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Class D "digital" amps. Opinions on performance

#241
projectMalamute said:
That sounds a lot like anecdotal evidence as well...
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Yes. It is. Which is why I brought the word up. Nevertheless, he's seeing acts that have whistles-tops all over the US and can afford to use anything they want, and any touring company they want.

Frankly, it takes Class D to even attain what is going on in some circles. I think this was one model he mentioned that he spotted in an 8-amp rack:

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Reading ProSound.web it seems the trend toward multi-Kwatt amps for touring and major installs is not isolated.
 
#242
Due to a lack of world-class skills and ambition, I am sadly ignorant about huge sound companies & massive venues. However, the above question inspired me to find out what Clair Brothers is using these days:
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I don't know what Class TD is, but their amps are SMPS.
 
#244
greenboy said:
Yes. It is. Which is why I brought the word up. Nevertheless, he's seeing acts that have whistles-tops all over the US and can afford to use anything they want, and any touring company they want.

Frankly, it takes Class D to even attain what is going on in some circles. I think this was one model he mentioned that he spotted in an 8-amp rack:

Invalid Link Removed

Reading ProSound.web it seems the trend toward multi-Kwatt amps for touring and major installs is not isolated.
Click to expand...

Yes, big shows use lots of big multi-kWatt amps. My point is that they are not using class D amps, which is what I thought we were talking about.

That thing you linked to is not a class D amp. Looks pretty awesome though.
 
#249
Crown site is full of pictures of touring group racks

pr179.jpg


And permanent installations.

45% of the lost to heat power is now power to the speakers thanks to class-d. Touring companies also have to pay for power.

Recording studios are big time users of class-d. Hi priced powered monitors include built in class-d.

This is a good read on objectivity
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Purple

Blind tests really need to be blinded to be objective. And everything including placement of speakers taken into account.
NEWS-34090-312582f28bd0c4af69d7f43724ac9e06.jpg
 
#250
greenboy said:
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A quote from the "Description" tab from the link above:

"Road-proven output stage delivers Class B audio quality with Class D efficiency"

Even in their own description, this seems to be an apology for Class D audio quality!

PEACE

EDIT: Not to mention that they also acknowledge differences in "audio quality" of output stages of amplifier classes as well!
 
#257
For years pro power amp companies have been labeling and patenting implementations based on Class D topology with their own nomenclature. Before dismissing this, it's wise to actually read some of their own white papers and literature. Whatever twists of name and proprietary topology innovations, it's basically Class D that makes it possible to have enough conversion efficiency to get further up into the multi-Kwatt class with less rack space and pound per watt.

Class D is also increasingly designed into higher-end active enclosures.
 
#258
greenboy said:
For years pro power amp companies have been labeling and patenting implementations based on Class D topology with their own nomenclature. Before dismissing this, it's wise to actually read some of their own white papers and literature. Whatever twists of name and proprietary topology innovations, it's basically Class D that makes it possible to have enough conversion efficiency to get further up into the multi-Kwatt class.

Class D is also increasingly designed into higher-end active enclosures.
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They get these patents because it's not the same amp.

There is a huge gap between these two statements:

'pro sound companies are using a variety of variations on switching output stages'

and

'pro sound companies are using the same thing as this 200 dollar amp I bought at Guitar Center'
 
#259
NoFretsNoWorry said:
A quote from the description of the link above:

"Road-proven output stage delivers Class B audio quality with Class D efficiency"

Even in their own description, this seems to be an apology for Class D audio quality!
Click to expand...

It's a marketing spiel for their own implementation. If you read any deeper, Class D itself is not in question so much as specific implementations of it that are being called into question.

Who would have thought that companies would not focus on what sounds good to potential customers? ; }
 

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