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The Future of Audio Amplification

I have recently paired an Audio Research DS225 Class D amplifier with an Audio Research tube preamplifier (SP8 mkii). I cannot believe how wonderful and lifelike my music sounds. The DS225 replaced an Audio Research SD135 Class AB amplifier. Perhaps the SD135 is just not as good as some of the better quality amps that are out there, but it got me thinking that amazingly wonderful sonance can be achieved with a tubed pre and Class D amp. I have a hunch that as more people experience this combination, it will likely catch on and become the future path of many, if not most audiophile systems. It is interesting that Audio Research has been at the forefront of this development.
distortions
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kosst_amojan
2,095 posts
 
@cleeds 

No, there's no NEED for an amp to drive DC or just a few Hz, nor reaching out to .5MHz. On the other hand, I like the sound of an amp that drives DC and is -3dB at 1MHz. It's also nice not having a massive pile of filters trying to turn garbage into a signal again. 

Nobody has apparently noticed the massive popularity of vintage gear that's functionally very simple stuff. I watch that stuff fly off the shelves of the shops near me. Mikey's assertion that young people are all into tiny class D garbage is pure nonsense. Millennials are the ones driving the massive price spikes in vintage gear and they're buying it because it looks good, sounds good, and isn't digital. 
georgehifi's avatar
georgehifi
4,966 posts
 
I have looked over that Technics technology and hope that it may trickle down into more affordable components as right now 20k is a very hard sell to non believers.

It like everything in technology life it will come to the masses. Just look at all the Formula 1 improvements that all come to your family car within a very short time.

Hopefully somebody can make it happen for a lot less dollar!
It will, those same EPC guys who made the GAN transistors for that Technics SE-R1, were also the inventors of the "power mosfet" many years ago.
They are the inventors (Formula 1 guys) and they sell their inventions to the big semiconductor manufacturers, who then stamp them out by the thousands, and supply them to the masses.

Cheers George
ricevs
190 posts
 

I was wondering when George would chime in.  George thinks he knows what is wrong with class D and he lets us know constantly.  However, the tide is already turned as witnessed by the every increasing posts of those that have dumped their class a and class a/b amps in favor or class D.   George, please read this review of the brand new $8000 mono blocks from Nuprime and how they compare with all kind of amps.  Only the $40,000 CH precision was more informative:

https://www.hifi-advice.com/blog/review/analog-reviews/amplifier-reviews/nuprime-evolution-one/

And this is just the beginning.  We will soon have amps at even lower price points that are going to surprise everyone.  Stay tuned......my amps are soon to be released.

The switching frequency and even what output devices you use are only a small part of the story.  Every single thing has to be done correctly or you lose the quality.  My amps are using the latest Icepower modules (IceEdge) and switch at 500K......however, with the right massaging, they produce sound that is beyond my own designed class A amps....this is serious sound!  Those who have heard the latest Class D know what is really happening.  Those critics that have not heard the very latest are simply in the dark.

gryphongryph
85 posts
 
Go to https://www.primare.net and read the reviews that their Primare 35 gets, do not have a class d amp myself, but maybe the way to go in future.
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