How good are Class D amplifiers now?

Have been thinking of trying NAD C series to run instead of tubes in summer.
I run phono stage with 12ax7 tubes.

Looking for the D amp to be more lightweight than my 'spare' NAD SS amp too.

Fairly convinced we won't have the range of D amp options here in oz.
 
Have been thinking of trying NAD C series to run instead of tubes in summer.
I run phono stage with 12ax7 tubes.

Looking for the D amp to be more lightweight than my 'spare' NAD SS amp too.

Fairly convinced we won't have the range of D amp options here in oz.

You are closer to China than we are.
 
Along with PSAudio, Peachtree also implements Icepower modules in their integrateds. They are very popular. In their upper models they have dropped the tube, stating that the sound quality is better without them.
 
I’ve run a bunch of class d over the years: Tripath, TI TPA, Icepower (Teac), Hypex (NAD), Nuforce, and IRS. I found the Tripaths strident but the rest were pretty good. The Hypex powered NAD was laidback while the TPA’s were quite detailed. The Nuforce, which was really a power dac, was clean but weak in the low end.

My favorites have been the Icepowered Teac (an integrated amp) and the Class D Audio SDS 470c power amp which uses IRS2092 chips coupled with a linear psu. Both have phenomenal bass response. The Teac is a bit underpowered at around 35wpc but was great for a small room. The SDS amp is a monster at 300wpc. I use it today fronted by a B&K preamp to drive a pair of Kef LS50s in my media room. I got the amp for some Maggies year ago and recommend it if you are willing to go big on class d.

i am really intrigued by the Class D Audio SDS 470c i have been reading around on it for a while and most of the opinions have been very favorable, would love to try one in my system, the power per dollar ratio alone is pretty remarkable

would love to find out more if anyone else
on AK has heard this amp
 
^^^^^ look up one.

i am really intrigued by the Class D Audio SDS 470c i have been reading around on it for a while and most of the opinions have been very favorable, would love to try one in my system, the power per dollar ratio alone is pretty remarkable

would love to find out more if anyone else
on AK has heard this amp

I'll have to make sure it's the 470c. My memory sort of sucks. Definitely ClassDaudio.

Here's when he bought it. He stepped up to PSAudio class D mono blocks.

http://audiokarma.org/forums/index....nce-with-class-d-amps-and-impressions.814354/

PSAudio's mono blocks are awesome, black background, leading edge transients, very fast and dynamic.
 
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I bought a set of these about a year ago and amazed that they can fill a 30' x 17' X 18' H room with very loud sound. Extremely low distortion figures, a completely black floor, extremely high dampening factor, ability to leave on indefinitely (they don't draw more juice at idle ), extremely low heat generation, clean/clinical sound characteristics.. and all from an amp that weighs about 1 pound.

http://www.stevehuffphoto.com/klipsch-the-sixes-speaker-review-mid-fi-at-its-finest/
 
I bought a set of these about a year ago and amazed that they can fill a 30' x 17' X 18' H room with very loud sound. Extremely low distortion figures, a completely black floor, extremely high dampening factor, ability to leave on indefinitely (they don't draw more juice at idle ), extremely low heat generation, clean/clinical sound characteristics.. and all from an amp that weighs about 1 pound.

http://www.stevehuffphoto.com/klipsch-the-sixes-speaker-review-mid-fi-at-its-finest/

Thanks for posting your thoughts. I have actually keep looking at these for the living room of the tiny house

:beerchug:
 
I’ve run a bunch of class d over the years: Tripath, TI TPA, Icepower (Teac), Hypex (NAD), Nuforce, and IRS. I found the Tripaths strident but the rest were pretty good. The Hypex powered NAD was laidback while the TPA’s were quite detailed. The Nuforce, which was really a power dac, was clean but weak in the low end.

My favorites have been the Icepowered Teac (an integrated amp) and the Class D Audio SDS 470c power amp which uses IRS2092 chips coupled with a linear psu. Both have phenomenal bass response. The Teac is a bit underpowered at around 35wpc but was great for a small room. The SDS amp is a monster at 300wpc. I use it today fronted by a B&K preamp to drive a pair of Kef LS50s in my media room. I got the amp for some Maggies year ago and recommend it if you are willing to go big on class d.

I too am interested in the SDS 470c....and likely even would have bought one by now If I'd known it uses IRS2092, a true powerhouse of a chip.
I wish Class D Audio were clearer about such things on their website. I'm not always in the mood to contact company reps.

Btw, at least one ICEpower module uses a TI TPA chip. Possibly others as well. Hard to say for sure.
That said, it is of course a different implementation than the TI modules.
I may be mistaken, but I'm under the impression that ICEpower uses a Zobel network to push frequency distortion in the inaudible range even further out.
In the one case I'm sure of, the AS 100, standard THD graphs don't appear to be much different than those for the TPA 3251 module.
 
While it's common these days for many class D amps to deliver lots of power I've found few that were capable of resolving detail at low levels.
The TPA amps are an exception.
 
While it's common these days for many class D amps to deliver lots of power I've found few that were capable of resolving detail at low levels.
The TPA amps are an exception.
Don't know, but it's obvious class D is becoming very common. Pioneer and Onkyo betting their fate on new class D models this year. Old timer midfi guys like me are going to have to change our criteria regarding amps/receivers. In the past I wanted a receiver/amp to weigh about 30lbs. Now we will have to give 12 lb units a look.

https://www.pioneerelectronics.com/PUSA/Home/D3
 
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The first generation class D amps were introduced early this century. Still have mine and while reviews on these powerful lightweights were good they never caught on. IMO the sound is fine for an AVR but lacks the fidelity for critical 2 channel listening.

1127960-panasonic-saxr-55.jpg
 
i've been hankering for a power amp and the SDS470c is the first piece of non vintage new equipment i've ever considered since buying my schiit stack, wouldn't mind finding a pre owned one, i bought a new car in 2001 and have sworn off new ever since that experience,
i've got to sell off all my extra electronics to finance the amp so it seems i have plenty of time to look deeper and learn more (and best of all you can get it in silverface so it matches the rest of my stuff) yup looks are important to me
 
i've been hankering for a power amp and the SDS470c is the first piece of non vintage new equipment i've ever considered since buying my schiit stack
They're kinda bright sounding according to a guy on another forum who used them for quite a while - and replaced them with a Pass Labs X150.5.
 
They're kinda bright sounding according to a guy on another forum who used them for quite a while - and replaced them with a Pass Labs X150.5.

yup, am certainly paying attention to that aspect, dislike too bright for certain,, it's still all up in the air i'm not nearly ready to buy anything yet and have been considering lots of other more traditional power amps but this one has certainly caught my fancy, i'm not even sure i need a power amp but i do know i want one ;)

in the meantime i've been scouring the second hand market to see what's around and for how much, my audio is on a very tight budget, heck i'm trying to get the $ up right now to get a looksee into bartertown and watch there too
 
They're kinda bright sounding according to a guy on another forum who used them for quite a while - and replaced them with a Pass Labs X150.5.

That brings up something which I think is well worth mentioning.
I don't know that I would be as happy with Class D if I were using especially bright, or even just "modern" speakers.

But damn, what Class D can do for older New England, and very probably British, speakers is, to my ears, shockingly good.
My home-brew transmission lines love 'em as well.

Note that the speakers mentioned very likely roll-off the top-end.....as does my hearing.
 
That brings up something which I think is well worth mentioning.
I don't know that I would be as happy with Class D if I were using especially bright, or even just "modern" speakers.
It's not a question of using a switcher or not. The SDS flavor is simply too bright.

I use a Bruno Putzy's designed Ncore NC502mp in the garage system which I find to be quite neutral in tonal balance.
 
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