How do Digital Amps Mfrs. compare in sound?

Magfan said"

"All amps run off rectified AC with the exception of stuff like the Emitter and some preamps, which are powered by banks of batteries. The purity of pure battery power is tough to argue with."

Actually, the Power Factor Correction module converts AC to DC in the 312, Continuum 500 and most other current prodcution units that are used in connection with the outboard PC1 PFC module.

When I asked Jeff Rowland if the conversion to DC provided the Continuum 500 with the same benefits as battery power (removal of AC noise) he said, "exactly." Beyond that, all I know is the Continuum 500 is, by far, the best integrated amp I've heard for powering dynamic speakers like my Vienna Acoustics.

Dave

Muralman -

"What is the advantage of introducing a digital power supply into an analog amp?"

First of all it's not digital supply - it is as analog as class D. In fact IT IS class D (class D was invented when designers of SMPS were demonstrating that it has such fast response that it can even play music.

Advantages are few: It is line and load regulated (while linear power supply is not) and quieter (50kHz is much easier to filter out than 120Hz). Just take as an example Jeff Rowland's Capri linestage - it uses SMPS instead of linear power supply (that would be small and inexpensive) and Jeff Rowland is not a "noisy" guy (he used batteries in preamps before). Don't be fooled by size of SMPS because 2" in diameter torroidal transformer can pass as much power at 50kHz as huge 10" torroidal transformer at 60Hz.

You made already one step accepting class D. Make another one - it is the same thing.

Mapman, unfortunately, unlike with Concerto, JRDG has not yet made an amp-only of the Continuum series. There exists the 312, which is a more complex amp only, based on the same ASP1000, and the 501 monos, which contain the same boards in the Continuum 500, minus the PFC circuit, minus the additional network of bulk capacitors, minus the Capri linestage boards.

501 monos + a pair of PC1 PFC devices should yield a sound similar to the Continuum if perhaps with slightly less authority, but perhaps with even greater channel separation. Bear in mind that C500's PFC circuit is a single 1500w device, while PC1 is a 750W device, hence you need 2 of them for the 501s.

Hope this helps, G.

Guido, yes, thanks.

By the time I'm ready to jump, I'm sure there will be many new and improved offerings out there.

Guidocorona, I was referring to the attached digital power supply, as stated. The module is analog, as stated.