Full range class AB vs. full range class D

[2lo2flo 10+ year member]

I prefer Class A/B amps any day!!

Especially old school US amps/ PPI

To me they sound much better even compared to the newer JL HD or Alpine PDX amps...

 

[helotaxi 5,000+ posts]

It isn't fair to compare the Crossfire to the US Amps but there are definitely audible differences between the two, a good example is how tube amps sounds different from a solid-state amp and the sound characteristics will change if you use a different set of tubes. Of course people argue that vacuum tube adds nothing but distortion but if that's true then there wouldn't be a community of high-end tube amps that cost thousands or a lot more. I've owned several home theater amps and some do have their own "sound" no matter if the volume is at 1/4 or 3/4.

Do you actually believe that tubes don't add distortion because there are tube amps that cost a fortune? Really?

 

[RAM_Designs 5,000+ posts]

Do you actually believe that tubes don't add distortion because there are tube amps that cost a fortune? Really?

I think he meant that they don't add just distortion, but have their own unique sound based on the tubes used.

 

[helotaxi 5,000+ posts]

And that unique sound is a combination of the extremely low damping factor and the type of distortion added.

 

[Bassin Buick]

**** everything , just get hold of numerous PPI powerclass & art series amps and FTW!!

 

[Sarthos 10+ year member]

buy a solid state amp and an equalizer, it'll do the same thing as a tube amp. Just make sure you're drunk when you set the equalizer, possibly while on painkillers too.

 

[n2audio 5,000+ posts]

I made the switch from a Zed Audio a/b (opti100.4, bridged) to a Korean built Lanzar full range D (opti 4x400d, bridged) - the Lanzar's apparently come from the same manufacturer as Planet Audios BB series class D's. They look virtually identical on the inside.

I've heard no negatives in terms of sound quality.

The a/b was rated at 180x2 bridged, Carsound tested it at about 250x2 -- I set the gain with a DMM for 180w.

The D is rated for 320x2 bridged, I assume it's accurately rated at best. It's set at 250.

 

[gentlejax 10+ year member]

I made the switch from a Zed Audio a/b (opti100.4, bridged) to a Korean built Lanzar full range D (opti 4x400d, bridged) - the Lanzar's apparently come from the same manufacturer as Planet Audios BB series class D's. They look virtually identical on the inside.
I've heard no negatives in terms of sound quality.

The a/b was rated at 180x2 bridged, Carsound tested it at about 250x2 -- I set the gain with a DMM for 180w.

The D is rated for 320x2 bridged, I assume it's accurately rated at best. It's set at 250.

I bought my first OPti amps because of you years ago...but anyhow...

I now have some eclipse ICE power full range class D. tell you what. it might not sound as good as some high end A/B but I can say I really like the fact I can crank it for an hour and the amp never gets hot matter of fact its almost cool. its pretty loud and still sounds good...and probably in the 70% efficient range.

I cant say the same for 90% of the old school stuff. they get hot..waste a lot of power in heat and are much bigger. For what you get its not worth it.

I am happy with my Eclipse XA ICE powered class D. I got 2 of them. going to run them bridged , one per side. will have 300 watts rms per speaker on tap. will not need it all and will be cool as a cucumber doing it..with less space.

and I have had all kinds of amps and I do love US AMPS ..but I am not sorry one bit I have changed the class of amps to these I have now.

 

[Radiospank 10+ year member]

bump same **** is discussed in 2020

 

[Jeffdachef 5,000+ posts]

bump same **** is discussed in 2020

This was before any sort of proper DSP was around and people were still gambling with passive components. There was next to no real options for complete sound control other than very few specific decks but in general most of the car audio community does not know how to work time alignment or 31 bands of parametric eq at this time so all they can do is rely on amp colouration. Technology has far advanced past what these members can even fathom

 

[Radiospank 10+ year member]

This was before any sort of proper DSP was around and people were still gambling with passive components. There was next to no real options for complete sound control other than very few specific decks but in general most of the car audio community does not know how to work time alignment or 31 bands of parametric eq at this time so all they can do is rely on amp colouration. Technology has far advanced past what these members can even fathom

I agree a lot has changed but The fact remains that class D produced distortion more specifically in the upper regions causing a certain edginess to sound, this of course has been remedied by new Class D designs, making the original signal much more accurate and bandwidth increased, hence full range Class D being a competitor now. It no longer has the harsh edge or sound it did with earlier designs; given a Quality Class D design. So going back to your point about DSP and making it sound similar to class AB well that is probably true as you are just matching the sound profile, without the distortion added to the signal.