How do Digital Amps Mfrs. compare in sound?

You are correct Dave, it is also worth pointing out that a decision to deploy a switching power supply vs a toroidal one, at least in the rarified high end domain we are dealing with, has precious little to do with skimping on parts costs. While some engineers prefer to mate switching power conversion modules with traditional toroidal power supplies, other designers prefer the sound of their creations when matching ICEpower modules with switching supplies, integrated or otherwise. There are many perfectly valid ways to skin this particular audiophilic cat, and it is completely pointless to launch yet a new round of the trite juvenile game of "my PS's bigger'n yourn!" G.

ASP modules all have a built in miniature power supply that draws it's energy straight from the wall. That raises all kinds of distortion and phase anomalies that require back up fixes. Rowland has devised ways of addressing the problem. Good for him.

Muralman, I was still secretly hoping you would refrain from persisting in a round of "ma' PS's real bigger'n yourn". . . regretably I was mistaken.. . . enjoy your game. . . I's not playin'. Best, G.

Guidocorona, size does count here. I will do my best in getting a Bel Canto 1000 here to put up against what I have. I will make sure there are witnesses. Wish you could be here.

Thank you Vince, have fun. G.

Guido,

Sorry for the delay. I don't follow this forum regularly.

The ICE amp I auditioned was from SeymourAV. I'm a bit picky about looks, and it's the only ICE amp in the price range that doesn't have the garage-built look.

And thanks for your impressions of some of the other ICE amps. I've found that I sometimes disagree with other people's observations on what sounds good/bad/different, but it's still valuable info to have.

Nospam, by looking at:
www.seymourav.com/amps.asp
I see there are a couple of different models of ICE based amps made by Seymour. Which one did you try out? G.

Guido,

It was the Ice Block 5001.

I believe it's the one they typically send out for reviews.

What a lot of people missed was that Wyred 4 sound was doing mods for PS audio for years - Cullen Engineering- until PS audio moved.
The Wyred was better sounding than the Bell canto 1,000 it had more body ,prat and the input stage is modified by Wyred 4 sound ,Bell canto just started this -This year, Wyred now have a preamp I just bought, fully balanced input to output,No coupling caps at all just a buffered direct feed gain stage that is it. I have found nothing in the $4k range that can beat it for inner detail, transparancy, and musicaity. and at under $1800 factory direct it is no contest.I have had many preamp and amps over $5k
I bought the ST-250 amplifier these 2 together would be hard to beat even at $10k combined !

Any news when wyred int will come out.

Coffeey, why don't you call Wired For Sound and let us all know. G.