A Class D Exploration and Comparative Review of PS Audio, Wyred 4 Sound, and XTZ - an in-depth investigation by Audiophilestyle (in a moderately priced system).

The amps auditioned all employ the ICEpower module.

• PS Audio Stellar S300 (USA, 140wpc/8 ohms, US$1499)
• Wyred 4 Sound ST-750 LE (USA, 325wpc/8 ohms, US$1499)
• XTZ A2-300 EDGE (Sweden, 150wpc/8 ohms, Euro 495)

For comparison:

• NAD C275BEE (Class AB analogue amp, 150wpc, US$1399)

" The advantages of Class D are small footprint, low power consumption, high efficiency and cost advantages at industrial scale.... (in) high end audio, Class D quality depends... on high quality components and design/implementation. "

Has Class D come of age?

PS Audio's Paul Mc Gowan sounds like he thinks so::

DarkLantern blog - darklanternforowen.wordpress.com

no thanks.

Why not.. Class D is the future, like electric cars, isn't it?

AMR-iFi R&D

eggsactly

I owned a Rotel 5 channel class D amp. I used it for a while in my main system, which combined HT and 2 Channel. The front spkrs were Mission 753 and they performed very well indeed. Sold the amp recently and before doing so, hooked it up to my Plinius 8150 Pre out to test - as hadn’t been used for a while. Driving a pair of Kef Reference 104/2s, and I could happily live with the sound. Nothing wrong with so called class D - never heard the high end ones such as nuforce, but I suspect they would be very good indeed. Love the idea of them being energy efficient!

i reviewed the jeff rowland concerto preamp with 201 monoblocks, they put me to sleep.
later i had the newer and much cheaper jeff rowland capri preamp with 102 stereo amp, a combo i considered at the time to be the best bang for buck under $10k.
both power amps used b+o ice modules and shared a similar dark tonal palette but the 102 was more lively, more open and more neutral sounding.

i also reviewed the rotel rsx1550 avr with class ab power stage, a superb unit that i eventually bought.
later i had the chance to listen to the rsx1560 class d avr, it was more powerful but had a noticeable upper midrange hardness that made it less musical than it's junior sibling.