computer audiophile on the cheap Class D amplifiers, can a chip sound as good as a regular amplifier?

[brettMc]

I am using 4 Crown XLS 1500 amps with a Sonic Frontiers Line 2 pre amp, a ModWright Oppo and a solid pair of Infinity 8Kappas and I am super happy.

 

I have used Carver Signature Sunfire and Adcom amps and an under-powered CJ amp...

 

For under $800 I am basically running 4 1500watt mono blocks and each speaker (notoriously hard to drive) is getting at least 3000 watts of power. The speakers simply vanish effortlessly and I am left with a wall of wonderful sound floating in the air in front of me. Good center image with very nice layering, and I get imaging a good three to four feet beyond the speaker boundaries—height and width. Not as stable and accurate as my CJ amp with my JBL 4312a’s but the full-range frequency response with the never ending power of the Infinity’s is intoxicating. 

 

The crown amps are ultra quiet, mitigate dirty power very well, never get hot, and are very cost effective in terms of power usage per watt. 

 

I bought all 4 amps used so I can’t tell you about burn in issues.

 

You can get one of these amps for about $200. You’d be crazy to not give them a listen. Bonkers good for controlling the Kappas!

[Elly]

The answer to this thread is yes. 

 

I’ve owned 4 amps. My first was an old  BOMaster (I think), second a Yamaha (I loved its smooth sound), third an Onkyo receiver (sounded ok) and last a DIY 3eAUDIO TPA3255 amp. 

 

The 3255 is the cleanest and most sensitive amp I have owned or heard. After I made it the only source I had that was hiss free was an iPhone. I was planning to get a DAC for my Mac but got a DAP instead. I chose a DX160 because it has virtually no background noise. 

 

Now a lot of my music does not sound so great. My problem is I can hear the magnetic tape noise too clearly now on older music. Remastered music can be difficult to listen to too, parts of the track will have the tape noise while the rest will sound perfect. I have the 2011 24bit Rumours album and the first track Second Hand News has a bit of a hiss while all the others are pretty good. I have some live Jimi that is so bad I can’t listen to it anymore. I do still have lots of music that  sounds epic. 

 

A good class D amp needs a very good source and well mastered music. I strongly feel that audiophile ears should never listen to a class D amp because theirs ears will be assaulted by inaudible noise. 

 

Linear power supplies are as noisy as a SMPS but apparently that’s ok because it is rounder?

 

My amp cost about £150 to make. I think my Aviano 1 speakers sound pretty good, I would like to upgrade them soon. 

[GeneZ]

On 4/12/2017 at 7:30 PM, Silly goose said:

I like how technology is making things better and cheaper. However I refuse to sell out our own citizens by buying Asian products that are available from local companies just to save a dime. That's the least patriotic thing anyone can do. 

 Taiwan is an innovative, free enterprise nation that is despised by Communist China.

 

I enjoy good quality Taiwanese audio products, and like to support Taiwan as well.  My NuPrime ST 10 amplifier (Class D) sounds excellent, as well as my Cadeson drums, also made in Taiwan. . 

 

Its the mainland China products that make me cringe. Keep in mind.  Patriotism defends and supports its allies! 

[opus101]

On 4/17/2020 at 6:03 AM, Elly said:

Linear power supplies are as noisy as a SMPS but apparently that’s ok because it is rounder? 

 

It all depends which kinds of noise you're talking about, noise comes in many forms.

[DuckToller]

6 hours ago, GeneZ said:

 Taiwan is an innovative, free enterprise nation that is despised by Communist China.

 

I enjoy good quality Taiwanese audio products, and like to support Taiwan as well.  My NuPrime ST 10 amplifier (Class D) sounds excellent, as well as my Cadeson drums, also made in Taiwan. . 

 

Its the mainland China products that make me cringe. Keep in mind.  Patriotism defends and supports its allies! 

Hi @GeneZ ,
I have come to the opinion that there is "some" Taiwanese investment in Chinese Mainland production facilities, especially in the audio sector. A good example could be Sonavox, who was partly overtaken by Merry in 2018. 
https://www.reuters.com/article/brief-merry-electronics-to-invest-up-to/brief-merry-electronics-to-invest-up-to-458-mln-in-suzhou-based-electronic-firm-and-its-units-idUSL4N1QH2IZ
Usually, for such industrial conglomorate constructions there are some holdings and offshore trusts in between and taxes might be an instigation as coverage from the public opinion could be.
I would like to use that example for bringing up the idea that profits often trump nationalism.I do not judge what should be more important in the Chinese/Taiwanes conflict, and by education I am more with this world's Davids than with the big ones.
Cheers, Tom

[GeneZ]

8 hours ago, DuckToller said:

Hi @GeneZ ,
I have come to the opinion that there is "some" Taiwanese investment in Chinese Mainland production facilities, especially in the audio sector. A good example could be Sonavox, who was partly overtaken by Merry in 2018. 
 

So?   We even find McDonald's in Russia.  

 

Taiwan as a whole is not pro- Communist China.

[DuckToller]

2 minutes ago, GeneZ said:

So?   We even find McDonald's in Russia.  

 

Taiwan as a whole is not pro- Communist China.

Looks like you made your point ! 😉

[GeneZ]

FWIW....  Not all D class are chip amps. 

 

Not all sound like the typical Class D either!  Mine almost sounds like tubes. With the right equipment its very transparent. 

 

I have a NuPrime ST-10.  Haven't heard anything as accurate and transparent since I owned tubed McIntosh MC275 many years ago.   That says a lot! 

 

“…over the years I’ve reviewed and used plenty of digital power amplifiers from Bel Canto, Wyred4Sound, April Music, and others, and I appreciate what a well-designed model can bring to a system. And it happens that the ST-10 is the best digital power amplifier I’ve heard to date…

…Within their product categories the DAC-10H DAC/preamp and ST-10 basic power amplifier are priced at the lower mid-level, yet they both deliver a level of performance that could be considered exemplary regardless of their cost… “, – Steven Stone (The Absolute Sound)

 

http://www.theabsolutesound.com/articles/nuprime-dac-10h-dacpre-and-st-10-power-amplifier/?page=4

[jeepster]

I have a pair of Vanatoo T1e, which are powered speakers with built in Class D amps, if someone didn't tell you, you wouldn't know. The transistors in their amps switch at 380kHz, much higher than perceptible to us mere humans. For $600 these are fantastic powered speakers and support USB, Bluetooth, Toslink etc. inputs. They can easily put to shame much higher priced speakers. They do need stands, and I can vouch for that. Since I put them on stands they are a completely different mind-blowing speakers. Highly recommended for audiophiles looking for cheap thrills.

 

https://vanatoo.com/shop/speakers/transparent-one-encore/

https://vanatoo.com/audiospeak/class-d-amplifiers/