Any experience with Class D amps and impressions?

Not dissing class D amps. But my philosophy is if it ain't broke, Don't fix it. Especially when it comes to high end audio. If I were looking for an amp with "Authority and musicality" I would look at a Bryston 4B SST, SST2, or SST3 Power amps. A single, Albeit somewhat heavy case (Dual mono power supply) with 500 wpc @ 4 ohms on tap...FTC.

I once was concerned about environmental footprints too, Until one afternoon at the Marina, I realised we made a bigger impact on the environment in an afternoon on my friends 30' cruiser with it's 2 x 350 CID V8's and 150 gallon fuel tanks than that Bryston amp will make in it's lifetime. Go figure! And all these full size pick-ups out there with an empty bed, and 1 or 2 people in them don't inspire me to comprise my lifestyle to make a smaller footprint.

Class D amps are ideally suited for situations where weight and size are most important, Like for PA or Band use. And for use in subwoofer's.
 
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From reading a ton of reviews and comments I'm getting the definite impression that Class D leans more towards very neutral and A and/or A/B has "personalities". I know about the personalities. Matching them up to the right speaker is intimidating at times. But, that being said - maybe Class D is the one constant piece and all one would have to change out is the speakers? Hmmm..... although I read a great article about an Allnic preamp. Seems like I might have narrowed it down to Channel Islands, Minerva, Genesis, PS Audio and one other I can't remember right now. With the detail I am picking up by listening to my speakers more, I am becoming more convinced of using a class d amp. Thanks to everyone chiming herein. All opinions are valued because they at least make me think.
 
The two Class -'D' chip amps I'm playing with sound somewhat different, with one super crisp and detailed, the other less so but still very clean and linear.
 
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Class D amps sound different also; if the one I have now (sitting idle) is neutral, I'll take an amp with personality any day.

What is a Minerva amp?
 
You might want to check out Rogue Audio. They have several offerings with the Hypex Clas D modules. I have the Cronus Magnum tube integrated amp driving a pair of Totem Hawks, and I have been very tempted to try either the Sphinx or even better, the Pharoah. They have tube preamps integrated with the Hypex modules. Rogue has very good build quality - I love the Cronus Magnum.

The Sphinx V2 - 100wpc Hypex modules
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The Pharoah - 185wpc
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Hey Kurt, I thought about this all night. I've always wondered what my B&W's would sound like running tubed, and we're somewhat close to each other. If you're seriously interested in Class D, I'd be up for trading my Rowlands for your Carvers for a few months to test the waters. Not a permanent trade but at the least a few months. Just something to consider...
 
I think that was indirectly clarified in an earlier post as being Mivera (Mivera Audio). Maybe not though, but a brief search for Minerva amplifiers doesn't take me to anything that looks relevant.

I was the one that questioned it, but since 3 different people mention Minerva I wasn't sure if it was a case of auto correct or an actual amp. :idea:
 
I was the one that questioned it, but since 3 different people mention Minerva I wasn't sure if it was a case of auto correct or an actual amp. :idea:
That was my fault, it's actually Mivera. I've been reading too many Roman classics apparently.
 
I use a Hypex Ncore amplifier in the garage system. It offers 300 watts per channel in a compact enclosure Midrange clarity is exceptional and top end extension is better than a previously used Crown XLS 1500. Lots of bang for the buck. When used in the main system, however, it couldn't compete with the VTL amps. Most switchers suffer from a challenge at the very top and this was no exception. It also demonstrated a peculiar lack of center image with the Sound Lab stats. I'm not sure if that is an inherent limitation or a challenge driving the reactive load of the big stats.

At the low to mid end, I find they deliver very nice sound. Just not ready for prime time at the high end.
 
I have three Crown XLS DriveCore series amps; two 1500's and a 2502. One 1500 is running my EV Sentry 500's, the other the top end of my EV Sentry III's with the 2502 on the bottom end. I think they sound fantastic and extremely neutral, love them for studio production work as well as casual listening.
 
Awesome! More great intel. Still, seems to confirm my building consensus of the proper utilization of class D amps in their current development. Sound like a friggin' politician now. Thinking now using them for all my center and surround speakers and possibly sticking with tubes for the 2 front mains. That would really help my footprint. And no, I'm not talking about environmental footprint, but, space in my room.

Rick - we need to talk. We are close and it still is skiing season and I love me some Monarch!
 
I use a Hypex Ncore amplifier in the garage system. It offers 300 watts per channel in a compact enclosure Midrange clarity is exceptional and top end extension is better than a previously used Crown XLS 1500. Lots of bang for the buck. When used in the main system, however, it couldn't compete with the VTL amps. Most switchers suffer from a challenge at the very top and this was no exception. It also demonstrated a peculiar lack of center image with the Sound Lab stats. I'm not sure if that is an inherent limitation or a challenge driving the reactive load of the big stats.

At the low to mid end, I find they deliver very nice sound. Just not ready for prime time at the high end.
I just started fooling with the little Chi-Fi class'D' chip amps, and have become beguiled by what they do so well. Question is, what does this level of performance cost in more conventional technology in comparison, and what is missing.
 
I just started fooling with the little Chi-Fi class'D' chip amps, and have become beguiled by what they do so well. Question is, what does this level of performance cost in more conventional technology in comparison, and what is missing.
Mine is a plain as a cheese sandwich amp using the Ncore NC502mp module which ran about $800. I chose balanced inputs only and a power switch. Nord assembles one with switchable inputs and a nicer case for about $1000. Equivalent price for AB amp? Tough to say not having listened to a lot of newer contenders. What I find this amp does better than other switchers is provide better upper harmonic extension. Still, however, not as good as the best class A or AB amps I've heard.

Arguably, the best implementations like the $30,000 Bel Canto Black would likely bridge that gap.
 
Mine is a plain as a cheese sandwich amp using the Ncore NC502mp module which ran about $800. I chose balanced inputs only and a power switch. Nord assembles one with switchable inputs and a nicer case for about $1000. Equivalent price for AB amp? Tough to say not having listened to a lot of newer contenders. What I find this amp does better than other switchers is provide better upper harmonic extension. Still, however, not as good as the best class A or AB amps I've heard.

Arguably, the best implementations like the $30,000 Bel Canto Black would likely bridge that gap.
Interesting read.
Cutting edge /early adopter cost penalty is evident, tho' those with deep pockets and the discernment to appreciate these offerings aren't concerned with that.
For the industry generally, and the majority of audiophiles, improvements will undoubtedly come to market with trickle-down technology and cost reduction.
 
I do actually remember that from TAS, sounded tantalizingly promising, but destroyed Servo-Statik woofers and crossovers when gone wrong.
 
I've got a little story to tell, and some questions and conclusions.

As many of you know, I've been using the tiny but mighty little lepai 7498 chip amp (100 wpc @ 4 ohm) as my bedroom/ rest of the house and outdoors system running through a russound autoformer 12 way speaker switcher to my Infinity Ren 90s, and a host of other speakers; Canton Fonum 200, M&K S 125 two ways, KLH outdoor 3 way speakers, Altec lansing outdoor 2 way speakers, two pairs of outdoor 'rock' speakers both two way, one with 8" woofer, one with 6" woofers. Tjhis setup has been working flawlessly for around four years now.

Well, The other day, I came home from work, after a long, tough day, and decided I needed music and I needed it LOUD AS HELL so I put on a dj shoe set from new years eve 2000 and turned it up Up UP.

I was driving my ren 90s, the Canton fonum, the KLH, and the M&Ks simultaniously. listened at very high levels for about an hour, while doing household decompression stuff, then all of a sudden the music quit. no obvious sounds of distress except some slight clicks I thought were in the bootleg recording until silence. No bad smells, no magic smoke, nothing.
first I turned on my main system, and switched to the same audio input I'd been listening to with the chip system, to verify that yes, the soundcard was still outputting music, then I plugged my senheiser 530's into my apt Holmann preamp to ensure it was at least getting and processing signal, then I finally plugged in another lepai, since it was a simple swap to see if the amp was what had gone down, and yes, it was the amp that had mysteriously failed.

It's been a busy couple of work weeks, so I didn't have any time to check further, or to figure out a permanent swap situation, as it's been a busy work weeks.

Yesterday was my first day off in a while, so I planned on switching the entire bedroom system up. In the process of moving everything to re-configure, I turned the russound autoformer around, and looked at the autoformer dial, it has the following settings, 1 pair; 2-3 pairs; 4-6 pair; 7-8 pair; 9-11; and finally all twelve, with a stepped actuater dial. most of the time I leave it on 2-3, sometimes going to 4-6, but most recently I dialed it back to 1 pair, as the rens sound better that way when they're the only pair being driven....

Doh! I forgot to reset the autoformer to 2-3 where it usually lives... and now have finally destroyed one of the lepai chip amps.

That's pretty impressive for a 100$ class D chip amp, I must say.

For those that care, I switched in my last Carver PM 350 (350 wpc @ 4 ohm) to drive the mighty Infinity's directly, with no autoformer speaker switcher, and also switched in my carver TFM 15 cb in place of the lepai amp that now runs into the speaker switcher. This way when I really feel the need to rock out, I've got all the power in the world for the Ren 90, and the TFM can handle all the other speakers with the russound dial set to 2-3 permanently.


But, I'm thinking seriously about buying a modern pro chip amp, Crown, and yamaha are high up on my list.
Does anyone know the difference between the Crown XLS, XLI, and XTI series, and anyone have any experience with the yamaha PX8 or PX 10? I'm considering the Crown XTI 4002 or possibly, if amplification is similar the Crown XLS drivecore 2502

Thanks.

Oh, and my Ren's are absolutely singing with the 35 year old Carver PM 350, but, it's 35 years old, I'm thinking it's time for a modern robust amp.
 
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