Non class D SS amps

[R Baer]

If I recall right, it's been a few years since you decided on class-ab with your ears.

You might want to give class-D, SMPS another try. Many other manufacturers are going this route and they have ears too.

I'm constantly trying new class D technologies, plus our engineer has been working on a SMPS design of his own. I still feel like the SMPS delivers a faster, more immediate response to my playing and there's a quality to the high end that I don't particularly like. There's a difference in the way the amps handle transients and the way the amp behaves when pushed hard. I'm not saying there is anything wrong with it, but it's a different feel and not exactly my thing.

Honestly, all these amp topologies "work" and discussing the differences between them really becomes a bit like getting into a debate comparing maple to ebony as a fingerboard material.

True blind listening tests require setup, like gain matching, and making sure the signal is equally colored by the pre-amp...It may be best to separate the "Amp" part of the head testing by gain matching just one pre-amp to the Amp-in of the power amp section.

Exactly what we have done numerous times and what I base my opinions on.

 

[mothra2]

I'm constantly trying new class D technologies, plus our engineer has been working on a SMPS design of his own. I still feel like the SMPS delivers a faster, more immediate response to my playing and there's a quality to the high end that I don't particularly like. There's a difference in the way the amps handle transients and the way the amp behaves when pushed hard. I'm not saying there is anything wrong with it, but it's a different feel and not exactly my thing.

Honestly, all these amp topologies "work" and discussing the differences between them really becomes a bit like getting into a debate comparing maple to ebony as a fingerboard material.



Exactly what we have done numerous times and what I base my opinions on.

+2 .... totally valid technology, but audibly different IMO.