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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
2channel8
634 posts
 
@guidocorona ,

1) Once a class D is broken in is it stable from then on; or will it need to be broken in again if it sits idle for an extended period? (Actually any well-informed reader’s input on that would be much appreciated.
2) I just bought a used Audiosource on eBay for $60. When do I get my 500 Valium? Can I get more if break-in takes longer than 1,500 hours? Is this an honor system?
toddverrone's avatar
toddverrone
838 posts
 
The valium is inside the amp. The pills look a lot like resistors.. just pull them off the circuit board. It'll be fine
2channel8
634 posts
 
Todd, I could only find 12. I took them all at once. Nothing happened. My breath does smell like oregano, though.

Eric, 
" I am going to start another thread I think, for people who LIKE class D. :)"
Please do!
guidocorona
4,114 posts
 

@2channel8There

@2channel8T@2channel8

@2channel8T@2channel8T

There is s nothing unique in class D break-in and re-breakin.... Amps of any type, if sufficiently complex, will take hundreds of hours to break-in.... Even the basic music system in my Toyota Prius took months to sound decent. My class A/B ROwland M625 stereo and M725 monos took about 1000 hours to sound their best. 


The 1500 hours I mentioned is the upper limit of my own experience with amps... It did take about that much for my Rowland M925 monoblocks to stabilize.


As for needing to re-break-in, it all depends on how long devices have been off line. If I leave my system offline for several days, a few hours of warm up returns the system to top performance level.. On the other hand, when I moved from TX to SC, my system was in storage for over 6 months... When I finally reconnected and restarted it, it took a couple of weeks for it to return to top performance... Perhaps 300 hours of making music at minimum volume.


G.



 

bassdude
194 posts
 
Well... a lot of techy discussion here... and... I don't really know why my "Class D Audio" SDS-470C sounds so incredible (e.g. Ice vs Hypex vs something else or switching vs linear, etc.) - I just know it does.  

And... it seems to sound as good or better than my other amps, which are very good.  

And... I've not tried any other class d amps... so... I have no basis for comparison - I'm not really sure I need any - it sounds so grand!    
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