Tubehunter Class D Stereo Power Amplifier [Archive]

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Edward

19-09-2017, 20:27

Today I got one of Duncan's (Tubehunter) class D amps which he was flogging the other day (http://theartofsound.net/forum/showthread.php?53815-IRS2092-IRFI4019-ClassD-Stereo-Power-Amplifiers). Amp based on modules from Sure Electronics (http://store3.sure-electronics.com/).

Switched out my Radford STA25 and inserted the Class D Amp - and Wow! Amazing ...

Had a few hours of settling in and these are singing very sweetly. Wide open, fast and just 'grips' the music. Very precise sound with nice balance across the dynamic range. An easy non fatiguing listen, especially once warmed up. I rather expect that over the next days they will settle in more.

Honestly I'm shocked how musical this amp is, not as sweet/warm perhaps as my Radford STA25, but still very engaging with lots of depth and 'presentation' - really quite the opposite of what one generally expects of a Class D amp - normally expected to be thin sounding and whatnot.

Just saying ... :)

WESTLOWER

19-09-2017, 20:44

Damn ! Missed out on one of these.
Glad you got one Edward, I'd like to hear it
When I next drop by.

montesquieu

19-09-2017, 20:50

Funny I was going to post something similar (and I also have an STA25 Mk3 in the main system at the moment)

This is driving a pair of Tannoy DC6es in my study, preamp is a rather nicely specced Pass B1.

It sounds very nice indeed, very musical, warm, engaging. I'm rather impressed. I will give it a go in the main rig at some point though the study will be its home. It's replacing a 2024 Tripath I also got from Duncan and while I really liked that amp this is most definitely an improvement. Very grown up sound and not in the least grainy or cold which you sometimes get from digital.

Edward

19-09-2017, 20:50

Damn ! Missed out on one of these.
Glad you got one Edward, I'd like to hear it
When I next drop by.

Anytime Adam. In fact you can borrow it when you get your speaker project up and running.

You back in London or still on hols?

Edward

19-09-2017, 20:56

walpurgis

19-09-2017, 20:56

Very grown up sound and not in the least grainy or cold which you sometimes get from digital.

It's not digital Tom.

Class D and the older Tripath amps are analogue. They use high speed switching to construct the waveform envelope. Rather like AM radio.

Lawrence001

19-09-2017, 21:12

I was mulling over these too, but in the end decided I didn't need it having a good ice power amp. Would still like to hear it though.

The Virgos are sounding great on the end of my Ariand/Yarland EL34 amp now if you want to hear them. So much so I've arranged to buy the later version of the amp with switchable pentode/triode mode.

Sent from my NEM-L51 using Tapatalk

WESTLOWER

21-09-2017, 09:53

Thanks Edward, back in the Smoke now.Trying to stop the Mrs. doing the sums to sell up and go to Cornwall, she does this wherever we go!

Anytime Adam. In fact you can borrow it when you get your speaker project up and running.

You back in London or still on hols?

petrat

21-09-2017, 15:12

Thanks Edward, back in the Smoke now.Trying to stop the Mrs. doing the sums to sell up and go to Cornwall, she does this wherever we go!

Take her to Middlesbrough in February for your next holiday, Adam, that'll cure her :lol:

Idlewithnodrive

13-10-2017, 19:48

Having now listened for a couple of weeks, my write up on my one of these (a little different, as it has a 500 VA Traffo) is, "For sale, one Quad 405-2, in excellent condition". :D

Yomanze

28-10-2017, 11:13

Seems like Class D is coming of age.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

walpurgis

28-10-2017, 11:20

I have a reasonably powerful (60 watt) ten year old Tripath power amp that sounds very good indeed. No lack of body and clean with great transparency.

Edward

28-10-2017, 13:13

Adam (Westlover) was over last night and we had a listen again to the Class D amp vs. the Radford. I have a custom thingamajig device that allows me to switch transparently between amps. Whilst the amps are different (in addition to the sound pressure levels) both are highly engaging, musical and, dare I say, emotional. The art of sound in other words.

Sherwood

28-10-2017, 14:06

I have a reasonably powerful (60 watt) ten year old Tripath power amp that sounds very good indeed. No lack of body and clean with great transparency.

I bought one of the original battery powered Sonic Impact Tripath amps without knowing anything about class D or Tripath chips. I have now moved on to a pair of Nuprime monoblocks and I can confirm that class D has certainly come of age!

Geoff

montesquieu

28-10-2017, 14:30

I bought one of the original battery powered Sonic Unity tripath amps without knowing anything about class D or Tripath chips. I have now moved on to a pair of Nuprime monoblocks and I can confirm that class D has certainly come of age!

Geoff

Geoff - which Nuprime monoblocks did you go for? I tried an STA9 stereo and thought while it wasn't **quite** there compared to a good valve amp, I thought it wasn't that far away. (Tannoys are fussy about amps in any case). I remain curious as to how a pair of monoblocked STA9's, ST10s or indeed the latest Nuprime Reference monoblocks would compare.

I tried to fit in a visit to Nuprime's HQ last time I was in Taiwan (in April) but I didn't quite manage it, but I'll definitely make an attempt to get there at some point next year.

Sherwood

28-10-2017, 16:08

Geoff - which Nuprime monoblocks did you go for? I tried an STA9 stereo and thought while it wasn't **quite** there compared to a good valve amp, I thought it wasn't that far away. (Tannoys are fussy about amps in any case). I remain curious as to how a pair of monoblocked STA9's, ST10s or indeed the latest Nuprime Reference monoblocks would compare.

I tried to fit in a visit to Nuprime's HQ last time I was in Taiwan (in April) but I didn't quite manage it, but I'll definitely make an attempt to get there at some point next year.

I use a pair of STA-9s in monoblock mode. In stereo mode a single STA-9 is good but the performance in bridged mode is rather different: more valve like though the noise floor is extremely low. Superb transients, weighty and extended bass, and very musical. On first use, I did think that the treble may have been a bit rolled off, but that may have been a burn in issue as that is not the case now.

Geoff

montesquieu

28-10-2017, 18:45

I use a pair of STA-9s in monoblock mode. In stereo mode a single STA-9 is good but the performance in bridged mode is rather different: more valve like though the noise floor is extremely low. Superb transients, weighty and extended bass, and very musical. On first use, I did think that the treble may have been a bit rolled off, but that may have been a burn in issue as that is not the case now.

Geoff

Yes I'd love to have tried a pair rather than a single but there's no UK dealer or distributor and the Dutch outfit I went to wasn't terribly helpful.

Sherwood

28-10-2017, 19:29

Yes I'd love to have tried a pair rather than a single but there's no UK dealer or distributor and the Dutch outfit I went to wasn't terribly helpful.

I bought mine directly from www.sonicunity.com

I believe they offer a 45 day trial so that may be one way to try out a pair.

Geoff

montesquieu

28-10-2017, 19:34

I bought mine directly from www.sonicunity.com

I believe they offer a 45 day trial so that may be one way to try out a pair.

Geoff

Sonic Unity are in the US. Don't fancy my chances of getting the 20% VAT or the fat courier brokerage fee back should I decide not to keep them ...

Sherwood

28-10-2017, 19:39

Sonic Unity are in the US. Don't fancy my chances of getting the 20% VAT or the fat courier brokerage fee back should I decide not to keep them ...

Fair point re vat but they shipped them very cheaply. Alternatively you can come and hear my pair and visit Sherwood Forest at the same time! At around £1,000 for a pair they are the best 290w per channel amps on the market at present in my view.

Geoff