Class D if so inclined

[atmasphere]

It was surprising how much difference there was in these amps and more so that some amps

IME there are bigger differences in the sound of class D than even in tube amps.

However, because one transistor will be turned off before the other is turned on, there will be a short period of "dead time" when neither is turned on. This is analogous to crossover distortion in a conventional class-B amplifier.

Actually it isn't. Most class D amps are immune to crossover distortion. It occurs though I may have taken you too literally. Dead time does introduce distortion. In our design causes 2nd and 3rd harmonics.

I have to select the buffer and Op amp. I have been reading about which voices how. I have been lead to believe the Buffer has the biggest impact on sound. The Op Amps next.

The power supply seems to have the biggest effect. It gets skimped on a lot since the amp is so efficient, people thought they didn't need the supply to be all that robust. Its just as important as it is in a class A or AB amp.

I think poor power supplies affected a lot of designs in the last 25 years that basically put people off of class D. Put another way I've had people tell me they'll never get one again since their initial experience was so bad.

By contrast modern opamps have little effect on the sound if you don't ask more that about 20dB of gain of them. But I've seen a few input buffers that seem to screw things up so buyer beware seems to be a thing. We built in our buffer to prevent this sort of nonsense.

I'd like to hear a GAN amp.

The advantage I seen in GaNFETs is lower radiated noise (broadcast, in the AC line or audio grounds). Switching noise can really mess with other equipment in the system; I tried a powered sub one time that radiated so much noise it made my FM tuner useless.

GaNFET have no leads on them, just flat pads for soldering. This means you can really control the parasitic inductances that are present on the board. So GaNFETs on that account alone allow the amp to be so quiet that a good number of tube amps radiate more noise.

I would agree anyone with some basic knowledge could build up a Hypex Or Purifi class D amp. I don't know if VTV has their own proprietary power supply. That seems to be a big impact on the sonics. Especially the tube one.

We found that to get the most out of the module, the power supply pretty well had to be custom built for the application. Part of this is so as to not limit current, but also at the same time include current sensing to shut the amp down in the case of a short at the output or the like.

 

[W9TR]

I will be getting either Buckeye or a VTV amps. I looked at building my own but the cost was higher than buying completed units. If find them deficient I’ll build my own linear power supplies for them.

 

[Kingrex]

@atmasphere I would love to have a pair of your amps Ralph. But I would actually need 2 pair. I just don't have that kind of money.

Oddly conversing with gemini today, I was told that getting class D amplifiers to multi amp with my highly resolving tybe amp would probably be a better match than using something like a Anthem 5 channel cinema amp. It said the Anthem while having more authority and control, will be warmer and lusher. Blending with a highly resolving tube amp driving a horn tweeter handling 1600 hertz and up would be better done with Purifi on the woofers.

 

[atmasphere]

@atmasphere
Oddly conversing with gemini today, I was told that getting class D amplifiers to multi amp with my highly resolving tybe amp would probably be a better match than using something like a Anthem 5 channel cinema amp. It said the Anthem while having more authority and control, will be warmer and lusher. Blending with a highly resolving tube amp driving a horn tweeter handling 1600 hertz and up would be better done with Purifi on the woofers.

Your speakers are easy to drive. You have so many excellent options available for driving the woofers.

I must be misunderstanding something. Aren't your speakers 2-way? So the woofers are crossing over at 1600Hz?

 

[Kingrex]

Your speakers are easy to drive. You have so many excellent options available for driving the woofers.

I must be misunderstanding something. Aren't your speakers 2-way? So the woofers are crossing over at 1600Hz?

They are 3 way. A horn that is 1600 hertz and up. A 10 inch that is 600 to 1600. 2 x 15 woofers that are cut at 600 on the top. Technically I think the 10 inch is also without any cut on the bottom. Just the top.

The question is Not, what can power the drivers. The question is, what type of amp will blend good enough with the Blade tube amp powering the horn that you don't notice issues. Many people say, Can't Be Done. Many will say you can only multi amp with the exact same amp. And, use one multiway amp vertucally on 1 speaker. Don't use it horizontally across 2 speakers.

I know my Blade amp is highly detailed and natural. It's hands down the best at making a piano note sound like a piano. Or the crack of a snare come alive and real. But it lacks weight and heft in the lower octaves. Inset the dartzeel and there is the weight and body. But its no where near as natural. The piano looses the natural tone. The snare is not defined or as fast on the attack.
I am looking to leave the Blade tube amp on the horn, and add SS amps to the 10 and 15s to tey and have it all.
And now we are back to my initial comment, Can't Be Done. Well, if I'm stupid enough to try. What type of amp has the best chance, and what is the least expensive, as most will say I'm throwing away my money. Then they will try and sell me their amp and speaker and say, This Does It AL!!!!!!!!!!. I don't look at or post on Whatsbestforum anymore because of that dribble. And the condescending, you didn't spend $160k on your amps and $320k on your speakers. Its impossible unless you reverse mortgage your house and give me all your money.
Boy, I think I sould jaded!!!%&#.

 

[Mr Peabody]

They are 3 way. A horn that is 1600 hertz and up. A 10 inch that is 600 to 1600. 2 x 15 woofers that are cut at 600 on the top. Technically I think the 10 inch is also without any cut on the bottom. Just the top.

The question is Not, what can power the drivers. The question is, what type of amp will blend good enough with the Blade tube amp powering the horn that you don't notice issues. Many people say, Can't Be Done. Many will say you can only multi amp with the exact same amp. And, use one multiway amp vertucally on 1 speaker. Don't use it horizontally across 2 speakers.

I know my Blade amp is highly detailed and natural. It's hands down the best at making a piano note sound like a piano. Or the crack of a snare come alive and real. But it lacks weight and heft in the lower octaves. Inset the dartzeel and there is the weight and body. But its no where near as natural. The piano looses the natural tone. The snare is not defined or as fast on the attack.
I am looking to leave the Blade tube amp on the horn, and add SS amps to the 10 and 15s to tey and have it all.
And now we are back to my initial comment, Can't Be Done. Well, if I'm stupid enough to try. What type of amp has the best chance, and what is the least expensive, as most will say I'm throwing away my money. Then they will try and sell me their amp and speaker and say, This Does It AL!!!!!!!!!!. I don't look at or post on Whatsbestforum anymore because of that dribble. And the condescending, you didn't spend $160k on your amps and $320k on your speakers. Its impossible unless you reverse mortgage your house and give me all your money.
Boy, I think I sould jaded!!!%&#.

You should shop the price of using ATI for the woofers. They have both Class D and A/B. I've only heard the A/B, brute force.

 

[atmasphere]

They are 3 way. A horn that is 1600 hertz and up. A 10 inch that is 600 to 1600. 2 x 15 woofers that are cut at 600 on the top. Technically I think the 10 inch is also without any cut on the bottom. Just the top.

So can the same amp driving the 10" also do the 15s? Or does the speaker not allow that sort of connection?
What is the impedance in the woofer section?

 

[Kingrex]

So can the same amp driving the 10" also do the 15s? Or does the speaker not allow that sort of connection?
What is the impedance in the woofer section?

I am starting the experiment using a Dayton DSP 408. That will handle the amps running the 10 and 15s. Maybe even the horn. But my preamp has 2 output. So I may use the stock analog crossover for the horn only.

I see needing a amp for the 10 and a amp for the 15s.

The ultimate goal would be to dial it in using no phase or timing adjustments. Just frequency cut off, 12db slope and gain adjustment. In the end the reference would be a analog crossover at the signal instead of after the amplifier.

 

[atmasphere]

The ultimate goal would be to dial it in using no phase or timing adjustments. Just frequency cut off, 12db slope and gain adjustment. In the end the reference would be a analog crossover at the signal instead of after the amplifier.

If no corrections like that, the crossover can be a lot less complex. My concern is the Dayton could well be a bottleneck in the system.

 

[Kingrex]

If no corrections like that, the crossover can be a lot less complex. My concern is the Dayton could well be a bottleneck in the system.

Of course it is. But its a place to start and test where the best cross points are and the best slope.

A friend is using the Dayton with a 8 channel Paragon amp. Or something along that line. He also has odyssey amps. He has a 3 way speaker and 2 subs. The Dayton operates it all. He says he at about the best he has been.
His reference is Focal Canta 3 with SVS subs, with and without BACCH.