Class D vs Class A/B

[John Doe]

Posting cause I can’t find an old thread so,
Are Class A/B amps more beneficial in terms of SQ compared to Class D? I’ve read a few thread where some of you mentioned that back in the days, they were but no so much nowadays. Can someone explain why again, if you believe so? Or conversely, are they still better for SQ purposes? Thanks playas

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[Radiospank 10+ year member]

I personally run the DD C4.100 which is class AB, I also considered the Morel 4 channel which is also class AB. In general Class AB Amps are known for a warmer sound than a class D, even tho class D amps are found in some high end home audio amps they still tend to have a more neutral sound than the class AB. Will your ears know the difference? Probably in a comparison, but will you know the difference once installed? My guess is not, you will be happy with a class D with quality component speakers.

I can be a stickler for this stuff and I’m happy I went with morel components and a class AB amp to power them because it just adds a bit of warmth to the sound and it’s pleasing to me. I believe I would be just as happy with a class D as I’ve owned them before and didn’t think twice about it.

 

[Clifff150 10+ year member]

Depends who you ask. I like class D for the size and personally I like to have more power on hand. I was using a class d for my front stage and I switched to an a/b but that thing got stupid hot and honestly preferred the class d sound. They are different brands (JL class D, Image Dynamics class a/b) but same power.

 

[Jeffdachef 5,000+ posts]

Posting cause I can’t find an old thread so,
Are Class A/B amps more beneficial in terms of SQ compared to Class D? I’ve read a few thread where some of you mentioned that back in the days, they were but no so much nowadays. Can someone explain why again, if you believe so? Or conversely, are they still better for SQ purposes? Thanks playas

its more a question of cheap amps vs well built SQ amps with good filtering low thd and nosie levels. Cheap class a/b will be just as **** as a cheap class D but class D has more power. Expensive class A/B will be just as good as Expensive class D but class D has more power. All the SQ legends and top tier brands are expanding to class D because its the future. There will be no difference in sound once you have everything tuned right in your setup. The tuning and acoustical treatments is 10000000x more important than choosing a class ab or class D amp thats the absolute least of your worries and priority.

 

[Popwarhomie 5,000+ posts]

I went from A/B to D, back to A/B and then back to class D. No noticeable difference other than SNR between some of them. I'll stick with class D from now on.

 

[Jeffdachef 5,000+ posts]

a legendary SQ competitor's build with all class D amplification and a 6th order box. AKA two ported boxes in one. These old dinosaur myths need to die lmao. For reference this guy is the owner of hybrid audio technologies and last year he got the highest score ever in the history of IASCA SQ league.

The Doctor Is In: Scott Buwalda's 2003 Infiniti G35

Scott Buwalda owns this G35, and after deciding to perform a simple upgrade to improve his travels, it quickly expanded into a competition vehicle project. After all, when you are the founder and owner of Hybrid Audio, one of the world’s top mobile audio speaker manufacturers, your car’s destiny...

www.pasmag.com

 

[hispls 5,000+ posts]

I’ve read a few thread where some of you mentioned that back in the days, they were but no so much nowadays

Very old news and what's changed is mostly advances in semiconductors. There is no reason apart from some nostalgia piece, to use class A/B amps anymore.

Richard Clark still has his 10,000$ and within their limitations and correcting for response with EQ and proper gain settings you cannot hear the difference from one amp to the next.

 

[John Doe]

a legendary SQ competitor's build with all class D amplification and a 6th order box. AKA two ported boxes in one. These old dinosaur myths need to die lmao. For reference this guy is the owner of hybrid audio technologies and last year he got the highest score ever in the history of IASCA SQ league.

The Doctor Is In: Scott Buwalda's 2003 Infiniti G35

Scott Buwalda owns this G35, and after deciding to perform a simple upgrade to improve his travels, it quickly expanded into a competition vehicle project. After all, when you are the founder and owner of Hybrid Audio, one of the world’s top mobile audio speaker manufacturers, your car’s destiny...

www.pasmag.com

Holy **** that thing is beautiful. And that part about the bass illusion coming from the front is crazy as hell...

 

[John Doe]

I went from A/B to D, back to A/B and then back to class D. No noticeable difference other than SNR between some of them. I'll stick with class D from now on.

Thanks for the input!

 

[John Doe]

Depends who you ask. I like class D for the size and personally I like to have more power on hand. I was using a class d for my front stage and I switched to an a/b but that thing got stupid hot and honestly preferred the class d sound. They are different brands (JL class D, Image Dynamics class a/b) but same power.

Thank you for the input!!

 

[Radiospank 10+ year member]

I would read reviews of some professionals and gauge what they say about the amps, my first instinct isn’t to go after the cheapest class D out there and believe it’s as good as Another brands. There is still a lot that goes into producing a good quality amp that sounds good.

 

[Jeffdachef 5,000+ posts]

Class A design is the least efficient but has the highest sound fidelity. Class B design is a little more efficient, but full of distortion. Class AB design offers power efficiency and good sound. Class D design has the highest efficiency but isn't quite as high-fidelity.

true 15 years ago, not so nowadays. Technology has far advanced since then.

 

[hispls 5,000+ posts]

Class A design is the least efficient but has the highest sound fidelity. Class B design is a little more efficient, but full of distortion. Class AB design offers power efficiency and good sound. Class D design has the highest efficiency but isn't quite as high-fidelity.

And yet still nobody has taken Richard Clark's money.

I would read reviews of some professionals

And until one of those "professionals" takes Richard Clark's money they're just blowing smoke out their arse.

There's reasons to buy a higher quality amplifier, but sounding different than something else really isn't going to be a think these days.

 

[Jeffdachef 5,000+ posts]

And yet still nobody has taken Richard Clark's money.

And until one of those "professionals" takes Richard Clark's money they're just blowing smoke out their arse.

There's reasons to buy a higher quality amplifier, but sounding different than something else really isn't going to be a think these days.

apparently a couple of people passed it and richard clark has made all sorts of excuses not to pay and reneged on his bet. There was a non related thread where he was brought up and everyone out of the wood work came out and was trashin on him in diyma a couple years ago btw. But in general most people failed. Mainly because he literally RTA and EQ's the signal so its completely identical and use it within power capacity so most normal people would never tell the difference. Which is why I tell people install, acoustical treatments and tune is everything. After a proper tune, all amps sound the same just class D has more power so theres no use in going class A/B unless you are SQ illiterate and cant tune for **** and rely on amplifier colouring for "warmth" which is easily achieved with a proper tune anyways.

 

[Radiospank 10+ year member]

apparently a couple of people passed it and richard clark has made all sorts of excuses not to pay and reneged on his bet. There was a non related thread where he was brought up and everyone out of the wood work came out and was trashin on him in diyma a couple years ago btw. But in general most people failed. Mainly because he literally RTA and EQ's the signal so its completely identical and use it within power capacity so most normal people would never tell the difference. Which is why I tell people install, acoustical treatments and tune is everything. After a proper tune, all amps sound the same just class D has more power so theres no use in going class A/B unless you are SQ illiterate and cant tune for **** and rely on amplifier colouring for "warmth" which is easily achieved with a proper tune anyways.

I think like you some people believe EQ is the answer, but there are many other factors to consider on how the final sound is achieved. An amp certainly does just amplify the signal but several other things can color the sound and that’s why I still say don’t settle on the cheapest amp out there. Lots of enthusiasts will agree that certain amps sound better with more dynamic sound, better separation etc. there is a point of diminishing returns on components and since we can’t all demo them, the need for a professionals opinion on a product is pretty valuable.