2. amps-preamps
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Class D is affordable and sounds as good or better the SS/Valve why buy anything else ?

I have spent a fair amount of my hard earned money on big ticket brand new SS and VT/Valve amplifiers over the years without hesitation, with state of the art 2019 class D amplifiers becoming cheaper and sounding better, i wouldn't join in again.

For older technology amplifiers SS VT/Valve to compete with State of the art class D, Their prices are going up and up.

One example is Pilium Audio from Greece or Bulgaria their Divine Line the prices are all over £100,000 for their pre amps and power amps, I know the UK importer he said they sound OK,

Another example FM Acoustics again up to and over £100,000 for pre and power amps. i have owned FM Acoustics pre and power again their OK,

I am not saying they do not sound good, i am saying why spend this much when state of the art class D probably sounds as good now and can only improve with the GaN capacitors and is nearly up to 100 times cheaper.

Is there still a market for multi thousand £$s SS or VT/Valve amplifiers ?

When class D finally overtakes SS VT/Valves what will people do with their multi thousand £$ amplifiers, keep them knowing there is something better ? Or will we see the market flood with exotic used amplifiers ?

Digital technology is rapidly growing pace and becoming cheaper, with GaN capacitors being introduced the sound is going to get better and better and will slowly or quickly become even more affordable.

If you had 50,000 to spend on an Amplifier, would you buy a high ticket SS amplifier and hope for the best ?

Would you stay safe and go with high ticket valve amp, class D can never match good valves right ?

Or would you sit tight and see how the GaN capacitors can further improve the performance of state of the art class D ?

Please feel free to join in, everybody is welcome, i think its a very delicate/touchy discussion for some people with big bucks invested in older type amplifiers.
townshend-audio
gratefuleric
11 posts
 
All this debate about amplifiers and systems costing $50k is meaningless as I will never be in that league.
That being said I have been on a steady trajectory upwards for 45 yrs from my Sansui 1000a tube and Altec speakers to my new love the Peachtree Nova 300 with its exquisite DAC and incredible soundstage. I've listened to systems, both SS and valves costing 10x as much but I've never heard better than this. 

seanheis1
359 posts
 
Class D is like a DAC. They keep getting better as the tech improves, making older generations obsolete.

Class A is a much more mature technology, with better often times being different. The best Class A from 30 years ago is better than the best Class D of today.

Class D only exists for efficiency. Square waves and pulse width modulation is not hifi. Why bother with a bit perfect source signal if you are just going to chop it up and filter it...leaving behind some of the good with the bad...resulting in a thin hollow sound?
miveraaudio
111 posts
 
Which of the latest crop of class D amps have you personally auditioned to come to this conclusion? Because if you’re basing this on objective performance alone, that would also be false. Class D has surpassed class A a while ago now. 
cytocycle
1,034 posts
 
@ miveraaudio32 I would totally disagree with your humming transformer class D amps.  My friend got them and it did take 200hrs to break them in but using cheap transformers I guess is a price point.  luckily he sold them, and that person is still trying to sell them.
miveraaudio
111 posts
 
If this is true share the ad where he’s selling them. I get 6-7 emails a week for more amps but not selling them anymore.

And why do my amps always sell for the same or more on the used market than they did new if they’re so bad? Is it typical in high end audio for products to sell for the same or more used than new?

Browse for some used class A, A/B or tube amps here on Audiogon and find some that are selling for more used than new.
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