Class D. Make or break

[exdem]

I thought about a Reply but I decided on an Ignore instead.

https://forum.audiogon.com/discussions/atma-sphere-class-d-amazing?page=6

Interesting thread where the OP starts out stating the Atma-sphere Class D amps are amazing and then saying on page 6 that effectively they can't beat the mid-range of his MA-1 amps.

Separately on the same page a 300B user says the same thing,

The bass on them might be superior to my MA-1 but I use 600w class A/B on my magnepan's bass panels so I don't have to worry about that.

Nope, I'm sorry, this is exactly like the experience I had with a very high end solid state dac. Initially I preferred it over my triode (45) dac, but after about two weeks I realised that the DHT magic was missing, and I ended up selling that dac.

Power triodes all the way.

The job of a power amp is to amplify the source , faithfully and linearly .. ideally to any desired power. Resampling via PWM cannot surely be a good first step? I need to read how/why class D is not sampled as claimed. Lots of people with big $$ invested in class A / tube power stages so naturally there would be latent resistance anyway.

 

[m7rso]

I am 50/50, actually 33/33/33 with ab/d and valves. I love each of them, dependent on which speakers I am running. Maggies ..class d 500wpc….posselts..Valve, Castles…ab…and never the twain shall meet.

 

[marko]

Tripath, (I think it’s class D) gets a resounding thumbs up in our house.
Having owned some lovely (and dare I say quite expensive) amps over 30 years, the diminutive £120 Amptastic Mini is as much of a joy to listen to as any amp we’ve had the pleasure of owning. The Mini presents music in such an even handed way, with absolutely no ‘nasties’. We’re sold on class D, so it’s definitely ‘make’, not ‘break’, truly end game for us!

 

[xyz4]

So I have the NewClassD Singularity 3 High Speed version (https://www.newclassd.com/index.php?page=313&hv=1) connected to some decent SMPS PSUs with 160,000uf Mundorf AG per amp. Very much in the ClassD category.

Recently demo'd a pair of speakers (B&W 802 d4 - now in my system) in 2 different rooms, but thankfully the same Linn Organik DSM streamer in both setups.

The amps were the Linn Klimax Solo (£10k+) driven directly and the McIntosh Mc462 + C2700 preamps (£20k+ RRP). Both great amps in their own right, apparently.

I went in fully expecting to have my arse handed to be frankly, I mean what can some random guy who DIY things achieve vs big money?

Quite the opposite. I was so confused I basically told the dealers I wouldn't hand cash over until I heard them in my own setup. Which then confirmed I wasn't entirely bonkers after all.

 

[xyz4]

One other thing nobody seems to mention or discuss much is the very act of powering up your power amp will leave the power bank capacitors in a "disturbed" state for at least 4-6 hrs unless extreme attention has been taken in the soft-starter mechanism to bring them up gradually (and still a little hangover).

With my own ClassD monoblocks consuming 39w idle (total), I leave them on 24x7 ready to go and there is quite a significant difference between turning them on vs leaving them on for a few hours vs just leaving them running 24x7.

 

[FunkyMonkey]

I have a modest Denon PMA30 class D in the kitchen system. It sounded very rolled off HF wise with KEF Crester's but when I switched to metal dome tweeters in the form of MS 10i pearl things really livened up. Wondering if class D and metal domes are an optimum match.

 

[hearhere]

One other thing nobody seems to mention or discuss much is the very act of powering up your power amp will leave the power bank capacitors in a "disturbed" state for at least 4-6 hrs unless extreme attention has been taken in the soft-starter mechanism to bring them up gradually (and still a little hangover).

With my own ClassD monoblocks consuming 39w idle (total), I leave them on 24x7 ready to go and there is quite a significant difference between turning them on vs leaving them on for a few hours vs just leaving them running 24x7.

I use Class D amplification with my similarly very costly speakers but I find that the performance does not take time to improve once switched on. But I didn't go the DIY route, so that may be a contributory factor leading your amps needing to be left on 24/7. They live on Stanby until fully powered up for a listening session. In fact the Class D amps within the bass section of my speakers are triggered on by the main amp, so they too are not left on 24/7 with no ill effect.

 

[xyz4]

I use Class D amplification with my similarly very costly speakers but I find that the performance does not take time to improve once switched on. But I didn't go the DIY route, so that may be a contributory factor leading your amps needing to be left on 24/7. They live on Stanby until fully powered up for a listening session. In fact the Class D amps within the bass section of my speakers are triggered on by the main amp, so they too are not left on 24/7 with no ill effect.

Might be my soft starter tbh, I have a new one on the way which massively slows inrush for the first 3s.

Having said that spoke to other engineers who can demonstrably show measurements before and after a cap has suffered inrush with clear differences.