Class D at low volume


Hi,

How do class D amps behave at low volume levels?  My question is general rather than related to a particular amp.  I know there are exceptions, but as a rule, SET’s and class A SS excel at low volume.  What about class D?  Is low volume performance of class D predetermined, all else being equal? Do class D amps have a comfort zone?  Do they distort more at low volume or is it uniform throughout?  For the purpose of this question I am only referring to analog input amps and not the ones that take in PCM (e.g. NAD M2).

The second part of my question is as follows.  I’m interested in some higher end commercial class D amps from the likes of lab.gruppen, powersoft, mc2, XTA, etc. due to their network-ability as in, I can control them, DSP them, and stream digital, all via RJ45, at the same time dispensing with all the extra boxes and cables.  But, they are all of very high power from 100‘s to 1000‘s of watts.  Does this mean that in a domestic setting at low volume they operate much closer to their noise floor or is this different with class D?

Thanks
serge_s

Showing 5 responses by serge_s

Thanks to everyone who answered. It sounds like class D could be the way to go. I think I can answer the second part of my question: 1000-watt pro amps will be too noisy on Klipsch Forte II at low volume no matter the topology.
Thanks Pavpet,

"I've been into high end audio since 1970,and these class d amps wyred for sound and nuprime/nuforce are killing my very expensive WYETECH ruby"

How long have you been listening to wyred? Where do wyetechs fail in comparison?
Tim: thanks for getting off topic. This thread is educational for me and hopefully for many others as well.

Thanks for your comments folks! Please keep the discussion going.
Tim, my comment on getting off topic was tongue-in-cheek in reply to your comment. This thread is educational and I appreciate yours and others contribution.

Re my looking into pro amps: It is for home use. The ones I listed are of interest to me due to their ability to accept digital input from PC via RJ45. Since I started the tread I came to conclusion that at low volume a thousand watt amp will operate too close to its noise floor and will be unfit for my purposes.

Thanks