel on cd sounded stunning through it, not much else did, It made my vinyl sound lifeless and flat. Things may have improved since then but I get on just fine with transistors and valves so i'm in no hurry to go that way again.

 

[dingus]

i've gone through Sonic-T, Super-T and a Trends Micro T amp. when placed appropriately in a system they were all fine albeit limited performers.

 

[Tarzan]

Without sounding like a broken record my tweaked to the granny Virtue Audio Sensation M451 is the best and most musical amplifier l have had at Tarzan Towers to the point l have bought a second Sensation ( this one its big brother M901)

Oh and they are Tripath amplifiers.

 

[Jagged24]

I listen almost exclusively to vinyl through a valve phonostage feeding into Bel Canto Evo2 Gen2 power amps. These Bel Cantos are Tripath powered, and in my setup sound on the warm side of neutral, with excellent resolution and clarity right through the frequency range. They sound pretty valve-like to me! Nothing like the dull or clinical or lifeless sounds being described in other posts, and certainly no problem handling the treble range. I'd strongly recommend listening to the BC Evo2s (not their later ICE-powered amps, which I think sound quite different) and also their combination with a valve pre or phonostage.

 

[Tarzan]

I listen almost exclusively to vinyl through a valve phonostage feeding into Bel Canto Evo2 Gen2 power amps. These Bel Cantos are Tripath powered, and in my setup sound on the warm side of neutral, with excellent resolution and clarity right through the frequency range. They sound pretty valve-like to me! Nothing like the dull or clinical or lifeless sounds being described in other posts, and certainly no problem handling the treble range. I'd strongly recommend listening to the BC Evo2s (not their later ICE-powered amps, which I think sound quite different) and also their combination with a valve pre or phonostage.

That is exactly the way l my Virtue Audio sounds, warm, full and full of tonal colour, smooth to a fault and very,very musical