Class D = Trash?


So, I'm on my second class D amp. The first one, a Teac AI-301DA which claimed to use an ICE module, was unlistenable trash. I burned it in for a few weeks, it just couldn't perform, so I sent it back. Following that, I tried the new Emotiva A-300 (class A/B). It was significantly better, but lacking in too many ways for my tastes. So I changed gears, got an 845 SET from China -- and it was an immediate and massive improvement.

So, before I went further down the SET road, I wanted to try a better class D product using a modern class D module. I settled on the D-Sonic M3-800S with the Pascal module and custom input stage. I read from reviews that these things like to have big cables, so I picked up an eBay 8 gauge power cable (Maze Audio, el-cheapo Oyaide copy plugs, braided 4-wire cable) to go along with it.

Mid-range GONE.
Soundstage depth CRUSHED.
Euphonics DISAPPEARED.

Yes, resolution went up. Driver control went up, allowing me to play compressed rock/pop and orchestra with the speakers being able to render it all. But enjoyment in the sound is basically gone. Using my best power cable (LessLoss Original) improved performance, but didn't fundamentally change the amp's nature. I ran back to my headphones (Focal Utopias) to detox my ear canals.

So, how long does a class D need to burn-in? I want to give it a fair shake before writing the technology off forever. 
madavid0
Toddverrone, ah yes you could be right but somehow wyred4sound has managed to engineer the bass out of their amps. What I can say with confidence is that an analog power supply in class D does give you that full sound that class a/b amps posses.
Oh my, I hope it's not trash. I've got a Class-D amp heading my. Good to read of the positive experiences here. Would be nice to add my own happy story  in a few weeks. Fingers crossed.

Cheers,

Scott
Have owned and sold hundreds of amps from entry to uber (I am an older audio+music-phile and one time business owner). Now retired, I enjoy refurbished and upgraded Aragon (A/AB), Goldmund (AB), bel canto (class D) and Virtue Audio Sensation (Class T) amps. With the right associated gear and setting, all are compelling performers. Cheers! 
Bass and amps is a funny, funny thing. Some speakers are hard to drive in the bass and sometimes that is malicious. A speaker that requires a particularly beefy amp is called "discerning" and sold at twice the price it would be otherwise. :) Some speakers are hard to drive in the treble. This is another area where some amps probably show significant audible differences. Personally I have lost all interest in hard to drive speakers because I find their total cost of ownership just too high for little value.

So while I think globally panning Class D amps as inferior to analog, there may be some truth to some amps performing better with some speakers, a problem shared by all amplifier classes.

Also, ICEPower among others, have optional input sections. This allows vendors to use their own secret sauce to the overall sound. From input transformers, tubes, whatever, so it’s quite possible for two vendors to use the same ICEPower or Hypex modules and get different results.



Best,

E
Erik, your reasonable manner is so refreshing after some of the epic thread battles of late.

Thanks for your input on ICEpower when I was in the market. I'm loving my ghentaudio monoblocks and was sceptical before I spoke with you.