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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
helomech
766 posts
 
It all depends on what you consider the role of an amplifier should be in a system. To faithfully amplify the signal it’s fed, or to add euphonic coloration, and amplify the signal it’s fed. If you enjoy the sound of your source gear as it is, then all you should want is an amplifier that faithfully amplifies the signal it’s fed. If you don’t like the sound of your source gear as it is, then you may want to add some colorations to mask the undesirable sound. Today’s best class D amps are not designed to add euphoric colorations. So to really appreciate them, you have to like the sound of your source gear.

But the problem comes because so many audiophiles have no idea how their source gear sounds. Because they have only ever listened to it through a coloured amp. So when an uncoloured amp replaces the coloured amp in their system, and they hear for the first time the actual sound of their source gear, some may not like what they hear. But do you think the blame ever goes to the source gear? Very rarely. The amps end up taking the blame for the shortcomings of the source.
There are many non-colored class AB amps that measure as flat as any class D amp. So then what's the benefit of the class D topology? Answer: efficiency, that is all.
townshend-audio's avatar
townshend-audio OP
49 posts
 
The benefit of class D is better sound quality now and the penitential with GaN Devices to get even better,
To state the benefit of class D is just efficiency makes you sound stupid.

miveraaudio
111 posts
 
@sthlm78:

Sure you could use a tube input stage. Or a coloured SS input stage like some use. 

@helomech:

I think the fact that for around $1K can get you the level of sound that's only possible from $20K+ class A or A/B amps, also gives them an advantage. Unless cost, weight, and size is no object for you. In that case buy a Soulution 501 and call it a day. 
mr_m
1,087 posts
 
I believe one should read the whole interview of Bruno Putzey to get the full scope of his adaption and belief of "Class D" topology.
ricevs
190 posts
 

There is no such thing as uncolored.  Everything has a sound.  Even one piece of wire 4 inches long has a sound.  Every Class D amp using the same module will have a different sound because everything matters.  When the NC400 amp module came out a few years ago the Objectivists declared it perfect.....measured perfect, so must be great.  I did a mod on them where I changed the polyester output filter caps to modified stacked polypropylene caps.  It sounded much better.  Here is a link to a thread where this is talked about....notice the resistance from those who have not heard it but "know" that this mod cannot make a difference. 

https://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=118868.0

So, was the amp "uncolored" before the mod or after it?  Neither...just better sounding.

Mike (Mr. Mivera) has stated that his more expensive versions of his amp with the thicker chassis and better wire and jacks sound better than his less expensive ones.  They will not measure any different.  So, which is "uncolored".  I A/Bed my new prototypes to Mikes amps and his amps sound very "colored" in comparison.   So, does that make my amps "uncolored".......no, just less colored.  There are and will be amps down the road that are even less colored than mine.

I have made a class A amp that has very little color.  However, I do prefer the modded IceEdge.  But, I am rebuilding the class A amp so it will be way, way better.  Will I still prefer the class D?  This game is never ending.  There is no perfect anything.  What you get with the latest tweaked modules is incredible sound for very little money.  Tomorrow, they will be boat anchors.......he he......for a very tiny boat.


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