Good Class D amps ??

[Ron Scubadiver]

IMO, cheap Crown XLS2 amps kick ass. They are stable into 2 ohms, try that with your expensive audiophile stuff.  They sound best with a preamp capable of putting out at leas 4v into high z so the gain controls can be turned down and eliminate the "pro audio" noise floor.  Lots of Maggie owners and home theater types are getting great results with these.  The modules were designed in conjunction with TI.  Those are the guys who own Burr Brown...

[Ron Scubadiver]

17 hours ago, audiobomber said:

I have limited experience with Class D amps. I bought a Crown XLS-1000 to replace the plate amps in a pair of subs. It was great for that purpose. I tried it full-range driving the main speakers and couldn't pull it out fast enough. Just awful, worst sounding amp I've ever heard in my system. 

 

There are several long threads about the XLS series amps in some AV forum.  Many users got great results on all kinds of speakers including fussy Magneplanars.  These amps (now the XLS2 series) are widely used by home theater installers in expensive elaborate systems.  You are entitled to your opinion, but these amps are working great for too many folks to dismiss.

 

I strongly recommend heading down to some place which caters to musicians like Guitar Center and trying one out.  It can always be returned for a refund, unlike some high end stuff.

 

[Ron Scubadiver]

14 minutes ago, emcdade said:

Great results by people who re-watch Transformers 4 times a week and need to reproduce the sound of breaking glass and robots, not real instruments.

 

Same people who will tell you that the Crown and Pass amps sound identical because someone somewhere failed a double blind test once.

That's excessive.

[Ron Scubadiver]

53 minutes ago, GUTB said:

I auditioned a Crown XLS2. It was hideously bad — in many ways it was okay but it’s ability to render inner detail was very lacking, a completely lo-fi experience. Burn-in won’t transform something that bad. Anyone who tells you it’s wonderful isn’t an audiophile.

It is unfortunate that you continue to spread disinformation.  If I am not an audiophile, so be it.  That's a bit like saying someone is not narcissistic.  People who have invested big bucks in electronics simply can't accept that an inexpensive amp manufactured in quantity is any good despite the enormous investment in designing its chips.

[Ron Scubadiver]

@GUTB everyone is entitled to their opinion, but you are obviously so prejudiced against Class D, and Crown in particular, that one would have to discard your impressions even if based on careful listening sessions, which probably never happened IMO.

 

This place would be so boring without you.