Any one else like the class D ICE power amps?


Category: Amplifiers

Running 1400 watt pioneer sc-09tx & just purchased wyred4sound mini mc-3 (220 (w) at 8ohms per channel)for mains /center. Love the low distoration, clean , crisp sound! JL Audio F-113 subs powered by 5,000 (w) of class d amplification!

I think it is the way of the future reasonably priced, light weight/small/powerful & 85+ efficient.

Jeff Rowland is not the way to go IMO same B&O modules used as wyred4sound at 3-4 times the price! Quaulity is were its needed (in the wyred4sound), not the fanciest cabinet. Jeff Rowland has beatiful jewerly like cabinets but is thousands more per watt. (probably the highest mark-up out their) i loved to open a wyred4sound (hidden gem) & a JR amp up side by side.

Please any Jeff Rowland owners set me straight if their is a difference in the ICE power between the two, last time I checked the mini mc-3 was using the newest ICE modules available. What justifies the thoudands of $ higher price tag? Never got a response to my e-mail to JR??

Class D amps (most of them have arrived) most people think class d stands for digital?? The real reasons is it the next corresponding letter in the alphabet.

ICE power believers tell me what you think.

Kodg
kodg
Yes, Chadeffect...I agree that Bel Canto does ICE power right, and I like pretty much everything they make, for that matter. I hope my comments didn't imply anything to the contrary. For the "newbies" to Class D, however, a good starting place may be to search AudiogoN for EVS (now discontinued), PS Audio GCA series (also discontinued),
H2O or even the Wyreds. Upgrades (to Bel Canto, for example) can come later as funds allow...
I have set up my Bel Cantos with a Modwright tubed pre-amp and am driving VSA VR-4JRs. I have been ecstatic with the combination. Mating a tubed pre to the ICE worked for me. Articulation without fatigue, natural midrange voices and strings, and fast, deep bass.
Tgrisham,
My experience is very much like yours. I am running a highly modded Jolida Music Envoy pre and a Modwright / Sony 9100ES disc player (Platinum Sig. Truth mod), Maggie 3.6s and my Murano P-1000s+ monos (identical internally to the Bel Canto and Jeff Roland models using the B & O 1000 ASP module). I have been tempted of late to do tube hybrid amps so that I have tubes throughout the system, but the more I look into it the more I realize I will probably NEVER part with my amps. Unless one spends something in the $10,000+ range for high--powered tube amps, he will never duplicate the "magic" that happens when mating a great ICE-power (or equivalent class D) amp with a great tubed preamp. You summed it up nicely...you really DO get the best of everything in terms of speed, articulation, soundstaging, dynamics, etc., AND a flesh-and-bones visceral sonic picture that is wonderful to listen to for hours on end. It is this kind of synergy that keeps the upgrade bug tamed, in my experience. By the way, I noticed that there is a HUGE amount of discussion of Class D on these forums, and for good reason!
Yes, I am firmly entrenched in the Class D/ICE camp these days. When done right, I see no down side.

Three things I think that do matter from vendor to vendor:

1) how well the design deals with potential RF and electric curcuit noise that I have heard can be an issue if not dealt with properly. Rowland and Bel Canto seem to do this aspect of things very well.

2) how well the amp integrates with tube pre-amps that tend to have higher output impedances than SS pre-amps

3) the quality of the power supply to the internal ICE module

The better vendors seem to have a handle on these issues. Lesser vendors may not.

My choice boiled down between Wyred + Bel Canto. Wryed was the best value overall and BEl Canto appeared to be the best designed overall for lowest cost (used), though still quite a bit pricier than Wyred.

Wyred seems to be the best buy out there, especially for those with tube pre-amps in that they adapt the standard ICE module to match impedance better there, which is a worthwhile enhancement to help keep distortion minimal if you have a tube pre.

I suspect for those with SS pre-amps, there are even better bargains out there from companies that essentially just put the standard ICE module in a box.

I have not had an opportunity to a/b different Class D amps. Having auditioned a lot of systems and amps over the years, I am 100% satisfied with the BEl CAnto ref1000 mkiis thus far though I can say. Not sure what more I could ask for?
I will agree that the Wyred amps are the best value in the class D arena. I have had the SX500 monos in my system now for a few weeks and the improvement is night and day over my old class a/b amp. They are extremely quiet, system had a hum with my old amp and that has disappeared after adding the Wyreds. I chose Wyred due to the custom input stage, as well as the fact that they also perform modification to the modules themselves. If you have power hungry speakers you really can't go wrong with class D technology.