D-SONIC SOA Class-D Core Amps. The best Class-D ?

The thing with D-sonic is they are merely packaging stock Class D component amps, both Icepower and now abletec. They appear to have upgraded the components they use to do so these days compared to prior when IcePower only, at least as described for the abletec. DDs background as he describes seems in line with that. HE is not an amp designer so not likely to add circuitry to whatver component amp board they use, Ice, abletec or otherwise. Stock icepower is clearly inferior to enhanced versions from BC, Wyred and others with beefed up power supplies and input boards to make tube amp friendly. Stock icepower is not tube amp friendly for example at 10K input impedance. abletec input impedance is closer to that of Wyred for example now as I read ie somewhat less than 60K ohms, that is a clear advantage over stock Icepower. There may be others based on new technology used.

So be careful comparing stock Icepower to enhanced versions to other perhaps newer Class D designs. Each has significant differences. M-sonic alone using stock Icepower amps is not a good indicator of what IcePower can do.


I did a lot of research prior to springing on BC ref1000m amps, including d-sonic. The devil is in the details. New d-sonic amps are interesting as noted. I would expect them to outperform stock icepower in some cases like with tube pre-amps. Harder to call at present for other cases. Time will tell.

Looks like TEAC is using Abletec as well in their new line:
http://audio.teac.com/product/ai-501da/

The other two components aren't too shabby either. Who would have thought?

All the best,
Nonoise

Some of my favorite amps from over the years came from norway... TANDBERG.

With all due respect, the OP asked if anyone had bought or heard a couple of amps in the D-Sonic SOA line. I have been following this thread and so far it appears that the only firsthand experience - with another highly touted amp - came from Wilsynet regarding the Hypex NCore based modules. He goes on to discuss personal amplifier experiences / comparisons; and that provides a credible point of reference.

So what's the point? Not to jump in the middle of a p---ing contest, but to say that my experience has been that unless one has the opportunity to hear a piece of gear and determine how that product meets their particular tastes ... everything else is pure conjecture and opinion.

I have spoken with a number of audio company owners and amp designers; and there was not one who did not think that his product was better than anything else at or near the same price point. In fact they almost always cited higher priced equipment that theirs outperformed and/or replaced. I respect that. There were also a few who put the product in my hands to try out ... some costing a few thousand dollars. Some of it got sent back. That's the nature of the audio hobby.

Higher end specialty audio is basically one of the last remaining "cottage" industries. It's generally a one-person show. A number of companies started within the last few years are doing quite well now. The free trial is what they invariably have in common.

So am I alone here? Has anyone else read the glowing reviews, followed the latest industry news, gotten caught up in the hype and buzz of a particular product or design only to be less than satisfied when you got it installed in your own system?

Perhaps D-Sonic should sponsor a "tour" the way a number of companies do when they want to introduce something new. That would be one path to determine how well it really compares to other amp designs in general and to Class-D in particular. Or they could drop the "restocking" fee so that folks could post real listening impressions here and elsewhere. IMHO that would be more useful.

Audiozen, I'm not challenging your exuberance for your D-Sonic, any other class D amplifier, or your anticipation of what they might become. I'm on my fourth switching amplifier myself.

Yes, I want my tube amps to sound like tube amps yet there are some tube designs that are voiced to extremes that do not appeal to me. No, I don't want my studio monitors rolled off at the extremes or embellished at any point in between which is why I'm thrilled with the truly proprietary design nCores.

Currently there is a fundamental difference in distortion characteristics between tube and solid state, weather it be linear, switching, hybrid, or using DSP modeling, as I mentioned earlier. I'm somewhat pessimistic that this will ever be overcome. On the other hand if it is then I agree, the maintenance of a tube amplifier will become an important factor for many tube users to switch to what many consider the class D'ark side. I will be one of the first to do so.