Review and Measurements of Class D Audio CDA-250C Amp

[Deleted member 15871]

Yeah, I can not reconcile the bad measurements, and how this thing actually performs (I have the SDS-400). After reading the review, I half expected this amp to blow my speakers, and set the house on fire. Tonight, my wife, who habitually rolls her eyes about my obsession with Audio, actually listened to it when she walked into the garage. Her comment: "Oh wow - that sounds good... how much did THAT cost?!". First time ever my wife said anything positive about any audio gear

I will buy another amp, probably the upgraded SDS-470C, and send that to Amir in the foreseeable future - hopefully he will find the time to measure it, AND listen to it.

View attachment 24849

WAF

 

[mikeburns]

I just ordered the newest SDS250C with the regular large power supply. I won't get it until September or October due to my location 13 hrs ahead of NYC.
Tom said this amp matches well with Magnepan SMGa's. If it doesn't, oh well, I'm stuck. Live and learn.

Where do you set the adjustable gain controllers, 9 O'clock? 12? 3? All the way?
Thanks,
Joe

Mine has no adjustable gain (they were left unsoldered by request of the previous owner). I honestly prefer amps without adjustable gain (although my speakers are not super efficient so for my setup it works well with my preamp). I am picking the amp should work fine with the gain turned all the way up.

 

[Deleted member 15871]

Mine has no adjustable gain (they were left unsoldered by request of the previous owner). I honestly prefer amps without adjustable gain (although my speakers are not super efficient so for my setup it works well with my preamp). I am picking the amp should work fine with the gain turned all the way up.

Thank you

 

[Akhnot]

Hi all, new member, former lurker, first post. I was a bit dismayed at the CDA-250C measurements as well, but then that amp is running my rear speakers so not a huge deal. I assume (hope?) that the SDS-470 would measure better than the 250...
I have been a Class D Audio customer since 2012 and have three of their amps. I own a CDA254L, a CDA250, and SDS470 and these are all mounted into an old very large Sherbourn 5ch modular amplifier chassis. One thing I learned about the SDS amplifiers is if you want a VERY big improvement in sound quality, replace the variable gain pots with high quality fixed value resistors (measure the value you have the pots set at). I used these resistors based on Tom's recommendation...http://www.texascomponents.com/pdf/tx2575.pdf

 

[Matias]

Hi all, new member, former lurker, first post. I was a bit dismayed at the CDA-250C measurements as well, but then that amp is running my rear speakers so not a huge deal. I assume (hope?) that the SDS-470 would measure better than the 250...
I have been a Class D Audio customer since 2012 and have three of their amps. I own a CDA254L, a CDA250, and SDS470 and these are all mounted into an old very large Sherbourn 5ch modular amplifier chassis. One thing I learned about the SDS amplifiers is if you want a VERY big improvement in sound quality, replace the variable gain pots with high quality fixed value resistors (measure the value you have the pots set at). I used these resistors based on Tom's recommendation...http://www.texascomponents.com/pdf/tx2575.pdf

Could you send your amps for Amir to test? Would be great.

 

[Akhnot]

Could you send your amps for Amir to test? Would be great.

I'd consider it, but I don't have any replacement for them, and I DID read his comment about not testing his Levinson because well...he didn't want to blow it up...

 

[MalinYamato]

I built one myself, did some mods such as adding two more channels, 4 channels -- it is cheap and sounds great for me. The thing on the left upper corner is the power output I made to daisy-chain more modules with more channel modules, as the transformer and PSU may feed up to 6 channels.

 

[tbagshaw]

Did anyone actually listen to this amp? Its wonderful and with a tube pre is hard to beat. I wonder how much this measurement only review hurt this small business. They seem to no longer manufacture this complete amp only available in kit form. Sad...