Gallium Nitride Class D Amplifiers

JFRMusic said:
In my recent research for a possible upgrade to my current amp (Benchmark (AHB2) I was reading about the new higher end design for Class D. I'm very interested in learning more about these new GaN(Gallium Nitride) designs.
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I can only encourage you to take the plunge - see my post above.
 
Hear Here said:
I must let you that I bought an AHB2 soon after release and before any worthwhile reviews. I bought it on the rave recommendation of an Avantgarde speakers owner. As I also owned AG speakers and was looking to replace my SET tube amps with ss, I took the plunge and bought it unheard. This was a poor decision as it soon (after a month of running in) became obvious that it was nowhere near as satisfying as I was used to.

...

I often wonder how many AHB2 owners have bought them after reading reviews or forum recommendations, rather than by conducting extensive home trials with a number of rival amps. I'm sure they may be content with this amp - it's a "nice" amp but a little dull - and that's being more generous than I felt at the time!
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I bought the amplifier based on positive reviews and forum recommendations, so I’m definitely one of those who took the leap of faith. But the manufacturer offers a 30-day money-back guarantee, which gave me the confidence to try it out in my own system and room, knowing I could return it if it didn’t meet my expectations.

I actually ended up purchasing two amps to use in mono configuration and paired them with the Benchmark DAC/Pre. The combination sounds fantastic with my speakers and room acoustics.

Of course, our opinions are subjective, and what works for me might not work for someone else. However, objective measurements show that these amps have one of the lowest noise floors on the market, which allows me to hear low-frequency details that my previous setup missed. It’s always reassuring when subjective listening aligns with objective data.

Assuming your friend’s AG speakers are the same model as yours (and not the AG Trio with the larger bass horns), it’s possible that the issue lies in the interaction between the speakers and your room.
 
nicoff said:
I bought the amplifier based on positive reviews and forum recommendations, so I’m definitely one of those who took the leap of faith. But the manufacturer offers a 30-day money-back guarantee, which gave me the confidence to try it out in my own system and room, knowing I could return it if it didn’t meet my expectations.

I actually ended up purchasing two amps to use in mono configuration and paired them with the Benchmark DAC/Pre. The combination sounds fantastic with my speakers and room acoustics.

Of course, our opinions are subjective, and what works for me might not work for someone else. However, objective measurements show that these amps have one of the lowest noise floors on the market, which allows me to hear low-frequency details that my previous setup missed. It’s always reassuring when subjective listening aligns with objective data.

Assuming your friend’s AG speakers are the same model as yours (and not the AG Trio with the larger bass horns), it’s possible that the issue lies in the interaction between the speakers and your room.
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Thanks for your honest and revealing reply. It seems that our reasons for choosing the BM amp were very similar. What amp was the BM bought to replace? If the BM offered an obvious improvement, you may well have stuck with it rather than go the exhaustive route I did by buying or borrowing many other amps. Certainly, had the BM offered a better sound than my earlier SETs, I'd probably have kept it, unaware that I could have done so much better.

You're absolutely right in pointing out the accuracy and silence of the BM and I suspect the latter was the reason the other AG owner was so keen on it - it later transpired he is obsessed with noise!

His speakers were in fact the Trios with their even higher sensitivity, but most of the amps I tried with my 100 dB Unos (now changed for 107 dB Duo XDs) were also quiet to the extent I couldn't hear any sound with source muted, volume up and my head deep into the horn tube!

Happy to send my one-line opinions on each of the amps I tried. PM me if interested. Thanks
 
Speedskater said:
With modern equipment, why would brand matching pre-amp and power amplifier matter, other than looks?
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There are some manufacturers that claim that their amps sound were designed to work with their preamps (typically they refer to "Gain" match). That said, most folks do the matching because of aesthetics.
 
a.wayne said:
Many times amplifiers are poorly paired up, wrong pre-amp is mostly one reason for bad sound or wrong amp for load.

Easy to have misconceptions on audio equipment without serious due diligence ..

I few years ago i went thru quite a few class D amplfiers , compares with different pre amps and loudspeakers. Could never get over the odd Timbre of them , non stayed.

This new cycle of class D magic i have yet to try , non has dropped in and not going thru another buy and sell cycle with them until i really hear one convincing enuff , hasn't happen yet from listening at shows ..

Regards
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I think you hit the nail on the head with timbre. I feel I have a high sensitivity to timbre I've passed on several pieces of gear due to unsatisfactory timbre to my ears, I'm not just talking about Class D.

There's a group of audio people out there that feel if it measures good it has to be good disregarding their ears and others. If they want to listen to that good for them. At the end of the day it's me and you who have to sit in front of our systems, hopefully we are all enjoying it.
 
I had a GaN amp not mentioned... the Peachtree GaN 400. Thought it was quite good and neutral with plenty of power although it did make that pop when powered on / off.

I also had at one time the Benchmark AHB2. Couldn't really fault it, but guess I also didn't love it.

(Have also had Gato integrated and Cherry mono class D amps. The Cherry was maybe the best of them, but sadly the guy behind that company is gone.)

Would love to hear ADG's take on GaN. Everyone who's heard them seems to admire them. And then there's Technics SU-R1000 which apparently uses GaN brilliantly, but I'm staying away from big heavy components.

Currently using a Goldmund Telos 7 integrated.
 
Kingrex said:
Most of the High $ systems are matched amps and pre. It could just be justification for selling $140k in gear to get $200k in gear. Money does not matter to many people.

I personally like my tube amp. I like tubes in particular when done well. I have had tube amps I was not impressed by. I have had very few SS amps. I hear a lot of SS amps. A good friend wants me to listen to his setup again. Class A 200 watt SS with a Focal speaker. I am impressed by how well it plays. How well tuned the room and system are. How seamless the subs integrate. Its still not my flavor. Someone could spend all day pounding specification into my brain on why his system may be near perfect. Does not mean I'm not more satisfied with my open baffle speaker and tube amp that with the power tube I am using has a little hum. When its playing its more close.to optimum for me. I would not purchase audio amps or speakers because they spec well. I would buy something because I like the way it sounds.
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The simple fact is brick and mortar stores survive almost entirely on what something sounds like. A time-honored tradition.
 
Mr Peabody said:
There's a group of audio people out there that feel if it measures good it has to be good disregarding their ears and others. If they want to listen to that good for them. At the end of the day it's me and you who have to sit in front of our systems, hopefully we are all enjoying it.
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Many folks ask others for equipment recommendation. They use other's suggestions (including reviewers') to determine what to try out. Ultimately, after listening to the equipment in their room, they decide what they like best. The decision often takes into account factors that have nothing to do with the sound (e.g., the looks, form factor, features, etc.). All good.

Similarly, there are folks that rely on objective measurements to select which equipment to try out. Ultimately, after listening to the equipment in their room, they decide what they like best. The decision often takes into account factors that have nothing to do with the sound (e.g., the looks, form factor, features, etc.). Recently, I used this approach when I needed to make changes to my set up and ended up with better sound and money in my pocket.

Everyone ends up with a sound that THEY like.
 
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