Will good Class D amplification soon be mainstream in budget and midrange hifi?

[admin_exported]

Do you think there is going to be a surge in class D amplifiers next year? Are the digital amplifiers now good enough to be implemented in more reasonably priced Hi Fi or will it remain in the hands of analogue amplification for the the next few years? Will the the Class D amplifiers being developed in high end units cause a trickle down effect of technology into the sub £1000 amplifiers. I have heard talk that Class D amplification doesn't grip bass as well as traditional amplification. Is this true? Is it more or less expensive to produce a class D amplifier, regardless of quality? so many questions!

 

[Frank Harvey]

Well many manufacturers seem to be using Class D for subwoofers, so I would've thought that if it had a problem controlling bass, a sub is the last place you'd want to implement one!

 

[Anonymous]

Fair point about the subs! I had read a fair amount about cheaper Class D amps not controlling bass on loudspeakers, whilst producing a clear mid and treble. I guess your above point should make this invalid as long as the tech is implemented well.

 

[Anonymous]

Check out the IcePower (Class D) modules by B&O used by Rowland, Bel Canto, Wyred 4 Sound, Rotel (15 Series), etc.

Very promising. Besides, Class D isn't digital at all.

 

[kevinJ]

Digital amps can sound great, like the guys at hawkaudio proved

http://www.hawkaudio.nl/home.htm

 

[chebby]

Primare are now using it in their new £2200 i32 amplifier so I should hope class D is up to the task. It has a lot to live up to as the replacement for the i30 and I doubt Primare would replace a 'benchmark' amplifier with a dud.

 

[Frank Harvey]

Roberto Salazar:
Check out the IcePower (Class D) modules by B&O used by Rowland, Bel Canto, Wyred 4 Sound, Rotel (15 Series), etc.

Very promising. Besides, Class D isn't digital at all.
And Pioneer

 

[manicm]

The only remotely interesting Class D amp is Nad's M2. But it's 5k yikes!

 

[kevinJ]

And what about Lyngdorf?

I heard a complete Lyngdorf set a year ago, and I was blown away by it.

 

[visionary]

Sonos ZP120 is class D too and is well reviewed (I would have posted this last night if I could have done it with my iPad grrr

)

 

[manicm]

Meridian's digital active speakers as on News here.