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So what do you think of Class D amp for subwoofers

I am curious to hear what folks think of Class D amplifiers for driving subwoofers. An interesting aspect of this is the switching frequency is ~1000x higher for the frequencies in question, as opposed to using a Class D amp for full range.

My home theater is Class D (Dolby 7.1) and my next major upgrade is replacing the amps with Class AB amps, although I will keep the low signal processing part of the amp.

In the high end system, I found a four channel, 450W into 8 Ohms Class D amp from Marantz to drive the four subwoofers. The price was right and I am not living in a fantasy land that it is a JC1 sitting there!

I have formed my opinions but I wonder if others share my opinions as well.

Thanks!
spatialking
eldartford
4,262 posts
 
The idea of a digital subwoofer amp generating noise to screw up higher frequencies is the kind of thing that cries out for a test. It's so simple.

Load the SW amp with a resistor, and have a friend switch it on and off while playing music through the main speakers. See if you can tell when it's on.
sidssp
1,077 posts
 
Eldartford, I think you misread the posts. I don't think anyone has said class D amp will screw up the mid and high of main amp if it is used as a sub amp.
eldartford
4,262 posts
 
Spatialking ...Check the post by Sidssp.
stereo
147 posts
 
I don't think the first post is correct either. Switching would also apply to class A/B amps as well. I use class D for my main amps and they sound as good as any tube, class A or class A/B amp I've had.
guidocorona
4,114 posts
 
You should check the damping factor of the class D amp you are considering for driving subwoofers. If damping factor is high--often in the 1k range--you should have no problem. . . If instead the damping factor were low, you may discover control problems, like with any low damping factor amp of any other technology. As for mids and treble sounding foreshortened or noisy in a switching amp. . . like with amps of any other underlying technology, it depends on the individual amp implementation. E.g. I can't perceive any obvious switching noise nor foreshortened mids/treble from my JRDG 312
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