Class D power amplifiers

[lovinthehd]

Cambridge CX81, Bluesound Node N130, Older BluRay player for CDs

If that works (for your audio purposes as well as WAF), I'd just keep using it.

ps personally maybe use the money for a sub (see, forgot about the waf thing again ).

 

[PENG]

Cambridge CX81, Bluesound Node N130, Older BluRay player for CDs

When comparing amplifiers, If you are open minded to do everything possible to mitigate the "bias" (Placebo, expectation due to having been influence by the powerful marketing hypes by the MQA, Bluesound, PSAudio, Hegel, Marantz just to name a few), you will find that for audible sound quality improvements, it is much more effective to spend money on speakers, amp power (only to make sure you have more than enough headroom), and RC (room correction). That is assuming you do have high quality recording media contents to begin with. The important thing is, imo, don't by into the "measurements and specs don't mean much, you have use you ears..." kind of myths. Yes, ultimately it is what you hear, but you have do make sure it actually is what you hear without being influence by something else.

For $/quality watt, I find it difficult to beat the Buckeye and VTV amps, for Europeans, Audiophonic's could be a great alternative.

Audiophonics HPA-S400ET Review (Stereo Amplifier) | Audio Science Review (ASR) Forum

 

[vibe]

Thanks, @PENG
I have a VTV on order. Buckeye was going to be end of June

 

[vibe]

@PENG I would love an alternative streamer to Bluesound.
I see Apollon as a good alternative, but they are out of stock due to chip shortage / Raspberry Pi shortages.

Any suggestions?

 

[Golfx]

Try this streamer option. I have this and a roon nucleus. I use the HEOS to stream hi-res amazon at 24/192.

Denon HEOS Link

Streaming music player with Wi-Fi® and Bluetooth®

www.crutchfield.com

 

[PENG]

@PENG I would love an alternative streamer to Bluesound.
I see Apollon as a good alternative, but they are out of stock due to chip shortage / Raspberry Pi shortages.

Any suggestions?

If you actually use most or all of the streaming features the Bluesound offers and like its look then I guess there isn't many (if any) better alternative as such. I could be wrong but I am under the impression that people would pay premium for their products thinking that they somehow would "sound better". Also, I know I am biased, when I see names like Bluesound, I naturally associate it with the likes of Bose (the modern day Bose), MQA, Dragon Fly DACs, and certain PS Audio kind of deals.

 

[vibe]

If you actually use most or all of the streaming features the Bluesound offers and like its look then I guess there isn't many (if any) better alternative as such. I could be wrong but I am under the impression that people would pay premium for their products thinking that they somehow would "sound better". Also, I know I am biased, when I see names like Bluesound, I naturally associate it with the likes of Bose (the modern day Bose), MQA, Dragon Fly DACs, and certain PS Audio kind of deals.

I agree. Bluesound is up there with Sonos in my experience, of being more brand for masses than actual quality.
I didn't see anything else out there other than the Cambridge streamer.
I don't need the DAC nor do I use the functionality of the Bluesound.
I just want something to connect to my router to stream from various platforms, but I don't like Roon.

 

[lovinthehd]

What will be your pre-amp with the VTV?

 

[vibe]

What will be your pre-amp with the VTV?

Don't have one in mind, what do you recommend?

 

[lovinthehd]

Don't have one in mind, what do you recommend?

I still have my old ones, haven't shopped for such in ages, but don't think there's tons of choices these days. OTOH I don't know what its particular duties/connections would be in your system either. I take it you want balanced outputs, but what else?

 

[PENG]

Don't have one in mind, what do you recommend?

I thought you were going to use your CXA81. If you want one that is totally transparent and is for two channel music only, consider Topping's.

 

[ParleyW]

Last time I shopped for the most transparent speakers I could find in the below $10,000 range I found them in a store in Toronto that powered the speakers with, surprisingly, class D amplifiers. In the end I bought the speakers without requesting them to try driving the speakers with my kind of trusted class AB amplifiers. I can't believe that was almost 10 years ago (in 3 days)!! So I think class D amps must be really ready for prime time now.

Incidentally, S&V asked the following question also about 10 years ago, so I think it is high time the question get asked again.

Are Class-D Amps Ready For Prime Time? | Sound & Vision (soundandvision.com)

For me, I have been planning on downsizing and I thought it would be good to do it before I cannot pick up amps that weigh more than 55 to 80 lbs in the box without much difficulty. At that point I had only ever auditioned the Bel Canto class D amps where I bought my last pair of the speakers that I intended to keep until the end. Of course I did buy other speakers (less expensive ones), after, even DIY the lovely BMR..

Then came the low cost Hpex and Purifi modules based miniature power amplifiers. Take a look of the potential gain in real estate for those using >200 W class AB amps:

View attachment 52446View attachment 52447

The Purifi amp is just slightly larger. So now my big and heavy Parasound amp's gone (the Bryston's long gone already).

Before I let the Parasound go I forced myself to listen to it for hours, just to be sure if I was really ready, and in the end I was. The Parasound really sounded sweet though for the last several days, subjectively of course.

I do miss my big class AB amps and I think I would keep my remaining ones for a long time, but I also love my new little toys. As a self proclaimed objectivist (converted many years ago), I don't want to comment on how their "sound" compared to my two much more expensive class AB amps and the remaining Marantz, Outlaw and Anthem amps other than to say they are all transparent to me but then it is based on my biased (because I know their specs, and some measurements) subjective impression only, without doing any serious level matched AB, let alone DBT.

The person who I passed my two amps to has purchased and received the necessary accessories for some more formal AB comparison listening tests between the Bryston and Parasound amps. I am hoping to bring my two little ones over too for more comparisons. They weight 6 to 8 lbs only so I could hand carry them easily.

I started this thread hoping to attract other new class D amp owners to share their experience.

For those interested, I bought my Hypex amp from Buckeye amps and the Purifi amp from VTV amps.

Buckeye Amps: New US based Hypex multichannel amplifier builder, line-up announcement! | Audio Science Review (ASR) Forum

VTV Amplifier – Pure Sound For the Ears

Buckeye currently only build Hypex amps based on the MP modules, VTV offers a much more varieties, including those from both Hypex and Purifi.

For Canadians on a budget, I think these two companies offer the best values. Shipping cost would be low for those in the GTA, as both are in Ohio.

Both are great to deal with, and would answer questions typically within 24 hours.

For warranty, Buckeye would send you a replacement module if you want to replace it yourself. It takes a few minutes to take it apart, should be easy to do.

Edit: Should have included the following links for those interested in Class D amplifiers:

What are the Different Types of Audio Amplifier Classes? | Audioholics
Bruno Putzeys: Head of the Class (D, That is) | Sound & Vision (soundandvision.com)
class-d-audio-amplifiers.pdf (analog.com)
How do Class D amplifiers work? | Rotel
Microsoft PowerPoint - class D tutrial_modified___2.ppt (irf.com)
Microsoft PowerPoint - Designing Class D Amp 2 B.ppt (irf.com)
Fundamentals of Class D Amplifiers | Maxim Integrated
Class D must read papers and publications | Audio Science Review (ASR) Forum
Audiophile Myths About Amplifier Negative Feedback Debunked | Audioholics
Is Too Much Amplifier Negative Feedback Bad? | Audioholics
Switching Amplifier (Class D) Basics | Audioholics
The Truth About Digital (Class D) Amplifiers | Audioholics
New NAD Masters Series Employ Revolutionary Class D Amplifier Technology | Audioholics
Cable Distortion and Dielectric Biasing Debunked - page 2 | Audioholics
Press - PURIFI (purifi-audio.com)

I’ve been using Rotel class D amps for years now. They push incredible current and sound beautiful. I believe they use B&O ICE modules.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[tparm]

I’ve been using Rotel class D amps for years now. They push incredible current and sound beautiful. I believe they use B&O ICE modules.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

From what I understand rotel doesn’t make any class d amps.

 

[SithZedi]

I was just looking at these a few weeks ago on Ebay. Am thinking of pulling the trigger on the OSD XMP 500 which is more in my current budget.

RMB-1575

The RMB-1575 is designed to remain cool in constricted spaces while maintaining a 5 x 250 Watt per channel output with its efficient Class D design.

rotel.com

 

[lovinthehd]

From what I understand rotel doesn’t make any class d amps.

The Rotel product description for both the 1572 and 1575 indicates class D....

 

[PENG]

The Rotel product description for both the 1572 and 1575 indicates class D....

Right, but hey could be both correct depending on interpretation. ParleyW did say "I believe they use B&O ICE modules. " He did not say Rotel made the modules. tparm said "rotel doesn’t make any class d amps. ", so that may be true if Rotel does't actually make the amp modules...

 

[M Code]

ICE modules were sold and used by many brands, Pioneer even used them in an AVR before they went with the IR solution...

Just my $0.02...

 

[Eppie]

Has any one looked into using ICEpower modules for building an amp?
https://www.soundimports.eu/en/brands/icepower/

 

[ryanosaur]

Has any one looked into using ICEpower modules for building an amp?
https://www.soundimports.eu/en/brands/icepower/

Ya. It's been done. Amir might've even reviewed one. Also, Toid did a video building one in a Ghent Chassis, IIRC.
I don't know if they are right more mains duty, but I would consider them for Rears or Atmos.

 

[lovinthehd]

Right, but hey could be both correct depending on interpretation. ParleyW did say "I believe they use B&O ICE modules. " He did not say Rotel made the modules. tparm said "rotel doesn’t make any class d amps. ", so that may be true if Rotel does't actually make the amp modules...

True enough, then most of the guys releasing class d amps aren't truly manufacturing them from that angle, but then many of the brands we deal with in audio generally wouldn't qualify as manufacturers in that sense.