Class D is affordable and sounds as good or better the SS/Valve why buy anything else ?


I have spent a fair amount of my hard earned money on big ticket brand new SS and VT/Valve amplifiers over the years without hesitation, with state of the art 2019 class D amplifiers becoming cheaper and sounding better, i wouldn't join in again.

For older technology amplifiers SS VT/Valve to compete with State of the art class D, Their prices are going up and up.

One example is Pilium Audio from Greece or Bulgaria their Divine Line the prices are all over £100,000 for their pre amps and power amps, I know the UK importer he said they sound OK,

Another example FM Acoustics again up to and over £100,000 for pre and power amps. i have owned FM Acoustics pre and power again their OK,

I am not saying they do not sound good, i am saying why spend this much when state of the art class D probably sounds as good now and can only improve with the GaN capacitors and is nearly up to 100 times cheaper.

Is there still a market for multi thousand £$s SS or VT/Valve amplifiers ?

When class D finally overtakes SS VT/Valves what will people do with their multi thousand £$ amplifiers, keep them knowing there is something better ? Or will we see the market flood with exotic used amplifiers ?

Digital technology is rapidly growing pace and becoming cheaper, with GaN capacitors being introduced the sound is going to get better and better and will slowly or quickly become even more affordable.

If you had 50,000 to spend on an Amplifier, would you buy a high ticket SS amplifier and hope for the best ?

Would you stay safe and go with high ticket valve amp, class D can never match good valves right ?

Or would you sit tight and see how the GaN capacitors can further improve the performance of state of the art class D ?

Please feel free to join in, everybody is welcome, i think its a very delicate/touchy discussion for some people with big bucks invested in older type amplifiers.
townshend-audio

Showing 7 responses by three_easy_payments

In light of all the gushing about how wonderful Class D integrated amps are today I find it curious that none made Stereophile's 2018 Recommended Component list.  In fact they make the following notation in the listing:  
Editor's Note: There are no Class D integrated amplifiers listed.
https://www.stereophile.com/content/recommended-components-2018-edition-integrated-amps-receivers
Ah, I stand corrected.  I was mixing Class D with Stereophile Class D.  Sorry about that.
In my own personal experience, and to my own personal tastes in sound, the most disappointing amp I've ever owned was Class D - a Peachtree Nova150.  Consistent with what Art Dudley later wrote about the Nova300 - it was on the dry side with grainy treble...at least to my ears.  The amp has been long gone and I've been fully immersed in the much sweeter sound of Class AB tubes.
@miveraaudio  My comment was about today's class D with respect to the Nova150.  It is currently what Peachtree markets as "First of a New Generation".  

https://www.peachtreeaudio.com/nova150-amplifier-with-dac.html 

My experience with this amp was from 2017.  Hardly the 1930s. lol
@bsimpson  
If you are a trained musician, however, you're likely hooked by the tube amps and could never go back.

I know in my case that's a huge part of it.  The tube sound is my comfort food having grown up playing guitar through Fender Twins and MesaBoogies, it's what my ear is drawn to now.  It's not right or wrong, it's 100% preference.  That tubey goodness simply nurtures my soul.
Another client replaced these 3 NC1200 based amps with 3 of my 1200AS based amps:
I’m sure my post will get deleted again by admins but I really think statements like this fall under the category of marketing for personal gain. Am I the only one who sees what’s going on here???
Nobody should be on a mission to convert anyone to anything here.  We shouldn't be attacking people for enjoying some amps more than others.  There wouldn't be thousands of amps on the market for consumers to choose from and enjoy if there was only one correct choice or genre, and anyone who doesn't "get it" simply needs to be converted.   Please...just let us share what we like knowing it's ok to like what we like!