Old but evergreen argument, class AB vs D!

[mark3004]

Hey guys,
I know probably it's something we (you) talked a lot, but still interesting to me. Please post your experience (and which amp was) switching from/to class AB amp from/to class D.
Thanks everyone!

[JCsAudio]

I’ve tested a decent amount of amplifiers that costs under $600 each from the DLS cci 44 (class A/B) to the Rockford Fosgate Power 600 (class A/B), to a Pioneer D8604 and Pioneer PRS d4200f (class D) in blind testing swapping them back and forth with my test subjects and playing on KEF home audio speakers and 110 amps of power supplies. The Class D and class A/B amplifiers listed above were neck and neck in the tests. I also had some amplifiers being one Alpine Class A/B that sounded noticeably worse and some class D amplifiers that were just so so sounding. Class D has come a long way now so I think they sound just as good if not better than a Class A/B amplifier. All testing was done with no clipping and all were level matched so one wasn’t louder than the other.

[Omicron]

For me, Class D all day. I like the power offering in the smaller footprint and lower heat.

[nadams5755]

better discussion to have is bargain class-ab vs premium class-ab and bargain class-d vs premium class-d.

[Hillbilly SQ]

Oh boy, time for me to be brutally honest with my findings. This is just opinion so take it for what it's worth.

Switched from a JL XD800/8 to an Arc xdi1200.6. I doubled the power going to my speakers because none of the channels on the JL were bridged. While I realize the xdi amps have a strong following the 1200.6 is only one of two amps that I feel like I screwed up buying. It had a rounded off signature that I just couldn't tune out. Don't take this as a knock on Arc because a lot of people seem to prefer the sound of the XDI over the XD amps so don't come at me like a spider monkey if you think I'm trashing the XDI. The JL XD was sterile but also kinda lively sounding at the same time to my ears. This was with the same speakers, processor, and tune. After hearing so many great things about the Zapco ST-X amps I got a GREAT deal on one from someone I know that worked for Atrend when they carried the brand. This amp only put out about half the power of the xdi it replaced and the Zapco 5ch was a/b INCLUDING the sub channel. Best way I can describe how the Zapco sounded was "transparent". The sound seemed to gain a third dimension. Yes I lost a little bit of overall output cutting my power in half but I was fine with that. The Arc reminded me of the first generation of Alpine pdx amps. Yes I had one of those too for a bit. Now I'm running a helix G-Five and it's amazing but also HUGE. a/b on the fullrange channels with plenty of power.

So, my opinion on a/b vs d is "it depends". I'd go back to the JL XD. Also hear great things about the Pioneer and the little RF class D amps. For now I'll stick with a/b on everything but sub because that's what I have installed and no good reason to change something that ain't broke.

Let's keep this thread civil and prove that this forum is more level headed than that other place

[JCsAudio]

better discussion to have is bargain class-ab vs premium class-ab and bargain class-d vs premium class-d.

Problem with that is no one really knows what that is and price alone is no guarantee that the sound will be any better from one model to another. Most of the information out there is purely anecdotal and even though no two amplifiers sound exactly the same, their differences are in all actuality very small and hard to decipher within their clipping limits. Like the mattress business where you are really buying a blind product because you have no idea what’s inside, the amplifier business is similarly plagued with the same hocus-pocus magic bullshit that makes everyone get in a tizzy over their feelings about brands because they think just because they spent X on thier amplifier that it somehow is like that unicorn amplifier that defies logic that everyone is after but no one knows what that is.

They say they want pure sound with no distortion but then contradict themselves and describe things that are actually distortion related such as warmth. So new and old customers become confused and the marketing departments of these amplifier brands take advantage of that and charge you more money for a fancier exterior box with the same amplifier board from the same build house that the other brand uses with a different exterior case.

So the differences are really in the quality of the components and the engineering behind them backed by real manufacturer warranties and customer service. Companies like Rockford Fosgate, Mmats, Audiotec Fischer, Pioneer, JL Audio, and Kicker all have proven reliable or proprietary designs with the engineering needed to make them sound good and be reliable . The engineering part is especially important with the complexity of class D designs. What someone should do when looking at an amplifier is to get the best one they can afford that is proven in design and qaulity. And lastly get it out of their heads that class A/B is somehow superior in sound qaulity to Class D.

[Hillbilly SQ]

Totally agree JC. This all hit home when the cheap Zapco amps were sounding better than amps that cost way more. Now they got a GREAT sounding amp at a very low price point so they had to cut corners somewhere I would think. If we pay more for an amp it better have superior parts in it to make it worth the extra price. Too bad with anything there are no guarantees and that $200 amp might outlast a $1000 amp in a similar install while sounding about the same. You're rolling the dice there. This is why I just can't make myself buy a really expensive just because. I'd rather get 95% there for a fraction of the cost since I'm not chasing points in SQ comps.

EDIT: I also hear class d amps are a lot easier to mess up if the engineer doesn't know exactly what they're doing or cuts too many corners to hit a price point.

[JCsAudio]

Delete double post

[nadams5755]

Yeah, all amps sound different, even across instances in the same line or across hardware revisions.

[Holmz]

I went with the ol McIntosh class A/B amps mostly because they just look cool.

Even if they don't sound any better, the looks somewhat make up for the bulk and the PITA mounting.

I would not be at all adverse to using Class-D for midbass and subs. And it would not be adverse for using Class-A for tweeters.
I don't know if the Class-A are better, but they also seem cool.