[jtwrace]

Can you ground that?
What is that?

GaN = Gallium Nitride

[Big Red Machine]

Give it a year and you'll be itching to try a GaN based amplifier.

The reviews I read on a few products using this were not positive. So, perhaps some work to be done there.

[newzooreview]

GaN = Gallium Nitride

Gallium Nitride can be used to make a more efficient switching power supply. A lot of the newer, smaller wall warts for laptops use it (Anker makes a few models with GaN: https://us.anker.com/pages/uai2020).

GaN has been used in industrial power supplies for a while as well. Here's an application note describing the advantages (size and efficiency) compared to traditional MOSFETS using silicon. https://epc-co.com/epc/Portals/0/epc/documents/product-training/appnote_ganfundamentals.pdf

Peachtree Audio is selling a class D amp using GaN (https://www.peachtreeaudio.com/products/gan400). They asked someone to write up impressions, and the writer says that most class D amplifiers "sound wretched," but the Peachtree GaN amp is the best of tubes and solid state. The review doesn't address good class D amps like the Cherry.

I haven't seen comparisons between the Cherry amps and a class D amp using GaN. Maybe GaN is incredible, but it's been around a long time and has made its way into mass market wall warts, so its use in more hifi amps would seem to be overdue if the advantages were overwhelming. Are there amps that have been more substantively reviewed than the Peachtree which use GaN? Has anyone heard one in direct comparison with the Cherry amps?

[jtwrace]

Are there amps that have been more substantively reviewed than the Peachtree which use GaN?

Yes, not so sure it's good to mention within the Digital Amp thread though. 

[morganc]

Maybe for you guys, but not for me. Pretty much my takeaway was the stand-up bass is the best I ever heard. Other than that the amp was too wimpy to provide a fulfilling sound and the speakers were not my cup of tea. It's all personal preference and so many have stated what you did that this is a great combo, so I tried it. An expensive lesson.

I trekked to tell you at that time to give a Cherry Amp a try with the Spatials.  I have a Megaschino with the X-5’s and it is an incredible match.   Though I just moved and had to sell the speakers, I’ll be ordering a new pair soon.

[jking]

Hi Big Red Machine I wonder if you have a moment to share your thoughts and observations on how the VTV Purifi compared to your 2 Cherry?  I am trying to decide between two 4 Cherry Amps and an Apollon 8 Channel Purifi. I suppose the VTV is not exactly comparable to the Apollon because of power supply, input buffer and op amp differences but some comparison may be better than no comparison. Cheers !