The most repeated question but "the times they are a' changing"

[OrixGeo]

I own PA amplification for events in small to medium sized venues.
I have always disliked the sound of class D amplification and cringe at the very thought of it, however, lately I've heard more of how a well made class D amp can sound nicer than A/B or even a class A. Looking online I found a class TD amplifier from a brand called "Ben & Fellows" (Made in P.R.C.) that claims measurements which meet my requirements.

Could a $500 USD class TD amplifier sound nicer than a $500 USD class A/B?

Orix

 

[DVDdoug]

Good amplifiers of any class don't have a "sound" (ignoring tone controls or EQ). Their job is simply to amplify and that's not a hard thing to accomplish.

Usually frequency response across the audio range is "flat" and better than human hearing, and distortion is normally below audibility unless overdriven into clipping (distortion). Sometimes there is audible noise (hum, hiss, or whine in the background). If an amplifier has a "different" or worse sound, it's usually background noise. High sensitivity speakers do make noise more audible but "PA environments" typically have other acoustic noise and usually you aren't close enough to the speaker to hear any background noise.

Also, noise is more common from high-gain mic preamps. Phono preamps and guitar inputs are also sensitive to noise.

Class D can give you more Watts-per-dollar.

Class A is the least energy efficient with the highest cost per Watt. It's not class-A because it's best, it's class-A because it was the first. in the old days when electronics were more expensive, almost all TVs and radios were Class-A because they need one less tube or transistor than class A/B.

Class-D requires a lot more electronics but the additional-complex electronics are usually built-into a chip so it's not expensive. And the efficiency means less stress on the MOSFETs so they can put-out more wattage with smaller heatsinks.

 

[OrixGeo]

Thanks DVDdoug, for your reply,

So your saying that music can sound just as nice with a class D amp, from what I gather. As much as I love MOSFETS, could stressing them a little result in desirable phonetic effect?

Regards,

Orix

 

[boXem]

You must check if frequency response is load invariant. If it's not you have godd chances not to like the sound.

 

[bachatero]

The more things change, the more they stay the same. If you're hearing something different in your class D amp then there must be some kind of frequency response difference. The smoking gun test would be to connect a dummy load and measure the output spectrum after playing white noise, but that's up to you as to whether you want to try that or not.

 

[Tom C]

I own PA amplification for events in small to medium sized venues.
I have always disliked the sound of class D amplification and cringe at the very thought of it, however, lately I've heard more of how a well made class D amp can sound nicer than A/B or even a class A. Looking online I found a class TD amplifier from a brand called "Ben & Fellows" (Made in P.R.C.) that claims measurements which meet my requirements.

Could a $500 USD class TD amplifier sound nicer than a $500 USD class A/B?

Orix

Yes

 

[voodooless]

Another one of those classists

 

[OrixGeo]

Yes

Wonderful news!

 

[OrixGeo]

Another one of those classists