Any experiences with Class D?

[AndrewLyles]

Is anyone currently using class D amplifiers in the Home Theater?

I'm doing some serious searching to buy a powered amplifer for my HT and was excited to read about the up & comming amplifier from Axiom which is a class D type. A magazine this month (The Absolute Sound) did an in depth review and editorial of Class D amplifers and concluded that the technology is sound but can't quite live up to a traditional Class A/B amplifer. Does any one have positive or negative experience with Class D's? I would love to hear thoughts.

For reference, I'm using Anthony Gallo Acoustics 3.1's for the main along with the secondary bass amplifer, and the matching center channel. I'm using AGA Adiva Ti's for my surrounds.

I've been looking at A/B amps from the Rotel-1095 and the Halo A51 as well as many others. I like the idea of Class D amp's primarily due to the constraints I have on my electrical system... I live in a typical NYC apartment, so have no control on upgrading.

Thanks,
Andrew

 

[wafflebird]

There is a lot of info already in here

17 pages actually, do a search in this forum and type Class D. It is long and I have not read it all but there are now a lot of manufacturers starting to sale the digital amps it would seem. I am sure there is a lot of good information here;

The Truth About Digital (Class D) Amplifiers

That is the thread you should look for. Good luck.

 

[buckyg4]

I recently purchased a BelCanto S300 used. I previously had a McCormack DNA-1 Rev A that I had to get rid of because the wife felt it was too large. While I can't say it was as good as my McCormack, I can tell you that I am very happy with it and its very small which is nice. In terms of comparison I feel the BelCanto is cleaner at the high end, but can not pull out the bass that my McCormack did. Midrange is similar with the McCormack being a little warmer.

 

[don maico]

I am told tha class T amps have the digital aspects and efficiencies of a class D with the sound quality of class A/B

 

[RanjeetRain]

Class D is not a replacement for A/B

Audiophiles would always love to have class A/B amps as long as they are available.

 

[don maico]

Audiophiles would always love to have class A/B amps as long as they are available.

Probably because its what they know. But if it can be shown that class T is demonstrably better then they will flock to it without a doubt - time will tell. Personally I'm biding my time and will be reading some more reviews as they come out, regarding class T.

here is some stuff I cut and pasted:



You think I'm joking, right? Some have followed the discussions about tube amps - I have one, and you have heard the detractors howling - you know the folks who know everything but hear nothing ... well, I found the answer - a solid state amp which sounds as good as most tube amps, a solid state amp which will knock the socks off a tubie with great specs up to about 10 wpc, a digital amp which costs about $20-40. Yes, that's right, and I'm not kidding.

I got mine and so I can now tell you about the Sonic Impact T-Amp. I paid $20 each and picked up 10 of them. I got a 3 amp 13.8 volt power supply from Radio Shack (otherwise it works on AA batteries), moved the Kenwood KA9100 and a pair of Dahlquist DQM905s out of the way, stood up a pair of 93db efficient Michaura M55s (very similar to the M22) same 5.25" aluminum driver and the 3/4" Titanium tweeter from the Merak line of speakers and the former Axiom - love this speaker), hooked up my15 year old JVC CD player, and holy samolies, the little M55s with the T-Amp just blew away the best garage system I'd ever heard. It is definitely on par with the Antique Sound Labs MG S1 15DT as to sound. The ASL is a bit sweeter, but this T-Amp is a JOKE!!! BUY ONE!!

PS I own no stock or have any interest in the manufacturer, distributor or have anything to do with Sonic Impact or the T Amp except for having gotten mine and picking my *** off the floor in giddy disbelief.

Friends, this thing is great. Go and enjoy. This is not a belated April Fools Joke. This is the real deal.

And :

[I]Car audio is in the midst of a major technological transformation. I'm not talking about satellite radio, mobile video, surround sound, or HD Radio technologies. I'm talking about . . . amplifiers, of all things, and specifically about Class-T® digital audio amplifiers developed by Tripath Technology. Whether you are a car audio hobbyist, a professional mobile system designer, or just someone who listens to the radio on your factory deck, these compact and highly efficient amplifiers promise to alter dramatically the way we listen to music. In fact, the implications of Tripath's Digital Power Processing® technology extend well beyond car audio. Digital amplifiers like the Class-T® are poised to impact everything from flat-panel televisions and broadband internet access, to cell phone technology in the very near future.

And

[/I]Class D amplifiers boast higher efficiency (some approach 90% efficiency), produce less heat, and draw less current than traditional Class AB designs. They use output transistors as switches to control power distribution — the transistors "turn off" when there is too much voltage across them. Because they produce much less heat, Class D amplifiers can be housed in a much smaller chassis than a Class AB with the same power output. The downside is that the on-off switching of the transistors produces high levels of distortion, particularly in the middle and upper frequencies. Class D amps are usually used to power subwoofers, since low-frequency distortion is hard to detect.


Tripath's Class-T® amplifier design combines the low distortion and excellent sound quality of the Class AB design with the efficiency advantages of the Class D design. Tripath uses switching transistors to achieve very high power efficiency (around 90%), low heat production, and compact chassis-size. Yet, they've managed to solve the high-frequency distortion that plagues Class D amps.

This is the website I took them from :
http://www.crutchfieldadvisor.com/S-XgA9efE4l1e/reviews/20040720/tripath_interview.html?page=5

 

[Haoleb]

Audiophiles would always love to have class A/B amps as long as they are available.

Correction... Audiophiles would always love to have class A amps

Unless of couse you live in a hot climate.

 

[don maico]

the down side is its going to render all our current amplified gear obsolete Tvs ,radios, receivers, the lot- down the pan!

 

[Sleestack]

I have a pretty healthy lineup af gear and have tried all sorts of high-end amplifiers. I use TACT BOZ digital amps and Bel Canto Ref. 1000s. My opinion is that certain Class D amps sound as good, if not better than traditional A and A/B amps.

Personally, I don't think the Audioholics article on Class D amps is going to give you any information that will help you assess the performance of Class D amps available today. It does talk about certain issues related to Class D amps and examines one example of a poor implementation of the technology, but IMO, it has little to do with the products available today and the sound quality of those products.

 

[Ampdog]

AndrewLyles,

Also read the thread in this section: "Are these the amps of the future?"