Switched to Class D or get left behind?

Ralph as seen the light and states his main reason for going down the Class D route is sound quality. I wonder if he also recognises that price is so much lower than his very costly OTL valve amps that he is unlikely to stay in business if he offers only these costly monsters!

I have a pair of his Class D monos and they are very good. How much better they are than a well-implements Purifi Eigentakt amp is less clear. I have both and both have proved excellent, and considerable better value than any of the other ss amps I've had in my system, even those costing double the price.

Ralph should really spend time developing his Class D range to include a stereo amp and an integrated, as his sole offering at present is the mono amps. More power would be attractive addition too for many buyers, either via a more powerful Class D module, or possibly less costly to develop, a bridgeable version of his existing one.

My only criticism of these mones is their lack of 12V triggers - so important with mono amps, particularly placed out of sight or tucked away close to the speakers.
 
My takeaway from the article was the focus on switching from tube equipment. I have been told musical equipment gear (guitar and bass amps) drive the continued production of new tubes which in turn keep the supply coming for audio. Anyone else hear that reason?
 
I love my Atma-Sphere Class D monos too. I chose them for many of the reasons listed. I also wish for 12v triggers. At least the power switch is on the front (yes, I’m looking at you FirstWatt).

They sound wonderfull, perhaps a bit less “sweet” than my DIY Nelson Pass gear, but much clearer. And of course, you can easily put both under your arms and move about without throwing your back.

However, I keep eyeing the ModWright KWA 99 monoblocks with the first 15 watts of class A… Have 12v triggers, but my ModWright preamp does not. (Wondering if that could be retrofitted)
 
nc42acc said:
My takeaway from the article was the focus on switching from tube equipment. I have been told musical equipment gear (guitar and bass amps) drive the continued production of new tubes which in turn keep the supply coming for audio. Anyone else hear that reason?
Click to expand...

Only from Ralph. Even if all the manufacturers of guitar/bass amps switched to only making SS amps, that leaves billions of tube guitar/bass amps that will continue to be used on a daily basis and will be buying tubes well into the future.
 
mep said:
Only from Ralph. Even if all the manufacturers of guitar/bass amps switched to only making SS amps, that leaves billions of tube guitar/bass amps that will continue to be used on a daily basis and will be buying tubes well into the future.
Click to expand...
Mark I agree, the age of tubes in audio will continue past many of our lifetimes. I just found out about the sonic greatness of the 300b so the journey for those has just begun for me.
 
I’ve yet to hear a Class D amp that will replace any of my amps. How long have we been hearing about the wonderful world of Class D only for it to continue to fall flat. Anybody talk to Jeff Rowland? Well, I have. He literally beat the Class D drum for years only to admit to me “nobody wants it.” I will tell you this, IMHO, he damaged his company doing so. If he had just stuck building great Class AB amps, he would have done much better.
 
Tube amps have been with us for 100 years. They are probably as good as they are going to get.

SS complimentary and quasi-comp amps have been with us over 60 years. They are probably as good as they are going to get.

Class D (ICE Power) is about 35 years old.
There is a lot of runway for them to get better.

It takes time. After all the CD was introduced over 40 years ago and digital playback of even the lowly 16-44.1 is still improving.
 
I can honestly say the new "cheap" class D amps using the TPA2355 chip and using the post-filter feedback loop (PFFB) sound the best of all the class D I have heard.
Not replacing the amps in my main system but was very surprised at the sound quality compared to the other designs.
 
Mike said:
Anybody talk to Jeff Rowland? Well, I have. He literally beat the Class D drum for years only to admit to me “nobody wants it.”
Click to expand...
Possibly because Jeff R would be asking far too much for his Class D amps and his customers were not prepared to pay that much? Exceptionally good sounds can come from Class D after years of development and the best can now challenge the best in other Classes at 2 or 3 times the price. Improvement will continue in a similar way that early digital photography was a poor relation to film, but now who still uses film?

We will all surely be using Class D amps in the future, apart from a few die-hards who will plod on with their quaint, expensive but often lovely-to-look-at valve, A, or AB megabucks amps - and some will continue playing vinyl! Just because JR failed with his Class D efforts, doesn't mean that other well-respected high-end amp brands won't (or shouldn't) introduce Class D to their ranges. They will likely succeed if the price of their Class D is acceptable - as Ralph seems to have achieved with his Class D amps. Just my 2 penny-worth!
 
Anyone tried the new purifi amps, they bench tested very well one of the best for Class D ..!

Buckeye Purifi Eigentakt 1ET9040BA monoblock power amplifier New Measurements | Stereophile.com

Follow-Up: New Measurements, from June 2025 When Kalman Rubinson reviewed this affordably priced amplifier in the January 2025 issue, he was impressed by what he heard. "Sonically, the Buckeye 1ET9040BA monoblocks are superb," he concluded, adding that "to their credit, they are transparent...
www.stereophile.com www.stereophile.com
 
Hear Here said:
Possibly because Jeff R would be asking far too much for his Class D amps and his customers were not prepared to pay that much? Exceptionally good sounds can come from Class D after years of development and the best can now challenge the best in other Classes at 2 or 3 times the price. Improvement will continue in a similar way that early digital photography was a poor relation to film, but now who still uses film?

We will all surely be using Class D amps in the future, apart from a few die-hards who will plod on with their quaint, expensive but often lovely-to-look-at valve, A, or AB megabucks amps - and some will continue playing vinyl! Just because JR failed with his Class D efforts, doesn't mean that other well-respected high-end amp brands won't (or shouldn't) introduce Class D to their ranges. They will likely succeed if the price of their Class D is acceptable - as Ralph seems to have achieved with his Class D amps. Just my 2 penny-worth!
Click to expand...
Why , will everyone have the same taste and speakers by then ?

:)
 
a.wayne said:
Why , will everyone have the same taste and speakers by then ?

:)
Click to expand...
No, why should they? There will be plenty of Class D choice and one could pick one to suit one's own taste and to best suit one's speakers - as one can now with other amp Classes.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top