Class D = Trash?

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.

"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."

phd,  I could'n agree more, but I would add AND THEN SOME...Or a lot more :-).

Disclosure: I am a manufacturer using Icepower modules with Analog Power Supply.

Henry

Hi Henry,

     I respect your knowledge and experience as well as your H2O amps.

     I realize you utilize large analog power supplies in your Icepower based amps, rather than the more typical switching power supplies, and your amps are known for their excellent bass response.

     I own three class D amps that have all been used to drive my Magnepan 2.7QR speakers at separate times.  The first two were both stereo amps that have analog power supplies/toroidal transformers, a Class D Audio SDS-440CS and an Emerald Physics EP100.2.  My current class D amps are mono-blocks that have built-in switching power supplies in their Anaview/Abletec power modules, D-Sonic M3-600-M mono-blocks.   

     All three class D amps produce the best bass I've ever heard from my Magnepans but, IMO, the D-Sonic monos with the switching power supplies have significantly better bass response than my other class D amps with analog power supplies.

   My former class A/B  Aragon 4004 MKII amp also used an analog power supply that included 2 very large and heavy toroidal transformers. Both of my stereo class D amps, with much smaller toroidal transformers, and my class D monos, with small and lightweight switching power supplies, all have much better bass response than my former class A/B amp had even with its very large analog power supply.

    Of course I realize you don't want to give away any trade secrets, but I'm curious on your thoughts about whether there's a direct relationship between an analog power supply and good bass response in an amp.  My personal experience implies there is not a direct relationship but I sense the truth is likely more complex and think it is best heard from an amp designer such as yourself.

Thanks,
  Tim