ICE v Tripath

[Covenant]

Are there any views on which is best?
Ive been using a tripath amp for about a year and am thinking about a change.

[SamJones]

I'm a class-D convert. I use a Tripath chipped amp in a second lounge system, it's the TEAC AL-700P with one of the redundant boards pulled. It comes as a three channel amp so has two identical stereo power amp modules. It sounds good with a resistive passive VC.

I've not heard an ICE chipset amp yet but have a pair of Flying Mole class-D monoblocks which use their own method. With a passive VC, the sound is very similar, maybe slightly warmer, than the Tripath but with a lot more welly when needed. There is not a lot written about Flying Mole amps on the forums but I can vouch for them being excellent sound quality. If you like Tripath amps you will almost certainly like Flying Mole.

[aquapiranha]

Hmmmm... Flying Mole you say??

Actually I saw these amps when they started appearing on the back of PMC speakers (I used to use TB2S+) and they did look intriguing,, and there were a few positive reviews around too. Isn't ICE power modules a B&O invention? (don't tell the owners of Bel Canto...they get upset...) and class D is a bit of a misnomer as people confuse the term with "digital" whereas it simply refers to the type of circuit, like A and B..

[jonners]

Are there any views on which is best?
Ive been using a tripath amp for about a year and am thinking about a change.

I don't know about ICE, but I've moved from Tripath to Hypex UcD and I'm happy.

John

[Covenant]

Hi Jonners
Can you explain a bit more about Hypex? Are these just circuits and you are making them up into amps? How do they compare to Tripath?

[leo]

Hypex UCD's can be found in some ready built amps, places like Channel Islands use them.
You can also buy the amp modules from here https://www.hypexshop.com/ if your wanting to knock something up yourself, they also sell the PSU's etc

I've a pair of Hypex UCD monoblocks, their good performers and can be made compact, the PSU's usually take much more space than the actual amps

[aquapiranha]

Hi Jonners
Can you explain a bit more about Hypex? Are these just circuits and you are making them up into amps? How do they compare to Tripath?

Indeed, I am also interested re. the sound quality of the Hypex units. I too have used a Tripath amp and would be interested to hear your thoughts as to why you switched.

[Spectral Morn]

Are there any views on which is best?
Ive been using a tripath amp for about a year and am thinking about a change.

I have heard some Class D designs. Bel Canto's integrated amplifiers the first was Tri-Path and the Second was ICE. I did not much like the sound of the first but thought the SI 300 was quite good. I also had a listen to some Flying Mole amps a while back when the Distributor sent some samples. I liked the build quality and though the sound was again quite good, I was left feeling something in the sound was missing.

I have a lot of experience with Chapter audio amplification (they use a Class D of their own design. I think). I tried these amps at home, the Preface pre and the original power amp and thought that it lacked both drive and presence. However the sound was very good most of the time. A problem occurred with the pre and the power amp, so they upgraded me to a Preface + Signature Pre and the most recent power amp the Cuplet ( not for free, I should add). The issues with the first units vanished and I must say that these are among the best Solid State amps that I have used. Amazingly silent(lack of noise leads to very high levels of detail and inky black spaces), however despite the wonderful aspects of sound,transparency, deep wide and high sound stages, and a very clean treble it still sound odd to my ears as does all class D that I have heard. There is a valve type quality but it sounds neither like traditional solid state or valves and to be honest I don't fully know quite what to make of it.

Generally I prefer Valves to solid state and as Class D comes somewhere in the middle as regards sound qualities, it is well, odd to me. As far as I am concerned the jury is out on Class D but I have not closed the door on it, I keep an open mind and while I like the Chapter audio kit I feel in away that the sound is slightly more hi-fi than music, which is what valve amps sound to me, Music.

Regards D S D L---- Neil

[Covenant]

Thanks for those interesting comments. Could it be simply that class D offers the best of both valve and solid state technology?

[jonners]

Indeed, I am also interested re. the sound quality of the Hypex units. I too have used a Tripath amp and would be interested to hear your thoughts as to why you switched.

Let me say first that I wasn't at all unhappy with the Tripaths (I had the relatively high power TA0103 modules - I still have one stereo board for sale if anyone's interested). However the UcD are quieter,which could be a factor if using high-sensitivity speakers, and since their output impedance doesn't rise in the top octave they are less speaker-fussy. Imaging is a bit more stable with the Hypex, I think. Differences are not night and day - sometimes I like a change for its own sake, plus I enjoy making things.

John