Class D = Trash?

Was compared against Emotiva and it did not come close to the power and sound.

Emotiva is a brand I had really high hopes for.

Best,

E

Hi Henry, 

     Thank you for clarifying your findings: "from what I have implemented and heard is that an unregulated analog power supply seem to always sound better than those with SMPS. And this is strictly in the context of class D Icepower."  I understand you're in the midst of experimenting to determine if the same holds true for Hypex NCore 400 modules.

     I'm not really surprised that Hypex didn't allow you access to their top NCore 1200 module. I've read that Hypex had a predetermined sales strategy to  reserve the NCore 1200 module for the larger OEM market while offering the NCore 400 module for sale to the DIY market and amp assembly market.  I believe Hypex is considering H2O a segment of the amp assembly market even though we, and likely many others, realize H2O  actually more closely resembles an OEM than an amp assembler.   
     
     I assume you're aware of the newest Hypex module, the NCore 500, which supposedly is very similar to the sound quality of the NCore 1200 but not quite as powerful.  There is even a U.K. company somewhat similar to H2O, Nord, that offers stereo and mono-block amps based on the NCore 500 module that use Hypex smps but have discrete class A input buffer boards that allow a choice of op amps (Sparkos SS3602 or Sonic Imagery 994).  Maybe this will be the future of class D, with op amp rolling rather than tube rolling.

     There are also many very good alternative class D power modules such as the Anaview/Abletech ALC-1000-1300 (used in the D-Sonic M3-600-M mono-blocks) that utilize Phase Shifting Modulation (PSM) rather than the Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) that Hypex NCore modules utilize and the Pascal modules (used in the D-Sonic M3-1500-M and M3-800-S, Red Dragon S500, Jeff Rowland Continuum S2 integrated and 525 stereo amps) that feature their proprietary and patented UMAC  technology.  I believe these modules would be available to you and could possibly be enhanced with your custom analog power supplies.

Thanks,
  Tim

 input buffer boards that allow a choice of op amps
  Maybe this will be the future of class D, with op amp rolling

Can they get any cheaper, in manufacturing with opamps instead of discrete transistors.

Any hi-end linear poweramp that used opamps as the input stage for their amps wouldn't be recognized for very long and die a slow painful death.

Cheers George  

georgehifi,

      Yes, Nord does cut costs and prices to customers by selecting op amps for their input boards that they like the sound of rather than the much more expensive method of designing and building their own.
       Class D power module manufacturers typically utilize the more expensive but high quality discrete MOSFET transistors in their output stages.  I've read that there's recently been a lot of effort in the transistor industry going into developing even faster switching MOSFET transistors expressly for use in class D switching amps.  Are class D amps becoming so popular and mainstream that their manufacturers' needs are now influencing the direction of transistor r&d?  I believe the future of class D certainly looks very promising.

Tim

Modern Op amps are very good implemented correctly. Most music is produced with tens of them in the signal chain at least. There's no way to avoid them entirely.

Almost all DAC's rely on them, if not external, then implemented in the filter chips themselves.

Power supply and supporting part quality matters.

Best,

E