New Amp recommendations-Class D

please tell me one 1k amp that could even compare to A21. the sudgen used would be the only one I know.
about your question, I have had topping tp 20, art0 modules, tpa 3116 breeze, listened to many nad, yamaha, ect integrated, hypex ncore, ice modules, probably pascal as well. they are quite good, still not close to the best amp out there.

You mention the Breeze. The power supply is everything with a TPA3116.

Lap top power bricks won't get you there but a linear regulated like the $35 Astron in this picture will. It's by far the best mod/upgrade.

Adding a tube preamp is also a must to extract the best sound from any class D. implemented this way the TPA's resolution is squarely in SET territory and jaw dropping.

P5080006.jpg
 
any class d is inferior to GOOD class ab/a or tubes. end of story. the technology behind class d is inferior for very clear reasons.
and the user report confirms it, many pro have switch from hypex and abletec back to good class a or AB because, because well, class d is still not there.
you can continue your crap talking all you want. fact is fact.

of course, certain kreel and classe amp and not very good at all

I could care less what you say is fact. Why? Because what you believe, what you hear, is unique to yourself. Now if you say in your opinion Class D amps are inferior I'm cool with that. It's when you state, in absolute terms, that Class D, is in fact, inferior then you lose me. It may be a fact to you, but to me, it's still a load of crap.

cubdog
 
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Agreed cubdog

I've been in and out of digital amps over the past 5 years...some better than others for sure...you can't judge all by one...

At the moment...I have ICE and the 3116...both are very enjoyable to me...love them!!

As for the Parasound...I've owned the big Halo amp...lasted all of a couple days in my house...to me it was very dry...analytical...and cold...not at all musical or even engaging...or even neutral for that matter...IMO awful to my ears...Hypex is miles better...

Murphy...amazing how you mention Class A amps...tubes and the Parasound in the same breath...no way I would put a Parasound in the same contention as a SET or Class A amp...but that's just me...we're all entitled to like what we hear...

FYI my buddy loves the Parasound...he's the one that convinced me to try it...I did and the relationship didn't work out LOL :)

Toodles
 
I like to think I have a couple of pretty decent amps (tube and SS) I also own 2 3116s .Do I think they're as good? No However I do think they're excellent and unbelievably good for the price of admission. I am one to tell the emperor he's naked. For less than the price of a couple of vintage tubes, you can have a line stage and a very good amp. Everybody likes something different. Many of us bought pieces we thought we'd love and ended up selling and losing more on it than a 3116 and a Chinese tube pre run. Even worth having for a second system , a portable system or a back up system if your main needs service. My 2c
 
I don't think anyone is trying to compare a Class D amp, in this price range, to a high end Class A or tube design. It's mid-fi territory here, not high end.

I'm shopping for something to meet a specific set of needs. If ultimate fidelity, in this price range, was what I was after I would have a much smaller set of criteria.
Fact is, I only have one place in my home for my system. It's a room attached to our kitchen and the room we spend the most time in. Having a dog, and now a 7 week old child, I've come to a realization;
I would get the most enjoyment out of my music collection and my gear if I can use it all the time. If I have to give up 5% 'better", so be it.
Having recently ripped my cd collection, I go home, open an app and hit play. My favorite music comes out and I'm enjoying my evening. It's just easier to have stuff I can leave on or at least trigger on. Putting it out of harms way will further extend the life of some of this stuff. Maybe in a couple years I'll have my basement finished and it will be a different story.
I would rather have a 90% system I could listen to 100% of the time than a 100% system I can only listen to 10% of the time.

The few examples of Class D I've heard (Bel Canto) has really impressed me.
I think I would be very happy with most any of these since I haven't owned seperates, or components in this class.
 
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ncore compares to parasound a 21? I have not heard one pro, who compared both, and said he prefered hypex.
I have heard many criticism about ncore. they are good, I never said they werent good. but people try to promote them as the best amps, they are not.
i

Where did you hear it from? A more substantial citation than 'pros' would help your case. The Internet consensus and my own listening suggests nCore is at/near the level of the ABSOLUTE BEST of conventional amplification - which the Parasound is not even close to touching IMO. Of course, listening to nCore requires appreciation of its sound and sound only with an open mind, not blind unsubstantiated fear-mongering.

FWIW, the Class D Audio (yes, that's the company name) amps also look good. Unique circuit, US-made, affordable. The Rogue Audio Sphinx tube and class D preamp is also within your price range. I can't attest to their sound though.
 
Guys, really how hard is it for you to stick to the question the OP asked and has re-stated several times. Take you personal "pissing contests" to PM. At no point did Frank ask about DIY, low power, Class A/AB or any other derivative of the group. He asked about Class D within certain size and price parameters that he had heard of. Hell he even listed specific brand names. Your personal favorites, especially if you have only "read about them" outside those parameters are pretty irrelevant. It kind of gets old when the same group start this in every thread where an OP is looking to buy something "new", amps, speakers, CD players etc. There is in fact gear available that was made after the 1970's or that you don't have to cobble together yourself. At 61 years old and in this "hobby" for over 45 years I have heard and or owned a lot of this "vintage" gear that gets into every thread. While it was good in it's day, some of it's day has passed. After my sell off and donations this year the only piece of it I still own are my purchased new ADS L810/II's which reside at my son's house. Please try to stick to the topic presented, as hard as that may be.
 
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I will vouch for hypex. NAD and Merrill now make a less expensive ncore powered amp commercially. Acoustic Imagery just announced their Atsah 500 - "NCore Power For Under $2000! Priced Per Pair"!

I have to laugh at the tired, old cliches thrown about concerning class d in general....All one has to do is spend a few hours on the net researching consumer comments to quickly learn that there are MANY happy ncore customers, many who moved on from tubes and well known ss amps. I have read very few negative reports about ncore in comparison, like 1 per 100 positive.

Ncore isn't the best amp in the world. Most reasonable, experienced, intelligent people will tell you there isn't any such thing. It all comes down to personal taste, though there are those whose ego or lack of self esteem will try and tell you otherwise. Given the huge numbers of happy ncore users, the top shelf objective performance, and the price/performance, it deserves a listen for one's self...
 
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Thanks everyone for the feedback. Right now I'm dealing with a crabby infant and a serious tissue infection in my right hand which makes it near impossible to do almost anything.
I'll be getting back to this later this week.
 
I will vouch for hypex. NAD and Merrill now make a less expensive ncore powered amp commercially. Acoustic Imagery just announced their Atsah 500 - "NCore Power For Under $2000! Priced Per Pair"!

I have to laugh at the tired, old cliches thrown about concerning class d in general....All one has to do is spend a few hours on the net researching consumer comments to quickly learn that there are MANY happy ncore customers, many who moved on from tubes and well known ss amps. I have read very few negative reports about ncore in comparison, like 1 per 100 positive.

Ncore isn't the best amp in the world. Most reasonable, experienced, intelligent people will tell you there isn't any such thing. It all comes down to personal taste, though there are those whose ego or lack of self esteem will try and tell you otherwise. Given the huge numbers of happy ncore users, the top shelf objective performance, and the price/performance, it deserves a listen for one's self...

Agree completely. I spent a few hours listening to the Rogue Audio Pharaoh which uses the Hypex modules and is a Hybrid design.
It sounded incredible in every way- power, bass grunt, dynamics and clarity. At the top of the list for upgrade considerations.
 
I'm perfectly happy with my Bel Canto mono blocks. They are the only amplifiers, I've owned, that just disappear. When I listen to them I only hear music, and never think about the amplification. If the other newer Class D modules are better than the IcePower they must be special indeed. From the reports I've read that must be the case.

cubdog
 
Thanks everyone for the feedback. Right now I'm dealing with a crabby infant and a serious tissue infection in my right hand which makes it near impossible to do almost anything.
I'll be getting back to this later this week.

Take care of your little one and your hand. Sounds like a bad combination. Listen to your favorite tunes when you have a chance. That always seems to help. :thmbsp:

cubdog
 
I am quite happy with my Odyssey Khartago. I also run KEF's with a tube pre and it sounds great. Not sure about the depth requirement...
 
The Odysseys are probably going to be to big for the credenza environment, but yes the Khartago is a great all around amp.
 
I've been very happy with the Wyred4Sound mAmps, which topped all the previous amps I've had in my system: Channel Islands D200, Bel Canto M300, Bryston 3BSST, Forte 4A, and others. I don't understand the hate some people have for class D amps; maybe they haven't heard good ones.
 
If looks and DIY are a drawback there's some interesting TPA 3116 creations sold by Fleawatt.

espressotop.jpg

Yeah, I am NOT do it yourself. But want something like it put together for me. Thanks for the info! Do you have any idea about his pricing? Looks like he mods Dayton B652 speakers as well. Looking at some of those for my daughter's new apartment and my bedroom.
 
I've been very happy with the Wyred4Sound mAmps, which topped all the previous amps I've had in my system: Channel Islands D200, Bel Canto M300, Bryston 3BSST, Forte 4A, and others. I don't understand the hate some people have for class D amps; maybe they haven't heard good ones.

which wyred amps do you run?
 
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