Class D Amp is bad for critical listening? ? ?

[Thomas savage]

Yes class D is terrible, please don't buy them as it will make them cheaper for me ...

Thanks in advance.

 

[MSNWatch]

Fly to the US and buy Benchmark.

 

[Daverz]

There are 2 major problems I'm up against when finding a good power amplifier atm:
1/ There's no Benchmark AHB2 or Hypex NC400 DIY kits in my country, so I'm forced to buy its alternative, which is NAD M22 V2, but then I was told that [Class D amp can't do treble, it sounds bad, ect...] - Is this statement TRUE? Or as long as the measurements are exceptional, it will sound good REGARDLESS of CLASS?
2/ If NAD M22 V2 is not that great, then is there another option to pick from? (I'm from Vietnam, not all brands are available, so just list ones that good enough (in measurements of course))
3/ If NAD is good enough, then just tell me to pick it
My current system: Chord QUtest -> Rouge Cronus Magnum 3 -> Tannoy Kengsinton GR
Thanks in advance!

What don't you like about the Rogue?

I have the Rogue M-180 monoblocks. They put out too much heat to be used here about 5 months of the year, and after a few power tube replacement cycles at about $400 for an octet of power tubes, you start to wonder what else you could have used that money for...

 

[veeceem]

What don't you like about the Rogue?

I have the Rogue M-180 monoblocks. They put out too much heat to be used here about 5 months of the year, and after a few power tube replacement cycles at about $400 for an octet of power tubes, you start to wonder what else you could have used that money for...

Well, tbh, I've been changing stuffs alot, but always wonder what "sound right" really means, of course theres no answer from those audiophile webzines. So I decide to end the search right here by buying a DAC-till-powAmp chain base on measurements(science?) instead. Unfortunately no Benchmark or Hypex is here but NAD M22 v2, so I choose it instead. Now it's about what pre-amp to use with it, anything with DAC-Pre combo similar to DAC3 would be awesome

 

[somebodyelse]

I've just bought a second hand Cyrus Stereo 200 off a fella on ebay which is a class D and designed in-house by Cyrus.
I guess I'll soon see if class D is up to much..... Just couldn't stretch the budget to the latest offerings from Nord, Apollon etc etc....

Fingers crossed when it arrives...

Good luck. You'll soon see if that particular Class D implementation is up to much. There are good and bad implementations of Class D, just as there are for Class A, AB and so on.

 

[Sparky]

Good luck. You'll soon see if that particular Class D implementation is up to much. There are good and bad implementations of Class D, just as there are for Class A, AB and so on.

Thanks! I really hope their implementation of class D is as good as they claim it to be.
When I bought my Spendors, the owner of the shop (family run small hifi shop) suggested I try the Cyrus with the Spendors as they're a known match but I just thought he was trying to sell me something I didn't need or he didn't want.

I'll soon find out but even if it doesn't work, it's a lesson learned. An expensive lesson yes.... But a lesson nonetheless..

 

[daftcombo]

Is it true that the ultrasonics of Class D amps will give you brain cancer and prevent you from having children?

 

[Sparky]

Is it true that the ultrasonics of Class D amps will give you brain cancer and prevent you from having children?

I don't really understand the point you're trying yo make there mate?

But, to answer your question, yes, of course they do!

 

[Kal Rubinson]

Is it true that the ultrasonics of Class D amps will give you brain cancer and prevent you from having children?

Do you get a choice?

 

[daftcombo]

I don't really understand the point you're trying yo make there mate?

But, to answer your question, yes, of course they do!

I was kidding of course, but read that kind of things from "audiophiles".

 

[Ron Texas]

Do you get a choice?

I already have children. Do I have to worry about brain cancer? That was pretty sly.

 

[ahmadie]

No, it's not. There have been a number of Class D amps reviewed here with never a mention of that problem. Unless the manufacturer does something terribly wrong in their implementation, any ICEpower or Hypex based amplifier will be very satisfying to listen to.

Not true, I bought ICEPower 1200AS latest module from respected manufacture, the sound was too bright and soundstage was really bad. Switched to a cheaper class A/B amplifier and they sounded phenomenal. Do not buy class D if you already have sterile bright speaker or really hard to driver speaker with unusual impedance bcz they fail (electrostatic). Class D sounded fine with my dynamic speaker though. I am sure they cannot deliver proper current at all frequency vs extreme impedance points.

 

[March Audio]

Not true, I bought ICEPower 1200AS latest module from respected manufacture, the sound was too bright and soundstage was really bad. Switched to a cheaper class A/B amplifier and they sounded phenomenal. Do not buy class D if you already have sterile bright speaker or really hard to driver speaker with unusual impedance bcz they fail (electrostatic). Class D sounded fine with my dynamic speaker though. I am sure they cannot deliver proper current at all frequency vs extreme impedance points.

Demonstrably untrue.

 

[BillG]

Do not buy class D if you already have sterile bright speaker or really hard to driver speaker with unusual impedance bcz they fail (electrostatic).

That's interesting, and false in my experience also: I've "sterile, bright speakers" and Class D sounds just fine driving them. You probably have crap speakers, or a poor listening room. As for electrostats, I don't use them, and I don't care about them.

 

[veeceem]

Just ordered my Hypex based amp this morning! NAD M22 v2
Arriving in 1 month or less

 

[orangejello]

Just ordered my Hypex based amp this morning! NAD M22 v2
Arriving in 1 month or less

I’m so glad for you. I’m listen to this tonight on my NAD v2 M22, drinking tequila, and thanking god that my state (Kentucky) has been delivered from the hands of a mobster Republican governor. Cheers, and don’t second guess your decision compared to the Benchmark. I had both and decided on the NAD after careful consideration and no regrets. Enjoy the music - and whatever tequila equivalent you have at your disposal

 

[veeceem]

I’m so glad for you. I’m listen to this tonight on my NAD v2 M22, drinking tequila, and thanking god that my state (Kentucky) has been delivered from the hands of a mobster Republican governor. Cheers, and don’t second guess your decision compared to the Benchmark. I had both and decided on the NAD after careful consideration and no regrets. Enjoy the music - and whatever tequila equivalent you have at your disposal
View attachment 37995

Sadly I still need to find a preamp with 12V trigger to pair with it. Thinking of Benchmark LA4 but that wont be possible until next year for now I guess I'll have to turn it on/off manually

 

[orangejello]

Sadly I still need to find a preamp with 12V trigger to pair with it. Thinking of Benchmark LA4 but that wont be possible until next year for now I guess I'll have to turn it on/off manually

Not a problem. It turns off after 30-45 minutes of no signal and turns on when it detects a signal after about a 3 second delay. I don’t even think about it. I use a passive preamp and it is great - as quiet as the Benchmark but 1/8 the price. Bruno anticipated that in the original nc400 input and it appears that NAD didn’t screw that up with their handling of input impedance. Also I have come to love the touch on/off switch. Further, choosing the amount of gain is great (three different choices). I optimized that setting for the the 3 inputs I have (usb, phono, and cd). Still listening and enjoying tequila Tomorrow I have to work... but tonight is is Zuzanna Rusikova and Janos Starker, and if my girlfriend is still up...

 

[veeceem]

@orangejello and what preamp you're using with it?

 

[Willem]

And if an amplifier does not have an auto on/off facility one can always use a master slave power strip with the dac/preamp as the master. My ADI-2 is very frugal with electricity so as a master it stayed just below the threshold for activation. The same may be the case with other DACs used as pre amp. The solution was to add a small always on unit like in my case a Chromecast Audio. Together they were above the activation threshold and it works a treat.