I too thought that DK's official explanation of Class A versus Class A/B looked , at best murkey or at least somewhat confusing, as I even in light of this 'misinformation trail', purchased the DK itegrated amplifier.
Most audiophiles recognize that Class A is the description presumably, of an amplifier, running 'full out' which is to say, full power output, in order to eliminate the negative action, known as 'switching distortion'(from class A to class B circuitry) transistors.
Without getting into a major dispute here, the 'former regime' at DK, says that this amp, the Mark III, 'eliminates the issue of switching distortion'through proprietary circuitry, doing away with the switching distortion, therefore, it behaves like a Class A amplifier, without having the byproduct, too much heat.
Does this really happen?
Great question! I am an unabashed audiophile, who believes in 'potential versus measured greatness', so I am biased toward capability when measured against actual bench tested measurements. To explain, "If it sounds good, it's good, regardless of the measurements" and vice versa. I only know, in looking at the measurements, that without an empically complete scientific evaluation, that the 'square wave' input versus output for the Reference amp, looks 'almost perfect', if not actually perfect.
There is, as one looks at the ocilliscope reproductions of the amp, that it has, no 'time domain' signal delay, issues, as the amp reacts to the input signal instantly--also, no ringing, seen as 'overshoot' of the input signal. This is, perhaps the 'best' square wave representation that I have ever seen. Even the reviewer of the DK amplifier (Australlian Hi'fi") was non plussed, to the degree that he thought the amp signal was a 'null'or no actual signal, or the ocilliscope at 'idle', as what he saw, was perfect from a bench technician's evaluation standpoint.
This kind of 'square wave' replication is the 'holy grail' insofar as science meets sound is concerned.
I know that many, if not most amps don't recreate this kind of square wave from an input signal.
So, time function and amplitude function look perfect.
What does this portend,as it relates to output versus input?
The 'whole idea' of sound revolves around that very complex issue--which is, 'does the output 'look' like the input'?
In this instance, at one fequency, at least, the DK is, from a scientific, and measurement standpoint, with today's technology, 'perfect'.
Does it sound 'perfect'. Well, no. Nothing is absolutely perfect. But, does it sound really good? Yes! It does !
More important, it sounds 'musical', again one of those non scientifically graded, but all important, 'ear measurements' for the listener. This is a real chance to 'forget' the world of measurements, an area where the audiophile aready places his or her ears above the fray of measurements versus the so-called scientific data, and therefore 'above' absolute 'bench measure' testing.
Again, our ears out measure the bench.
I LOVE this site!
Larry R. Staples
DK Design/President/LSA Group
