Class D amp fatigue

How real is the idea that one can become fatigued listening to music through a class D amplifier?

[jasonkillsformomy]

I had dilemma. I needed a new stove for my sauna and also a new amp, but only had money for one of them. I was torn. Until I tested a class A amp. Now have new stove and a new amp.

[tunahead]

I love that Paul adds a little humor in his daily videos. I try and listen to them as often as i can. I have learnt quite a lot. Thanks

[davidtyler]

Great explanation Paul. I would suggest, in general, for those people who fancy audio as a hobby, that they should get a hearing analysis to determine their individual loss issues. Many comments below - MIGHT - be somewhat related to their own ears. Especially in those above 40! I am above 60! I My eq and dampening and other room mods in my audio room are for me - specifically. I can listen for hours and not get fatigued. I would also say to others understand that some recordings are also less than optimal and can cause fatigue on any system. Unfortunately some of those recordings were made long ago and the artists have since passed, so it's what we have or nothing. Great channel, great advice from you as always!

[natskar]

I agree! I can listen to my expensive class D amplifier I installed in my car allll day. Tune it correctly with a DSP and you get what you pay for (most the time). But it’s not always so broad, it is the smaller details such as the filtering and even quality of parts or wires how they’re ran and if the crossovers are wrong, the type of transformer, etc. all makes a difference to determine the company’s goal for how they want the sound or price of manufacturing

[danabunner]

I own several amplifiers, including a Class D, two solid state Class A/B, two tube single-ended and two tube push pull. I find my Class D amp to sound quite good. Very clear, very good imaging, great bass definition and power. I do not hesitate to use it for critical listening.

[ScottGrammer]

Some of the earliest high-power Class-D amps were the Peavey DECA sound reinforcement amps made in the mid 1980's. They sounded great, and were even used in some recording studios for driving monitors. But part of their good sound might have been the fact that their pulse rate was 500kHz, much higher than most Class D amps. This allowed the reconstruction filters to be tuned to a much higher frequency, which reduced their phase shift in the top (audible) octave.

[ericelliott]

In my opinion: The class D amps of today are not the evil many make them out to be. Sure, back in the early days, they could be nasty, but now, most all the issues have been licked. I'd say that 99% of fatigue comes from the speakers used with the amp and not so much the amps themselves. The fault of the amps in the grand scheme is what side of neutral they tend to lean towards. Pairing up lively speakers with a class D amp will cause fatigue because class D amps are lively. Pairing up lively speakers with a class A or A/B amp balances things out and will not be fatiguing. Example: Wilsons are lively speakers (I personally don't care for them, but that is just my taste). Wilsons are better paired with class A or A/B and even then, they can be fatiguing if not dialed in well. Speakers that lean towards the warm side of neutral (tilted down) pair well with class D amps.
It is not limited to "commercial" class D amps (in this case "commercial" means big names like Marantz, etc. I assume and most of Marantz's two channel amps are class A/B actually), one can make a PS Audio class D amp fatiguing by pairing up speakers that emphasize the output, although putting a tube in the input path greatly helps to diminish said fatigue. I also think it is not brand specific.

[UndyingShadow]

Unless you're doing blind A/B testing, its probably bunk. And I've never felt "nervously exhausted" after listening to 2 hours of music. Has Mark tried weed?

[josepharchila]

I have a pair of M1200s and agree 100% no fatigue after DAYS of immersive listening! Bravo to PS Audio!

[lgude]

Ah, clarity re class D. I have a Chinese SMSL class D, but listen at low levels. Now I understand why I have no problem with fatigue listening to detailed classical like string quartets, piano solos and the like. The detailed rendition of the class D amp feeds me for the same reason Earle Scruggs playing country banjo does. But I notice that at higher volumes my beloved details sound harsh. Bingo, you nailed it Paul.

[themastroiannis]

great explanation! thanks... Marantz Model 30...another absolute beauty, class D, not fatiguing, but extremely resolving! fantastic amp...

[airwood]

I designed and built my first class D amplifier in 1979, agree the filters are the hardest to get right

[mrpmj]

Yep, I have great Class A/B (Parasound 2125v2, Arcam AVR5) and shitty Class A/B (Emotiva BasX-A3, Denon x3700H).

I also have great Class D (NAD C298 which is similar to NAD M23, Parasound Zonemaster 2)...no ear fatigue with a quality Class D.

Apple Music lossless

[russmaleartist]

I have Crown Class D amps ... fou of them one for each frequency and one for my double subs. I had turned my speakers into active speakers and got rid of the passive crossovers, while using a DBX active crossover between my preamp and the Crowns ...I think they are detailed, focused with great accurate imaging...but to me, never fatiguing. I know everyone wants to say and are greatly convicted that theirs is the best;however, I just know I like mine and there are others who have listened and were impressed by them. The point is: if you like the way hopefully your system sounds...that is all that matters. Enjoy....

[kaypee]

I don’t have any PS audio gear but I have same power drill you guys use. Step by step, I’ll get there 😂

[fabieneldridge]

Paul is so knowledgeable when talking about music reproduction. Things are becoming so good that they are by passing our ears ability to hear. There are so many choices today of Great systems it makes it hard to decide what to buy. I guess people just need to find what they like to hear and not worry about what others like. I’m happy with my system and will probably die with it. I built my stereo room for the speakers and stereo that I installed. Everything was built to suit my speakers so they could breathe properly. In my opinion the speakers are your music. Lots of amps ect can push the speakers and so many are Great that the sound is really relies on the speakers and room than anything else. Just my opinion but I would always invest in speakers before anything else ! They are the Soul, Heart of any Great stereo system !

[thomascollins]

I have an early Class D integrated from Cary Audio (20 years old). It is generally on a 2nd small system. Cary is most well known for their tube gear that is the polar opposite of fatiguing. However, while the Cary has amazing power and grip with my Volti horns, after a while, I do tend to notice that fatigue factor that the writer mentioned. I am glad to know there are more class D options as I like much about the format, especially lighter weight and less heat.

[EthanWiner]

Fatigue is a function of overall volume and frequency distribution. It has nothing to do with amplifier class.

[AzimuthAviation]

I've gone from the big house flagship system as an electronics engineer to a medium sized 2.1 class D amp based on a TI chipset development board powered with a Meanwell SMPS. I enjoy beautiful detail and find that a little 6j5 preamp adds just a little sugar to the mix.

[johnreardon]

I'm an audiophile at home. AND I own a live blues music venue in Gifu, Japan. My speakers are all Class D QSC. K12.2, KS118, and CP12. No problems with them, as some people might know. Anyway, live music is not fatiguing if the band is exciting. I have endless compliments on our sound from both the audience and musicians alike. I find that the Class D amps along with our LED ADJ lights are very efficient powerwise.

Can anybody here comment on the quality of the amps in my powered QSC speakers? I know that they're having quality control issues on some parts, but the design itself seems to be very well made. Again, it's not home audio, but relevant to Class D amps. Personally, I'm beyond impressed with the live sound quality. Our source gear is high end as well and doesn't need to be addressed unless one thinks so. Thanks!