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Are cheap new Class D amps better than old expensive ones?

Mjj

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Looking to pick up a class D power amplifier.
I know the tech for Solid-state amps is fairly mature so a good second-hand amp is a really good option. BUT with Class-D amps still being in the steep part of the development curve presumably would a new purchase be a wiser direction? For example looking at Secondhand Primare 34.2 Power amp ( nearly 10 years old) Versus Nord One nc500 or nc502??
 

wwenze

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Premare A35.2 vs Node One nc500

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A34.2 is rated at around double the THD+N of A35.2 (20Hz – 20kHz, 10W at 8Ω) so the two amps here should be rather equal. I would see the price and decide. Remember electronics can degrade.
A34.2: THD + N <0.02% 20Hz-20Khz (10W 8 ohm)
A35.2: THD + N: < 0.008%, 20Hz – 20kHz, 10W at 8Ω

I focus on 4 ohm because few speakers have impedance at 8 ohm across the entire frequency range
 
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Mjj

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Thanks for your quick and detailed reply!
Would you say THD is main factor in these amps - influence on airiness, soundstage etc or internal PSU and RF noise isolation has equal or lesser factor. The Primare is asking $1800 aus dolllars. I noted that Nord one products report substantially improved results as they have used more recently developed third party modules.
 

tw99

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You're in the wrong place to ask about "influence on airiness", really.

Fwiw in your position, if you want a class d amp, you can buy one from March Audio which is an Australian company. Same tech as Nord, arguably slightly better implementation.
 

Wombat

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Is "airiness" boosted HF?
I don't say extended, because we can't hear beyond 20kHz(some savants possibly) and the levels of musical instrument harmonics are low at the upper-most usual frequencies. Or does it require audio plankton, whatever that is?
 

Art Vandelay

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Is "airiness" boosted HF?
I don't say extended, because we can't hear beyond 20kHz(some savants possibly) and the levels of musical instrument harmonics are low at the upper-most usual frequencies. Or does it require audio plankton, whatever that is?

Still, some people are capable of hearing a 0.5dB droop at 20kHz.
 

A800

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Koeitje

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