Good Class D amps ??

[monteverdi]

GUTB opinions are not news. Fake opinions?

I heard an early version of the Kaluga and was quite impressed as I was with some Constellation, CH Precision etc. but I never heard them in the same setup and room. Any statement which is better needs to come from comparisons with only one variable but one can have an opinion if one hears various components in various systems.

I am happy with my hybrid A/D amp!

[Ralf11]

4 hours ago, firedog said:

It’s been posted that the Apollon Audio classD amps which are very similar to the Nord, have a superior internal wiring setup. 

 

They have a stereo amp under $1,000 USD, correct?

[barrows]

13 minutes ago, Ralf11 said:

 

They have a stereo amp under $1,000 USD, correct?

Not with Ncore modules....

[barrows]

1 hour ago, monteverdi said:

GUTB opinions are not news. Fake opinions?

I heard an early version of the Kaluga and was quite impressed as I was with some Constellation, CH Precision etc. but I never heard them in the same setup and room. Any statement which is better needs to come from comparisons with only one variable but one can have an opinion if one hears various components in various systems.

I am happy with my hybrid A/D amp!

 

Agreed.  I have not made direct comparisons, but have heard Constellation and various Ncore amps enough times to know that they are comparable, which is better, IDK, but I know I would be happy with either and the right speaker match.  I have heard both amps enough times to know that in the right set up the are not flawed in any way, there are likely small differences.  I have not really ever heard Soulution at their best, I guess, because they always seemed a bit too tipped up, and uptight (bleached out, nervous, whatever one might like to call it) to me-but again I suspect in the right system they would be excellent.

[firedog]

14 minutes ago, Ralf11 said:

 

They have a stereo amp under $1,000 USD, correct?

I find their web site a bit difficult to navigate, you’d have to look. I seem to remember they have dual mono NCore stereo amps and an ICE 1200 stereo amp based on one stereo amp module that is cheaper than the Hypex. 

It would be interesting if someone asked them to compare the sound of the two amps. 

[GUTB]

I’ve owned or auditioned Drive Core 2, early IcePower, latest gen Pascal, Toshiba’s GaN FET and various consumer-grade implementations (ie Pioneer, Sony, etc). Of these, the GaN FET and the Pascal are the best, the IcePower being the worst and the Drive Core not being far ahead. How many class D implementations do I have to cycle through before I’m allowed to say that they suck? If I listen to an nCore and it ends up sucking as per expectations will I be allowed to say that class D sucks?

[barrows]

1 minute ago, GUTB said:

I’ve owned or auditioned Drive Core 2, early IcePower, latest gen Pascal, Toshiba’s GaN FET and various consumer-grade implementations (ie Pioneer, Sony, etc). Of these, the GaN FET and the Pascal are the best, the IcePower being the worst and the Drive Core not being far ahead. How many class D implementations do I have to cycle through before I’m allowed to say that they suck? If I listen to an nCore and it ends up sucking as per expectations will I be allowed to say that class D sucks?

I would not consider any of those amps equal to the best class D has to offer.

Even if you listen to the best class D amp and do not like it, all you can say is that it "sucks in my system", as the system context will matter, as with any amplifier.  And, if you listen to any component without an open mind, rather than your admitted "expectation" that it will "suck", then your impressions will be invalid as far as I am concerned.

 

It took the Mola Mola Kalugas, in the right system, to convince me that class D amplifiers have fully arrived and deserve to be considered in the same company as the best in the world regardless of topology.

[mfsoa]

Listen to the Digital Amp Company's Class D, especially the new Megaschino, before making any Class D pronouncements. 

[Ralf11]

that appears to be NYA:

 

 

Not Yet Available

[mevdinc]

Here's an impressive review of Class D amp out of Japan.
 

http://www.6moons.com/audioreviews2/spec/1.html

 

[Ralf11]

if it costs > $10k it BETTER be impressive

[DancingSea]

The PS Audio M700 monoblocks just received a "A" rating in the latest Stereophile.  They're an excellent value at $3K.

 

https://www.stereophile.com/content/ps-audio-stellar-m700-monoblock-power-amplifier

[firedog]

http://www.spec-corp.co.jp/e/index.html

http://www.6moons.com/audioreviews2/spec/1.html

 

Just saw this previously unknown Class D manufacturer reviewed at 6 moons. 

[Andyman]

2 hours ago, firedog said:

http://www.spec-corp.co.jp/e/index.html

http://www.6moons.com/audioreviews2/spec/1.html

 

Just saw this previously unknown Class D manufacturer reviewed at 6 moons. 

 

Not previously unknown to mevdinc...!

[GUTB]

18 hours ago, mevdinc said:

Here's an impressive review of Class D amp out of Japan.
 

http://www.6moons.com/audioreviews2/spec/1.html

 

 

This costs $10k?

 

[Ralf11]

PS Audio HCA-2 Solid State Digital Switching Two-Channel Power Amplifier is/was  ~~ $1,700 with > 200 W into 4 ohms...  reviews seem to date from 2002-2006

 

used they go for about $600 -  I wonder how they compare to designs today??

[barrows]

18 minutes ago, Ralf11 said:

PS Audio HCA-2 Solid State Digital Switching Two-Channel Power Amplifier is/was  ~~ $1,700 with > 200 W into 4 ohms...  reviews seem to date from 2002-2006

 

used they go for about $600 -  I wonder how they compare to designs today??

I used to work for PS Audio and have some direct experience with the HCA-2.  It was OK, but has little in common with the performance of the best class D amplifiers today.  Much more noise in the HCA-2 for example. 

[Ralf11]

Thanks - still looking for a Class D amp that equals the Benchmark at lower cost...

[DancingSea]

4 minutes ago, Ralf11 said:

Thanks - still looking for a Class D amp that equals the Benchmark at lower cost...

 

I own the PSAudio Stellar S300, the little brother of the M700 monoblocks. The S300 is also very good. Both class D. 

[Nordkapp]

9 minutes ago, Ralf11 said:

Thanks - still looking for a Class D amp that equals the Benchmark at lower cost...

That performance, at a better price in D........just buy the AHB2. Although did you look into Red Dragon Audio? 

[Ralf11]

Red Dragon seems out of stock on many - the  PS Audio Stellar S300 looks interesting $1,500.

 

 

[Nordkapp]

8 minutes ago, Ralf11 said:

Red Dragon seems out of stock on many - the  PS Audio Stellar S300 looks interesting $1,500.

 

 

Whose modules are they using (the Stellar)?

[R1200CL]

On 3.4.2018 at 9:53 PM, barrows said:

It took the Mola Mola Kalugas, in the right system, to convince me that class D amplifiers have fully arrived and deserve to be considered in the same company as the best in the world regardless of topology.

 

These are better ?

Theta did not like SMPS. (Which Bruno use). 

https://www.stereophile.com/content/theta-digital-prometheus-monoblock-power-amplifier.  The best he ever had heard !

 

They have now played almost 24/7 one week here now. Getting better. 

 

They sound is almost like surround. 3D. Fantastic soundstage. Detailed. Full control in bass. 

 

Anyway, yes it would be fun to test the Mola Mola here as well, but I’m afraid that’s not going to happen. Not available AFAIK. 

 

Theta is owned by ATI. ATI’s Ncore amps, may be a very good alternative.

Or the “reasonable” priced Theta Dreadnaught lll 

 

[barrows]

46 minutes ago, R1200CL said:

 

These are better ?

Theta did not like SMPS. (Which Bruno use). 

https://www.stereophile.com/content/theta-digital-prometheus-monoblock-power-amplifier.  The best he ever had heard !

 

They have now played almost 24/7 one week here now. Getting better. 

 

They sound is almost like surround. 3D. Fantastic soundstage. Detailed. Full control in bass. 

 

Anyway, yes it would be fun to test the Mola Mola here as well, but I’m afraid that’s not going to happen. Not available AFAIK. 

 

Theta is owned by ATI. ATI’s Ncore amps, may be a very good alternative.

Or the “reasonable” priced Theta Dreadnaught lll 

 

What would make you think that?  Have you done a direct comparison in your system?  The measurements at stereophile show a fair amount of noise form the transformer coupling into the amps output.  The versions with the SMPS 1200 do not have this noise...

In any case, this amp uses the NC-1200 module in stock form, just like Merrill Audio, and if even stock form with the included IC opamp buffer it is very good.

But the Kulugas use a custom discrete circuit for the buffers... of the same design as that Mr. Putzeys uses int eh Makua preamp.  This circuit is almost certainly better than what the OEM NC-1200 modules use.

[monteverdi]

This discussion could be soon replaced by SMPS vs LPS. It depends on inplementation