Slightly off topic but still Class D.
My experience with Hypex nCore's reflects a.wayne's experience, see lack of Timbre, my words would be Sterile, Dull sound lacking extension.
Moving on a couple of years installed Onkyo Class D amplifier with same speakers as used with nCores. Now quite happy with sound.
Onkyo is using below technology in their Class D amps including LPS in my amp. Is this what makes the difference compared to nCores or other Class D amps?
"
Vector Linear Shaping Circuitry (VLSC)
Conventional D/A conversion methods reduce digital pulse noise at the conversion stage but can’t remove it completely. Previously only found on Onkyo’s high-end components, VLSC (Vector Linear Shaping Circuitry)employs a unique D/A conversion circuit to overcome this problem. Data is converted between sampling points and these points are joined with analogue vectors in real-time to produce a smooth output wave form. The result - a virtually noiseless, smooth analogue signal based on the digital source."
Aaahh, now this is why I asked the question about defining what people think timbre means. You have stated what I think a lot of people mean when they say poor timbre, ie sterile. I'm not sure that is strictly correct. That "sterile" effect could, for example, equally be caused by frequency response .
An analogy, LP to CD? does that invoke a
similar response in comparative terms? My response is I find CD clean and neutral compared to vinyl. Equally I find class D clean and neutral.
Timbre is really more the harmonic content. One thing I am interested in is comparing the distortion characteristics of class D against linear. See which has more spuria, intermodulation and harmonics when under awkward loads.
BTW, I haven't looked at the VLSC at all, but the description you have supplied sounds like a complicated way of saying oversampling or interpolation.
