[hum4god]

Hi

i am looking for some inspiration regarding the choice of a class d amp.
it seems that they developed nicely in the last few years considering all the reviews about spectron and nuforce and their upgrades to mark 1 and 2 and special editions etc. . all well documented in reviews .

the two amps that peaked my interest most at this time are the spectron musician III mk2 and the nuforce ref9 v3se .
both of them have a long history developing their own boards and refining their amps.
both have raving reviews and convert testimonies on the net stating how great they are.
and also still, there are quite a few saying they sound dry, cold, unemotional.

what is your experience with these amps or possibly other class D contenders ? any hypex board builders ?
is there anybody who compared the nuforce and the spectron ?
what i value most in music reproduction is the expression of the emotion and everything that provides that, livelike dynamics, transparancy, detail etc. but i prefer to be able to listen to all my music the well recorded and the lesser quality recordings also.



i recently purchased some Danley SM60f Synergy Horn speakers and after some break in , i am very happy w/ them .
the low end is filled out by a Danley DTS-10 50hz down to 10hz.
preamp/dac/crossover is deqx 3.0
source is PC running Media CEnter 15 connected to Weiss INT202 via firewire.
current amp is the butler TDB3150 which actually sounds very nice, i was just wondering how much better it can possibly get ?



my system is used formost for music but also movies.

Tom Danley is coming from the philosphy of headroom for amplifiers , so does spectron as described in an article on the enjoy the music web page.
both sound like they know what they are talking about.

http://www.enjoythemusic.com/Magazine/manufacture/0708/

[mfsoa]

Check out the Digital Amp Company's Cherry units.

Got to hear one vs. a Spectron (sorry don't know the exact model/version/option) and preferred the Cherry for its greater speed, and control.

I used to own the Channel Island D-200s (UcD) and they are not in the same zip code w/ the Cherry JR I used to own.

At an audio GTG yesterday we got to hear my new Cherry Plus vs the 250 wpc Wyred4sound (ICE) and the Cherry was the clear winner (an understatement if I believe the comments I heard from others) - much less electronic signature yet greater high frequency clarity. And this was on very efficient Tannoys - I would imagine that the Cherry w/ it's 1500 watt linear power supply would pull even further ahead given a tough load knowing the difficulties that even higher-power ICE amps (w/ switching power supplies) have been reported to have w/ such loads.

Check out the just-released review from Affordable Audio for his feelings about the nuforce vs. the Cherry JR. I think there are some reviews in the works too.

Have fun looking!

-Mike

[JDUBS]

Awesome speakers!  Would love to hear your thoughts on them (perhaps a separate thread).  How are you using your DEQX with this setup?  Bypassing the stock crossovers?

I am using a UCD180 amp for the midrange drivers in my Yorkville Unitys (a design originally conceived by Tom) and really like the way it sounds.

-Jim

[David C]

I have owned Mac and GAS Ampzilla amps and currently have the Nuforce 9V3SEs and they sound wonderful. Crisp controlled bass, fluid mids and extended highs that are easy on the ears. I would highly recommend Nuforce. I recently listed to Classe and Naim and the Nuforce amps blew them away. The customer service is excellent and IMHO they cant be beat for the price

[Toka]

I have owned Mac and GAS Ampzilla amps and currently have the Nuforce 9V3SEs and they sound wonderful. Crisp controlled bass, fluid mids and extended highs that are easy on the ears. I would highly recommend Nuforce. I recently listed to Classe and Naim and the Nuforce amps blew them away. The customer service is excellent and IMHO they cant be beat for the price

+1 for NuForce..."fluid" is the word I would use as well. Absolutely worth a (long) listen!

[hum4god]

Hi Jim

the danley speakers sound great , i am still breaking them in as they were a little harsh in the beginning .
i am not doing active xover on the sm60f drivers but only between the sub and the sm60f.
i wanted to simplify things and not tri or quadruple amplify .
although i have to confess that it might be interesting to try.
although they are 99db efficient , they can take the 220watt into 4ohm from the butler amp i am using, so i guess the xover sucks some power/sensitivity out of it.
i still have to build some good stands to make them sound best and try some other tweaks.

Toka  + David C ,
what are the qualities of the nuforce that you would say make the amp special when compared to the others that you like less ??

[hum4god]

Jim

are you using a deqx or other to drive the yorks actively ?
if so , do you drive each driver active ?

[jaywills]

My 2 cents, FWIW.  I've owned a Spectron Musician II (unmodded) and I've assembled a Hypex UDC 400 AD stereo amp from parts I got from Kevin Haskins (no affiliation).  The rest of the signal chain includes a TacT 2.2x with Maui-modded PS for room correction run through a Melos SHA Gold Maestro in which I have two early 60's pinched-waist 6922's.  My speakers are late-model Quad 63's.

I initially found the Spectron to be impressive, but somewhat "softer" (not muted) as compared to the Hypex.  I kept both and listened to them interchangeably for over a year before I finally settled on the Hypex.  While I could l have easily lived with the Spectron, ultimately, I preferred the Hypex's apparent greater transparency (it's not a high-end thing, my ears can't hear much over 12-14K), it's just a greater impression of clarity and transparency.  Only in direct comparison with the Hypex did the Spectron suffer.  Before starting to investigate these Class D amps, I was using one of Bruce Rosenblit's T-16 OTL's (LN) (again, no affiliation.  I have only the Hypex amp now.  Of course, YMMV.  Good luck.  Cordially,

[hum4god]

thanks jaywills

i heard good things about the Hypex modules .
unfortunately i am not capable of building one myself .

any commercial hypex amps or diy examples from builders that i could contact ?

malcolm

[simoon]

i heard good things about the Hypex modules .
unfortunately i am not capable of building one myself .

any commercial hypex amps or diy examples from builders that i could contact ?

malcolm

Have you checked out the ClassD Audio thread over on the 'Cheap and Cheerful' forum?


These kits are a snap to build (no soldering) and sound about as good as any class d amps available. The most novice, nontechnical person could build one of these in an evening for an obscenely low amount of $$.

audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=76400.0

[David C]

Malcolm
to your question on the Nuforce amps. The sound IMHO is crisp, transparent and has a deep black  background. They are very fast so transients are quick up and down. They provide detail in songs that I must have heard 100 times and I say ..... I had not heard that before now. On peaks of music they attack quickly and even at cresendos all of the detail is still there. It may be because of a very high power reserve for peaks (their specs stat the peak power) an this comes across without ever hearing a strain in the transparency of the music.

[mfsoa]

These kits are a snap to build (no soldering) and sound about as good as any class d amps available

I have heard one of these kits in a direct comparison to a Digital Amp Company Cherry Jr and the sound quality of the kit was not even close to what the Cherry did, as agreed by the three persons present.

I would be curious to know how much direct experience you have and with which models of the Digital Amp Co, Spectron, Nuforce, Channel Island etc amps in direct comparison the one of the ClassD kits, as I can absolutely assure you that in no way was the kit comparable to the Cherry and I doubt any of the other leading class D contenders.

Cheap and cheerful is one thing, acceptable sonics another...

-Mike

[JLM]

Mike,

Your comments comparing the "cheap and cheerful" digital amp with the leading retail contenders reminds me of all the buzz a few years back with chip amps.  DIYer's everywhere were building them.  I tried one, and it was the worse amp I've ever heard.  Horrible 60 Hz power supply hum, even with the transformer in a separate cabinet.  And the amp managed to pick up the local FM station (about -40 dB).  But I ended up with Channel Island VMB-1 monoblocks (40 watt chip amps) and have been very happy with them.

[mfsoa]

JLM-
Yeah, I got my hackles up more than I should have, but blanket statements comparing product X to "... any class D amps available" - well, it just begs for some justification.

-Mike

[simoon]

I have heard one of these kits in a direct comparison to a Digital Amp Company Cherry Jr and the sound quality of the kit was not even close to what the Cherry did, as agreed by the three persons present.

I would be curious to know how much direct experience you have and with which models of the Digital Amp Co, Spectron, Nuforce, Channel Island etc amps in direct comparison the one of the ClassD kits, as I can absolutely assure you that in no way was the kit comparable to the Cherry and I doubt any of the other leading class D contenders.

Cheap and cheerful is one thing, acceptable sonics another...

-Mike

I heard a mono pair of the kits compared to NuForce Ref 9 (which I like quite a bit) on a pair of Theil 3.7 and on a pair of Usher BE-10.

The ClassD Audios held their own, to the embarrassment of the NuForce owner, and the surprise of the other people (all experienced listeners).

I haven't heard them against the Cherry. But I'm familiar with the Channel Island and an old version of the Spectron.

So, I admit that I might have been overstating my claims about 'any class d amp available', but I feel since they held their own against one of the more well respected class D amps, they probably would against others.

I retract my blanket statement.

[jdbrian]

Hi

  I recently purchased a Wyred4sound STI500 after reading the reviews and comments from owners and I have not been disappointed. I replaced a Rotel 995pre and 990power amp. The W4S is much more refined and easy to listen to. In no way does it sound dry, cold or unemotional. Just the opposite as was noted in the reviews. It is also extremely quiet which is something I am very picky about -no hum or hiss audible and no transformer hum.
  I recently had a friend listen to my system. He has Sim audio moon P7 and W5 amps which are beautiful sounding SS amps. He was impressed with  W4S amp. It was a hard decision for me to go to the class D and an integrated at that. The amp meets all my requirements and I was trying to simplify my system so I took a chance and am very happy with the sound driving GR research OB7's which are very revealing speakers. Don't overlook these fine amps if they are in your price range. The W4S people were formally Cullen Circuits and have years of experience working with audio design and manufacturing.

Regards
Brian

[writeface]

I have SX-500 (Wyred) monos driving Salk HT3s. I used to have their preamp too. I concur with Brian's post about W4S.

[konut]

Another satisfied W4S SX-500 user here. I considered the DAC Cherry amps, but I run a passive pre setup and the W4S amps offer the option of higher gain than the Cherrys. Additionally, the W4S amps spec a higher than usual input impedance further increasing the compatibility with a resistor based passive setups. The SX-500s power from 70z on up to Aether Audio Timepiece Minis and the presentation is superb. The source is a Bryston BDA-1.

[groovybassist]

+1 on Wyred4Sound

I use an STI-500 integrated with Harbeth Compact 7ES-3s and a Naim CD5X/Flatcap2X front-end, and I think it sounds great.  The STI-500 replaced my Naim separates.

-Mike

[JDUBS]

Hi Jim

the danley speakers sound great , i am still breaking them in as they were a little harsh in the beginning .
i am not doing active xover on the sm60f drivers but only between the sub and the sm60f.
i wanted to simplify things and not tri or quadruple amplify .
although i have to confess that it might be interesting to try.
although they are 99db efficient , they can take the 220watt into 4ohm from the butler amp i am using, so i guess the xover sucks some power/sensitivity out of it.
i still have to build some good stands to make them sound best and try some other tweaks.

Toka  + David C ,
what are the qualities of the nuforce that you would say make the amp special when compared to the others that you like less ??

You should definitely look into triamping with your DEQX....that's what it was made for!  Or you could always sell it to me (I want to upgrade to the 3.0)! 

-Jim