Curiosity gets the better of me (again)

[DaveyTed]

I wonder how much better a class D amp could be with a decent power supply. Temple Audio offer an alternative power supply for theirs but it doubles the price.

[Geoff.R.G]

I wonder how much better a class D amp could be with a decent power supply. Temple Audio offer an alternative power supply for theirs but it doubles the price.

Just goes to show how important the power supply is in audio applications.

[CN211276]

I wonder how much better a class D amp could be with a decent power supply. Temple Audio offer an alternative power supply for theirs but it doubles the price.

Just goes to show how important the power supply is in audio applications.

I think it also shows how cheap the signal path components are for most (all?) Class D amps.

I agree with Fretless about keeping an open mind.

I've read a few people say "Class D has improved a lot over the last few years"
I don't know if these people are just brainwashed idiots, repeating marketing guff.
Or if the the major sonic shortcomings of the Class D amps really have been addressed since I auditioned a few examples 10 to 15 years ago.
Or if the truth is somewhere in the middle.

[Geoff.R.G]

I wonder how much better a class D amp could be with a decent power supply. Temple Audio offer an alternative power supply for theirs but it doubles the price.

Just goes to show how important the power supply is in audio applications.

I think it also shows how cheap the signal path components are for most (all?) Class D amps.

I agree with Fretless about keeping an open mind.

I've read a few people say "Class D has improved a lot over the last few years"
I don't know if these people are just brainwashed idiots, repeating marketing guff.
Or if the the major sonic shortcomings of the Class D amps really have been addressed since I auditioned a few examples 10 to 15 years ago.
Or if the truth is somewhere in the middle.

In many live sound applications class D amplification has replaced traditional class A/B and class B amplification. Class D amplifiers are small and efficient making it practical to install them in active speakers without making the speakers any larger. Small speakers also seem to be more common. Of course the high power of class D amplifiers encourages the use of low efficiency speakers.

I haven't tried any recent PA amplifiers so I can't comment on the audio properties or capabilities.

[Fretless]

Finding the sound of the upstairs set rather dry with a narrow soundstage, I remembered that this is how the Musette DAC is. So I have swapped a Cambridge DacMagic Plus & LPSU in and the character is transformed.

The little Sabaj A10a is certainly pretty transparent and responsive to alterations in the signal chain.

Now the sound is rounder, wider and less punchy - the difference between the DacMagic and the Musette.

Expecting a 2nd A10a to arrive today, then it's monoblock time!

[TheRealAleman]

Hmmm? I shouldn't read these threads! But ... Curiosity Thanks Fretless

So suggestions for a "starter" Chi-Fi streaming "source" system, that can take DNLA from my NAS hard drive, Streaming sources (obv's) and the CD player, and feed this into the NVA P50SA MKII. I was looking at something like this - SMSL DP5 High Fidelity Network Music Player, but that can't take input from a DC player

[TheRealAleman]

I am seeing both optical and coax digital inputs on the back of that SMSL player. Should be able to run a digital output from the CD player as well.

[TheRealAleman]

I am seeing both optical and coax digital inputs on the back of that SMSL player. Should be able to run a digital output from the CD player as well.

I thought that as well but in the "specifications" it says

Input mode:USBx2 / USB Audio / micro SD / Bluetooth / DLNA/SAMBA(NAS)
Output mode: Line / balanced / headphone / optical fiber / coaxial / AES / Bluetooth / USB / I²S

[TheRealAleman]

Aha.

Several members here run cheap(ish) Pi-based streamers into external DACs. Look at, for instance, the Allo DigiOne or HifiBerry Digi+ PRO.

[DaveyTed]

Re the "fatiguing" sound of class D amps:
I use a small class d amp to power a pair of Klipsch speakers for TV sound. Okay for TV but not good for audio only. Connecting my Cesti MB speakers in place of the Klipschs is a revelation - much smoother. Putting the Klipschs together with NVA is another revelation - much brighter and more involving.
So in my experience speaker matching is possibly the answer to class D fatigue. Or could it just be the reduced treble from the single driver Cesti's?