Surprisingly disappointing

[Cricketbat70]

I've mentioned a few times in various posts that I use a 36 year old Denon PMA250mk2 at work, driving a pair of TDL bookshelf speakers. We stream Spotify from our phones to an old Harman Kardon blue tooth receiver. Draw backs, obviously phone calls messages etc interrupting the music. Today in a bit of a lull I wired up my Sonos Connect Amp in place of the Denon. My thoughts, wired network not Bluetooth, newer amplification technology in the sonos it will be better.
Honestly the Denon through old spec Bluetooth sounds better then the Sonos. The Sonos sounds like it's being restricted/throttled. It sounds so flat and it's not filling our warehouse with sound the way the Denon manages.
Might be wiring the Denon back up by the end of day

 

[davidf]

Giving these little class D amps a nice easy load from a budget speaker is where they'll be happiest. Move further up the speaker chain and they're out of their depth. As you say, they just end up sounding flat. Found the same driving KEF LS50s with these types of amps. They're good as a solution, but you need a speaker that won't tax them.

That's not to say Class D can't sound good, because it can. I'm currently listening to a £7k Class D based amp which sounds amazing, but it's got 300wpc under its belt, and uses a Class A pre-amplifier section. I'm not saying people have to spend that money, just illustrating that all Class D amps (like other amps), don't all sound the same.

 

[Messiah]

Draw backs, obviously phone calls messages etc interrupting the music.

Using 'Do Not Disturb' mode will sort out that little issue and can be tailored to let specific calls/texts disturb you (if you were worried about certain important callers etc).

(At least you can with Android. Imagine Apple is similar).

 

[abacus]

Giving these little class D amps a nice easy load from a budget speaker is where they'll be happiest. Move further up the speaker chain and they're out of their depth. As you say, they just end up sounding flat. Found the same driving KEF LS50s with these types of amps. They're good as a solution, but you need a speaker that won't tax them.

That's not to say Class D can't sound good, because it can. I'm currently listening to a £7k Class D based amp which sounds amazing, but it's got 300wpc under its belt, and uses a Class A pre-amplifier section. I'm not saying people have to spend that money, just illustrating that all Class D amps (like other amps), don't all sound the same.

Class A, B, D, G etc. all relate to the power amp (How it delivers its power) it has nothing to do with the pre-amp.

Bill

 

[Cricketbat70]

Using 'Do Not Disturb' mode will sort out that little issue and can be tailored to let specific calls/texts disturb you (if you were worried about certain important callers etc).

(At least you can with Android. Imagine Apple is similar).

I might just do that.

On another note it's amazing the difference between my phone and my son's phone (both android) going through that old spec Bluetooth receiver. My son has a £500+ ROG phone, not sure what model number, mine is a sub £180 Motorola. Again I honestly thought compressed music through an old spec Bluetooth receiver there wouldn't be any difference but music through my son's phone has so much more depth and oomph (very technical term I know🤣)