The Future of Audio Amplification

There is one amp what is now number one on my list. I always judge audio products on the DNA of each individual product. I judge audio by Tru-Fi. This means it needs to be able to reveal all the aspects/properties of sound. And it needs to do each individual aspect/property at the highest level possible.

I decided not to talk about brands anymore cause often people overhere feel so offended about it.

Many highend brands are now owned by investment companies. And they are only interested in one thing.......MONEY.

Several brands people mentioned in this thread are owned by investment companies as well these days. I have a lot of contact with the owner of the biggest technical support company in my country. He does the technical support of many highend brands.

He talks a lot about the cheaper parts they are using these days more often. I did listen to many highend amps in the last few years and almost each amp I found unacceptable. Based on the fact that they do not own all the different aspects/properties of sound.

These amps will never create a stunning endresult. The other problem is that most highend amps are also not precise enough. I have to admit that I am an extreme perfectionist. It needs to be superior and able to reveal all the aspects of sound at an ultimate level. In all other situations I am not interested.

In the last 10 years I only played with Pass Labs monos and poweramps. But there is a big chance I will buy a Gryphon Antileon Evo stereo poweramp in 2019.

https://gryphon-audio.dk/shop/power-amplifiers/antileon-evo-stereo/

The price in Europe is 36K, I do not know what the price is in the US. This 84 kilo beast is like 3 different poweramps in one box.

- you can use it as 2 times 150 watts pure class A
- you can use it as 2 times 100 watts pure class A and the rest in class B.
- you can use it as 2 times 50 watts pure class A and the rest in class B.

This is very unique and I also love the dna of these amps. It can create one of the deepest and widest 3-dimensonal stages in the world. But it is also ultimate in layering in sound. This is the most important aspect of sound. Based on the fact that our emotion is being stimulated the most by this property of sound.

The resolution is one of the best as well. I prefer it over any tube poweramp because it is more precise regarding all the aspects/properties of sound. Their philosophy is the same as how we like it.

https://www.soundstageultra.com/index.php/equipment-menu/706-gryphon-audio-designs-antileon-evo-ster...

I love the looks and how it is build.

Most people have no idea how instruments and voices sounds in real. That is why there are so many different amps for sale. Over 99% of all poweramps sound a lot different than instruments and voices in real.

The insight and knowledge in music and realims in sound is even by most people who work in audio very limited. This makes it for many brands possible to sell their products.

The biggest problem in audio is that most audio products and for amps counts the same are not able to create a good level in diversity (layering) in sound. Almost all amps are also 2-dimensional.

I auditoned many class D amps. They are getting better. But there is not even one I would sell to one of my clients. In my world at this moment it is unacceptable. Maybe in the future it can change, who knows.

Most people who work in audio does not even know all the aspects/properties of sound. They judge by trial and error. What is just pure audiogambling. Based on the fact that trial and error lacks any kind of foundation on which you make your decisions.

In 2017 and in this year I spoke with many distributers and manufacturers and they all agreed that trail and error has no real foundation. You never can extract the full dna of each individual part in an audiosystem. This is a 100% fact. But this is needed to understand why the sound and stage is what you hear.

@georgehifi 

Thanks for posting that! 

Foggythink,

In a Class A or AB amp, the filter caps need only respond to the ripple demands resulting from an audio signal. In an SMP for a class D amp, caps need to respond to switching action up in the ball park of a good fraction of a megahertz. They need to exhibit very high ripple current ratings and extremely low equivalent series resistance. Electrolytic caps aren't famous for having exceptionally low ESR, but they're the only technology that's compact enough to provide the current capacity required. The sub-optimal ESR leads to internal heating of the capacitor. The heat dries them out, the ESR rises, that causes them to make more heat, they begin leaking electrically, and they eventually just short out and start frying silicon. 

Nobody will be calling any class D amp "legendary" 10 years after it was sold. They'll all be in landfills. The ONLY amps sold today that will still be around in 20 years will be class A and AB amps, and they'll still sound very good. 

Nobody will be calling any class D amp "legendary" 10 years after it was sold. They’ll all be in landfills.

Correct, not only do they sound questionable to many, but owners will be cursing the day they purchased them.
As replacement boards will not only be obsolete, but very expensive if NOS in stock.
As no one will be able to fix them down to component level economically, 4 layer pcb, double sided componentry, and all smd! all squashed into the size of a pack of cards, good luck !!!

Cheers George

So funny and incorrect.  All class D modules produced by the major companies 10 years ago are still available.  Example:  Here is the module that was sold in 2007 being sold now through Parts Express....
https://www.parts-express.com/icepower-1000asp-class-d-audio-amplifier-with-power-supply-module-1-x-...

But why would you want to replace your module on your 10 year old $2000 amp when you can buy a brand new better sounding stereo amp for a little over $1000 delivered?

There are guys buying super expensive class A amps right now that will be turning them around to get the latest new one in a year or so and lose $10,000 or more in the process.  Some of the best sounding newest class D amps are so good and so cheap that you could just throw them away (or sell or give to your kids or use in secondary system, etc.) in a few years when a better one comes out.  Never heard anyone cursing their inexpensive class D amp when it is no longer the latest thing.  I think the rich guys do more cursing and also more straining.....lifting those beast of amps!  I read a lot of reviews of the latest class a and a/b amps and it looks like the latest ones (and also getting more expensive every year as well) are really way better than those old amps that are 10 years old.  All classes of amps are way better today than ever.  Lets all sing along:  "Who wants yesterdays papers?.....Who wants yesterdays amps?....nobody in the world"

There are many class D amps out there.....some sound eh....some sound middling, some sound very good and some sound really great.  Just like anything, you need to do your research and buy from someone who gives a trial period......but the same is true with any class of amp.