How do you feel about the proliferation of Class D in high end products?

neodinardo said:
NAD, Techniques, and Marantz all make me want to try class D... but not as my main amplifier system yet.
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With respect that's a rather biased statement.

You think these brands may make great products but you're not prepared to see equipment labelled with these mass-produced names in your main system. That's a shame and rather typical of many of us audiophiles.

We like to think we know best and sniff out obscure brands to add a bit of exotica and bling to our systems and we like to convince ourselves that they actually sound better. Truth often is that only these major big brands have the R&D resources to make significant improvements and can offer them in affordable packages because of their big sales numbers.

They have massive buying power and can sometimes obtain a monopoly on the latest technology. This can be included in their prestige ranges and can, if buyers keep an open mind, offer better sound quality than the best of the "boutique" brands we so much like to display on our equipment racks!

Granted many big name brands don’t bother and choose to cater solely to the big mid-fi markets, but others really do try to offer state of the art alternatives for those prepared to give them an unbiased listen.

OK, that's bound to rustle a few feathers, but I'm happy doing so and continue using products from these household-name brands in my own excellent sounding system - NAD in my own case, but I'm sure Marantz, Sony, Denon and other all too often frowned upon brands offer truly excellent sounding kit in their top-drawer ranges. Peter
 
Definitely take my work-in-progress on paper opinion of class D with a pinch of salt. I have not had the chance to hear anything like the NAD M33. Or any high end digital amp as of yet. Perhaps a demo or two will greatly change my mind. In the interim, class D technology seems a lot like buying a high end thumb paddle shifting electric sports car. It might be technically superior, it might actually be better.

With that being said, I definitely know I’m gonna like that traditional engine growling Porsche with a six speed manual. Just like that old fashioned Porsche, heavy class A to AB amps just excite me more right now. They have a longer, proven legacy of making people happy. And if I want to buy a Porsche first and then buy that electric sports car second, I see that as exploring different things one at a time. I will meet you on the other side with your digital amp and we will be class D digital best friends forever. I will even try to tube amps one day - cross my heart. Just let me buy my fracking Porsche first.

Here Here, the brands I listed are brands I like. The products they make are products that interest me. I’m just slightly disappointed that those brand’s flagship products are all class D now. Which is also tempting me to try those products out. Right after I visit the Pass Labs dealer.

I might start with a Chord Hugo TT 2 as the DAC / Headphone Amplifier / Preamplifier in my stereo. That not what I would call a traditional product. I may or may not use it as the preamp but I definitely want it as a DAC. And I do have a hawk eye on the NAD M33 for upcoming reviews.
 
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