Class AB or Class D amps?

[drPagi]

I have a lot of amplifiers (approx. 25-30) both tubular and solid state, also vintage, modern and homemade, A AB B D, but the most beautiful sound for me is produced by a simple homemade 6Q7 + 6M6 class A single-end tubular, not loud, but very musical. Sorry for my english, greetings from Hungary.

[ff]

A survey found that men usually liked either A or A/B amplifiers, and women liked the big D amps....

[ArsenicShooter]

I got a class AB Rotel RB-1582 and a class D Rotel RB-1572 power amp. I now own them for about 5 or 6 years now and I have to say, they both sound great for the price range. The class D is just a bit more analytical, but absolutely no harshness in any way. The biggest difference in my opinion, is that the class D sound is more « full » at very low volume. All frequencies seem to be more easy to hear than the class AB power amp. But again, the difference is really small and you have to do an A-B comparison to really hear a clear difference. So knowing that this class D isn’t one of the newest models out there, I think that in a few years, they could sound even better than they do now. Class D amps have become so much better and continue to evolve day after day. But after all, some coloration in the sound is kind of a signature. I also own a Rowen and NAD class AB power amps and each one has its specificities that I love. For me it is more a question of taste. Do you like analytical/neutral? Go for this. Do you like warm sounding music? Go for that. 🙂

[ThinkingBetter]

I prefer Class D for the bass (especially subwoofer) to get max power (dynamics) and class AB for mids and highs to get best precision.

[zlac]

I propose a fun experiment, it might make a GREAT video as well!
1. you set up two listening rooms in the office - one with the best class AB amp you have and one with the best class D amp you have. Connect them as dummy amps that can be seen - but not touched! Use a pre-amp for volume control, they can touch that when listening! Actual amps PLAYING should be the same as the amps that they see, but "behind the curtains"! Have both amps "not clip" at maximum pre-amp "power" and they must be at the same loudness at max (really important)!
2. have all the people in the office go in and out every day, compare the sound, listen to them and have them fill out the forms with data like: clarity, musicality, distortion, dynamics, timbre, total score, etc. - think of like 10 parameters that can be voted from 1-10 and have someone who will make them fill it up EVERY DAY for 2 weeks! That someone can't know about the actual experiment - tell them it's an experiment on psycho-acoustics and no one is allowed to touch ANYTHING but the volume knob of the pre-amp (if even that?)!
3. Come back Tuesday night and switch amps that are "behind the curtains" - no one can see that you were even there and cables must look exactly the same as they were the day before!
4. Switch amps that they can see (but are not playing) over the weekend!
5. Switch "behind the curtains" amps back the next Tuesday night!
6. Compare notes "when you're back from vacation" and see if anyone noticed the sound change when they should and didn't when they shouldn't!
7. Do a reveal and see their reactions.

-> I reckon that there will be a lot of change in answers on Monday and no statistical evidence that they noticed the Tuesday night swap - BUT - most people will claim after the reveal: "I knew something changed every Wednesday, but didn't wanna say anything because of reason XYZ!" - it's a classic audiophile excuse! :-)

... We made a similar experiment on our "audiophile friend" when he bragged about his great new expensive speaker cables - quickly switched them when he went to the bathroom! After he returned and continued bragging about the clarity and musicality of new cables for more than a couple of songs, we revealed that we swapped out his cable and put the cheapest (but still thick) copper cable under the carpet! In the end, he claimed that "he heard something was wrong but didn't wanna say anything so he wouldn't look like an idiot"! :-D

-> please make a video and respond to this comment after you made the experiment - It MUST be a "double blind experiment" - no one can see you, no one can talk with you about it because it skews the experiment badly! Water Dowsers DO FIND WATER in a single blind experiment - no one can know what you're doing!!!

[socleanmx]

So I'm a southern 35 year old revived bass head but damn I love listening to you speak and describe the sound ...great job with voice tone modulation to convey the sense of satisfaction. You just picked up a new subscriber.

[TorToroPorco]

Good to see that class D amps are making strides. It’s all about choice and price points and the more alternatives we have the better. Class D appeals to me due to potential space limitations as long as I’m not making a big sacrifice in audio quality. For my budget the M700s are a nice sweet spot.

[michaelwright]

Using the Swedish XTZ ICE Edge A2-400 right now, it drives my KLH Model 5's to the moon with the Cambridge Audio Streamer/DAC/Preamp. You are not just at the concert, you are on the stage in front of the drums next to the bass player. Everything is crisp, but yet has that nice vinyl sound to it (Cambridge), which I like, along with the bass. Very fast amp, the bass hits with no continuation, just like it is supposed to sound. Then I added the two SVS SB3000 subs, that is when the soundstage really exploded. 

The KLH Model 5's are 6 ohm speakers, rated up to 200 watts. The XTZ amp delivers, and feeds the Model 5's enough juice to really open them up, with plenty of headroom left over, this amp is not going to run out of steam anytime soon. 

How much would you have to spend on a Class A/B amp to get the kind of sound, power and headroom the XTZ brings to the table for under $1000? My Emotiva XPA2 has the juice, but it leaves the KLH speakers rather veiled, the XTZ is a much better fit with the Cambridge.

As I am attempting to point out, I believe much will depend on what you pair an amp like this up with. I am using the Cambridge Audio Network Streamer/DAC/Preamp, which leans just a touch towards vinyl in its sound, which matches perfectly with the uncolored and neutral XTZ Edge A2-400 amp. If I had a preamp that sounded cooler, or was using cooler sounding speakers than the KLH, then I could see using a Class A/B.

The Class D amps that we have today are pretty hard to beat in regards to value and sound. They continue to get better by the day. Look at Mark Levinson, their flagship amplifier is a Class D. The technology is now there to my mind.

The other benefit is the size factor. A unit like my XTZ Edge A2-400 looks very nice, and is small enough to easily tuck away for an uncluttered aesthetic look if you are going for a more component free environment. I can't do that with my Emotiva XPA2, which is huge and heavy, I'm not putting that on a shelf behind the TV without doing some major construction to tie into the houses structure to support the beast. I can use a couple of bungie cords and a piece of wood to safely mount the XTZ up and out of the way. 

And I have had other A/B amps from Parasound and some custom $5000 A/B from years ago, I cannot even recall the brand. I simply enjoy the sound I get out of these new Class D amplifiers, and they do not break the bank, or my back if I have to move them. I can tuck them out of the way and forget about them.


Just my .02

[ForgetMeNotArchive]

After the pandemic I will driving to psaudio to just meet you paul. Love ur videos

[reaality]

I have always preferred heavy class A, AB "high-current" amps. The heavier the better! Today class D amps have come a long way, but I still long to hear one that can match or exceed the sound from an old 200 lbs mono "KRELL" amp made in the 1990s. This class D amp to compete with the old "KRELL" may be out there and I just haven't heard it.

[CoolDudeClem]

I have a class T amp, combines the best of both!
Edit because youtube no longer picks up my spelling errors and I didn't see that i'd spelled "combines" wrong untill now.

[The_Story_Channel]

I use Peachtree Audio class D amps in my office setup and they sound great to my ears.

[falconquest]

Wait, did I just hear Paul say class D is okay? I never thought I would hear that. Thanks Paul for your honesty. I'll be looking into those 1200's!

[kartinosurodipo]

Class AB is a very mature design. However class D is growing very fast. There is a lot of improvement. A single improvement will affect very far better in class D. For example better mosfet datasheet. implementing better feedback, and so on. You will see always a new born better class D for every soon. Then today Class D can stand at same level clarity with class AB.

[BrianPex]

I haven’t dealt with this stuff since the 1990s. Early 90s. In car audio, there was no such thing as D. It was mainly all clean AB high quality and high $$$ amps if you wanted good sound. God I miss those days with clean CD source material as the source. I was 18-19 with a 2600 watt super clean and correctly set up system in my Toyota 4 Runner. Every ride was bliss. Loved it.

[QoraxAudio]

3:09 like a french cook passionately talking about his fancy menu.

[mastergivenn]

Thank you Paul. There is a new amplifier technology that recently came out. The producer calls it HS Class. It works with pwm technology like the class D but the pulse is not only width modulated. It modulates the amplitude and the frequency of the pulses as well. Producer declares that the output signal reconstruction is way more precise, especially for the hi frequencies. You, as producer, should test it in your laboratory, for a comparison(maybe secretly..). I am speaking about the ItaliAcoustic HSA-05S.
All the best.

[lampenpagulvet]

I know i am going to be the most controversial here but one of my favorite recievers the huldra 8 reciever is a class b reciever and i love it.the huldra 8 is in my opinion the most beatiful reciever made. It also sounds pretty good especially for being a b class transistor reciever made in 1965.

[motorhead]

Class D amps are getting better and better but their prices are outpacing their quality. Why would I pay $7k for a class D when I can buy a top notch Class AB amp ( read Bryston) for less then that.

[hztremor]

Try a current Linear Power car amplifier class AB in a studio or home if you really want to blow your mind 🤯 They are used in some world renowned recording studios today for their pure quality of sound 👌 I would put them against any high end home or studio amp out there.