I’ve seen a lot of severely damaged Class D amps but it’s the SMPS rather than the amplifier stage itself that has been the problem. Those power supplies have an upfront voltage of around 340V DC (rectified mains) and when the switching sync has a hissy fit, that energy can not only blow the switching MOSFET but fry the PCB itself often rendering it uneconomical to repair. So Class D output stages are reliable - it’s the switching power supply that can be more problematic than the traditional linear supplies.
I agree with you, but strictly seen the power supply topology is independent of the amplifier class. You could switch them around for both class A/B and class D. However in reality, a switching power supply is commonly married to a class D amp, where as a classical unregulated power supply is the de-facto combination with a class A/B amp.
I had that happening to my integrated Gato class D amp happening, @AnalogueGround. I had it repaired but to a hefty bill. I’d encourage people with class D amps to invest in a decent powersurge protection, either PS Audio powerplants, or some passive filtering devices. It will certainly repay itself.
@@uccelino They are generally fine with noisy mains supplies but sudden massive dips in mains voltage can trigger a problem. I had one fail twice - each time they were run outdoors with a generator supply. When the canteen starts drawing current with their ovens the supply can go wild if the generator can’t cope with the load and those steep sudden fluctuations didn’t bode well for the switching supply in the amplifier!
Class AB amplifiers are more robust and when they get 30 to 40 years old they start to have distortion at higher volume levels due to capacitor aging but, can be fixed very easily with just a soldering iron, solder, and high-quality replacement capacitors. The power supply circuitry of a class AB amp is a fuse, toroidal power supply transformer, a Full wave bridge rectifier, a capacitor bank, and optionally some inductors to filter out noise.
My Crown XLS has trundled along just fine for 13 years now, working with my ARC SP9II. Of course, I haven't put it through the professional grind or otherwise abused it.
Speaking as an electrical engineer, the reliability of electronics is largely affected by the stress that the parts experience. For the best results, don't let the stuff get hot, keep the voltage and current below the rated values, etc. Of course, for commercial electronics, this increases the cost and decreases the profits, so some stuff does fail earlier than it would otherwise have to.
Early class D amplifiers such as those used in consumer subwoofers were predestined for early failure due to some output filter network components and other components that would run hot and often manufacturers used a type of component adhesive that when subjected to heat would become conductive. The resulting electrolysis would lead to corrosion and we all know corrosion is the best thing for electronics.
@@davidperry4013 Most were made by a now defunkt company in Canada who's name escapes me but Harman Consumer Group used it in the HK and Infinity brands. Definitive Technology had similar issues as well.
I've seen a LOT of SMPS fail due to under-spec capacitors (temperature and voltage ratings were insufficient for the conditions). Most of the time this is the problem, and it's due to poor or cut-rate component selection.
I know in the UK a lot of the early (read cheap here) class D did fail mainly by virtue of their Switch Mode power supplies. This did not just apply to amps but TV etc. I think most manufacturers have now got wise to this.
@@Scottlp2 Three dog night? Three class D amp night, and you don't have to feed or walk it, or any of the other mundane or degrading duties of a responsible HiFi seeker.
Temperature cycling will break components and semiconductor device data sheets show how somponents should be derated as temperature increases. If a device has a rated dissipation of 150 Watts at 25 Deg. C then at 75 Deg. C it will be considerably less. A well known class A amplifier designer said "you can never have too much heatsinking". Class D amplifiers are something like ten times more complex than a regular class AB type and that too can add to more failures.
Over my lifetime I've owned quite a few receivers, integrated amps and amplifiers. Some had inputs that quit working and some I gave to friends when I upgraded, but all of them still worked when I got rid of them. The Class D plate amplifiers on subwoofers definitely have 'limited lifespans', I've replaced mine FOUR times. This is why I refuse to buy any speaker with a built in amplification.
Class D has moved along quite a bit in the last 3-4 years. It would be interesting to see what the Sprout could do with one of the latest Class D modules, or even GanFET
We have eight year old Class D amps that are always on and are in daily service. With hundreds deployed, the two or three systems that appeared to have crashed turned out to be the SMPS or the digi source.
As with anything electronic, it depends on the components used. The "lifespan" discussion is mostly around electrolytic capacitors. Purifi Eigentakt modules use good quality capacitors on top of the other good quality components. The achilles' heel is the Hypex power supply that is usually used with them. Hypex is known to use lesser quality capacitors from brands such as Su'scon. Add to that a less than stellar case design around heat management and the "lifespan" will really suffer.
since class D is commonly used in active and powered speakers aka plate amps the failure rate is high in that application. all my discrete hifi gear never broke, but all my plate amps in speakers and subwoofers failed or had issues at one point.
That is actually true, I am working in the semiconductor industry, i.e. the industry that makes the computer chips. And it is also an accepted theory there. It has to do with electro-migration, it must not always be the case but it can occur.
Burn in does exist but it really depends what you're applying it to. Electronics, not so much, speakers yes. Because there's mechanical movement in speakers, not in electronics.
Actually, with the turning full on and full off of the transistors, there is no middle area where excess power has to be dissipated, so, theoretically, the transistors should last longer if they are operated like a switch. As long as the device is within the current ratings, it should last a while. But like with any amplifier, if you over drive it often, you probably will kill it much sooner than if you used the amplifier for regular listening and / or background music.
I 've had several 'trad' amps of respectable quality - I'm 70+ - Pioneer, NAD , Carver etc. and none has lasted more than 7 -8 years. weakness pretty consistently speaker relays and / or pops / clicks in the controls. can't say new models yet, ( just bought a new Outlaw rec. last year.) are the 'electronic ' controls more reliable than the older style ?
Any solid state electronic circuit, properly implemented can last lifetimes. A fella I enjoy arcade cabinet resto videos from, just repaired a CRT PCB that was literally cracked in HALF. People truly underestimate the resiliency of our modern electronics. Im sure any PS Audio product could survive multiple trips to the moon and back easily, lol!
Here is the designer’s dilemma, the switching frequency and current in class-D brings this firmly into RF (radio frequency) design rules. Ground isn’t ground anymore, it’s an inductive impedance, routing becomes critical, feedback return paths, again great care is needed. The way round this is for everything to be mounted very-local to its connected circuits. Or put another way, you will never see a large class D PCB. This leaves little for distancing circuits from hot components, or even mounting heatsinking on the board, it just compromises the layout. Class A-B and such, you can ease up and space things out. So long as the parts used are high temperature spec, long life then it will be fine. However even the big names and high cost stuff will sometimes happily budget and stick in a duff part. So it depends on how good the designer was in getting stuff past the bean counter in any business.
A class D amp can be difficult to repair some technicians would not even try it but it is normal now to just swap boards if something needs to be repaired.
Audioholics site states that class d amplifiers in subwoofers are prone to much greater failures. Other class d amps, it may not be so. My class d sub has worked hard since 2016 without issues.
Transistors do better being either fully "on" or fully "off" than they do anywhere in between. Class D amplifiers fail for other reasons, often as a result of idiots trying to drive them too hard. Just like other amp classes...
@Reticuli imo, it's because manufacturers have made them a commodity. Use the cheapest components and engineer the unit to just meet UL or CSA standards. Mix that with a repair costing more than half the price of a replacement, purchasing the 'latest and greatest' for a few dollars more is the most attractive option, financially. It reminds me of the old saying 'the component failed to protect the fuse'. 😂
Many of the class D amplifiers I have worked on, the designers are so bad....some are "grotequely stupid" by putting real hot components barely in their SOA (High watt resistors,Transistors, Regulators, Zeners) in close proximity to items sensitive to heat like electrolytics, plastic components etc. The datasheet quoted MTBF's can be shortened. And yes - they can say the word "BANG", followed by some fizzing then the fuses jump into the ultra violet. And because the PCB substrate is so cheap... the print goes up with the fuses. Some of these amps cost £6000 or more. On most the build quality is all in the chassis . .. . not in the reliability engineering and the electronics.
A class D amplifier has a similar risk of being damaged as a switching power supply with a push pull stage. The latter is used in many PCs. If the design is correct there is no reason why it would fail earlier than a class AB amplifier. Probably it can last even longer because less heat is generated.
To be so completely opposite of reality! Sold state devices, transistors, are switches. They work best when being used to just turn on and off. They are more apt to burn out from overheating while dissipating heat from linear operation. As such a Class D amp is more likely to outlast a Class A, A/B linear design. It is more likely that Class D is typically used to reduce costs (per watt) and use lower quality components.
Dunno if the amp in my Polk PSW650 is class D or not, but I bought it new and it's been in almost continuous use since the mid '90's, and is only now showing some issues, sometimes a popping sound when there are long periods of no low-end signal (mostly movies) then suddenly there is a peak. I'm planning on buying an NAD M28 to power my home theater system (7 Focal Chora 826's) and I'm hoping with the NAD, especially for the money, that I'll have the same type longevity I've had with my Polk gear.
Loosely based on this argument of longevity. Modern solid state AM transmitters use their variation of PWM for said purpose of amplifying radio waves and if you think about it those are running 24/7 and have been for decades now.
It's amazing what they have done with large scale AM transmitters. Made up of racks of smaller amplifiers they are time-shared, programmable in different power levels and phase configurations for daytime and nighttime authorizations and are hot swappable in case of failure without any downtime.
@@InsideOfMyOwnMind it made life so much easier for the engineering folks out there in radio land. I think technically the class D advantages to audio equipment is limitless. Sonically things have improved to levels that are closing in very fast on Class A-AB configurations and in some cases flat out rivaling those older technologies. I actually like both technologies.
@@Channel-cm7yc I had once thought about a multi channel class D amp that used a multiplexed configuration and a filter for each channel but only one output stage to serve all channels. I since learned that some people had tried to do it but at the time it was very tedious and not worth the trouble. I mean, I had the whole block diagram drawn out and everything. Oh well.
The more rational explanation, logic and facts you present to a conspiracy theorist, the more he/she will believe they are right and you are wrong. They will rather self destruct than admit their "knowledge" is bogus, or that they have been silly enough to be misled. You will hear a lot of "I once has a class D amp that failed, which supports my point. I don't care that you had a class A or AB amp that failed because that is besides the point."
It’s still a transistor. SMH. Why do mosfets fail hard? It’s like Hiroshima for amplifiers. BJT’s can get violent, but at least you can stand up the dominoes.(mostly repair) Fets on modern multilayer boards, fail beyond all recognition too often, welding the boards. Today’s solution, replace the module, throw it in the landfill with no recyclability. We have a disaster coming with our fat, lazy, disposable, consumption.
The rise of interest in Class D coincided with the flood of fake components in the mid 2000s. Whilst Paul is right about the designs not being destin to fail class D does work its component's hard. They need to be of good quality and speced for the job.
Everything has a limited life span but class D amplifiers are more likely to become landfill sooner than class A/B. The latter (provided they are build with discrete components) can be easier repaired with fewer skills. And all those fancy class D chips will be obsolete just like the STK power output modules of the late 70's. Don't expect any class D amp to ever reach the status a vintage Marantz receiver has.
Here's a possibly controversial comment. It's a pity Paul WON'T see it? Perhaps I should write to him? I've noticed that Paul's listening rooms are VERY brightly lit. Personally, I think music sounds better in subdued lighting conditions! That said, has anybody heard somebody say something like, "I'll just put the light on, so I can hear better!" 🤣
Anything that's using capacitors (Electrolytic) anywhere from the power supplies to the signal path are going to fail one day or another ..Does not matter class abcdg
You'll find millions upon millions of failed class D subwoofer amps, it's a given that the amp is the weak point of powered subs and speakers. Companies can't get out of their own way using the cheapest possible components and they usually offer a very short warranty on the amp compared to the rest of the speaker.
Nobody in todays market are goin to bash class d amps they want to sell these amps lets see if there around like amps from the seventies fifty years from now
Not naming names, but I had a not-inexpensive Class D integrated go kaput for no apparent reason after five years of routine use, forcing an out of warranty repair. Internet chatter reveals others have had the same issue with the same product. My vintage 80s Japanese AB amp that replaced it, however, has never needed service in 40 years, and sounds better, to boot.
There is such thing as "automotive grade" components (one step below mil-spec). They cost more. The fact that they (class D amplifiers) may or may not survive in a car is relatively unrelated to consumer grade products.
If class D amplifiers offered sonic improvements over class AB then I would buy one for my hi-fi system. They do score in terms of efficiency, allowing higher outputs at lower voltages with less heat, but is this an advantage for the average home hi-fi listener? I think not. As far as comparitive life span is concerned, I wouldn't expect a difference, since this property is more dependant upon good design and quality, rather than the amplifier class.
Class D seems to perform “better” (simpler, smaller, cheaper, cooler) and thus further abused, for example, driving challenging loads or very low impedances as they do not show distortion upfront in the same way class AB does… just a thought…
As long as there are going to be UA-cam channels, there will be language police. (English is not my native language, just in case you find something wrong with my reply.)
@israelelias1574 A bad class A amp sucks, a good one doesn't. A bad class AB amp sucks, a good one doesn't. A bad class D amp sucks, a good one doesn't. Your generalization/absolutism does not hold water. You probably never heard a good high end class D amp.
Class D sucks. Why take a continuous sine wave, break it up into 44,000 parts, and then stitch it back together again, and call it music. Sorry, but no.
Except class D amplification does not work that way. There are lots of misconceptions and prejudices about class D amplification and your statement sadly belongs to those categories.
@@andymill8552 You'll never be able to teach people that. They just want to believe in the mystique of "pure" analogue sound. And that's OK. Look. This is an industry where everyone wants to make money. Let him. There's a straw for every donkey.
Ray Walston was My Favorite Martian, along with costar Bill Bixby. Great show.
One of my FAVE shows as a kid. He was also Mr. Hand in "Fast Times at Ridgemont High".
Ray Walston also played "Boothby" (The Starfleet Academy Grounds Keeper) on Star Trek: TNG and Voyager. 😊
I’ve seen a lot of severely damaged Class D amps but it’s the SMPS rather than the amplifier stage itself that has been the problem. Those power supplies have an upfront voltage of around 340V DC (rectified mains) and when the switching sync has a hissy fit, that energy can not only blow the switching MOSFET but fry the PCB itself often rendering it uneconomical to repair. So Class D output stages are reliable - it’s the switching power supply that can be more problematic than the traditional linear supplies.
I agree with you, but strictly seen the power supply topology is independent of the amplifier class. You could switch them around for both class A/B and class D. However in reality, a switching power supply is commonly married to a class D amp, where as a classical unregulated power supply is the de-facto combination with a class A/B amp.
Stick to a hefty linear power supply .... you can't go wrong
I had that happening to my integrated Gato class D amp happening, @AnalogueGround. I had it repaired but to a hefty bill. I’d encourage people with class D amps to invest in a decent powersurge protection, either PS Audio powerplants, or some passive filtering devices. It will certainly repay itself.
@@uccelino They are generally fine with noisy mains supplies but sudden massive dips in mains voltage can trigger a problem. I had one fail twice - each time they were run outdoors with a generator supply. When the canteen starts drawing current with their ovens the supply can go wild if the generator can’t cope with the load and those steep sudden fluctuations didn’t bode well for the switching supply in the amplifier!
Class AB amplifiers are more robust and when they get 30 to 40 years old they start to have distortion at higher volume levels due to capacitor aging but, can be fixed very easily with just a soldering iron, solder, and high-quality replacement capacitors. The power supply circuitry of a class AB amp is a fuse, toroidal power supply transformer, a Full wave bridge rectifier, a capacitor bank, and optionally some inductors to filter out noise.
My Crown XLS has trundled along just fine for 13 years now, working with my ARC SP9II. Of course, I haven't put it through the professional grind or otherwise abused it.
Speaking as an electrical engineer, the reliability of electronics is largely affected by the stress that the parts experience. For the best results, don't let the stuff get hot, keep the voltage and current below the rated values, etc. Of course, for commercial electronics, this increases the cost and decreases the profits, so some stuff does fail earlier than it would otherwise have to.
Early class D amplifiers such as those used in consumer subwoofers were predestined for early failure due to some output filter network components and other components that would run hot and often manufacturers used a type of component adhesive that when subjected to heat would become conductive. The resulting electrolysis would lead to corrosion and we all know corrosion is the best thing for electronics.
you are talking about a mal-designed products, not the technology itself, aren't you?
@@tcngr Yes, and the average class D amp is badly designed and build to an extreme low cost.
The Klipsch subs when they first rolled off has class D plate amps from BASH is known to have plate amplifier failures.
@@davidperry4013 Most were made by a now defunkt company in Canada who's name escapes me but Harman Consumer Group used it in the HK and Infinity brands. Definitive Technology had similar issues as well.
I've seen a LOT of SMPS fail due to under-spec capacitors (temperature and voltage ratings were insufficient for the conditions). Most of the time this is the problem, and it's due to poor or cut-rate component selection.
I know in the UK a lot of the early (read cheap here) class D did fail mainly by virtue of their Switch Mode power supplies. This did not just apply to amps but TV etc. I think most manufacturers have now got wise to this.
I'm surprised no mention was made about how much cooler Class D amps run than A or AB. Surely, operating temperatures and efficiency play a role too.
You don't need your room heated in the winter ;-) D'agostinos room heaters to the rescue
@@Scottlp2 Three dog night? Three class D amp night, and you don't have to feed or walk it, or any of the other mundane or degrading duties of a responsible HiFi seeker.
Temperature cycling will break components and semiconductor device data sheets show how somponents should be derated as temperature increases. If a device has a rated dissipation of 150 Watts at 25 Deg. C then at 75 Deg. C it will be considerably less. A well known class A amplifier designer said "you can never have too much heatsinking".
Class D amplifiers are something like ten times more complex than a regular class AB type and that too can add to more failures.
yes,but class d have rubbish sound compared with hifi class a or ab
Over my lifetime I've owned quite a few receivers, integrated amps and amplifiers. Some had inputs that quit working and some I gave to friends when I upgraded, but all of them still worked when I got rid of them. The Class D plate amplifiers on subwoofers definitely have 'limited lifespans', I've replaced mine FOUR times. This is why I refuse to buy any speaker with a built in amplification.
Class D has moved along quite a bit in the last 3-4 years. It would be interesting to see what the Sprout could do with one of the latest Class D modules, or even GanFET
We have eight year old Class D amps that are always on and are in daily service. With hundreds deployed, the two or three systems that appeared to have crashed turned out to be the SMPS or the digi source.
Same here running class D Cyrus products daily on TV 2 channel listening and music. They are going strong after 20 years.
Panasonic SA XR-50 from 2003 still running fine. Red Dragon M500 mk2 monoblocks (Ice) from 2016 running fine.
As with anything electronic, it depends on the components used. The "lifespan" discussion is mostly around electrolytic capacitors. Purifi Eigentakt modules use good quality capacitors on top of the other good quality components. The achilles' heel is the Hypex power supply that is usually used with them. Hypex is known to use lesser quality capacitors from brands such as Su'scon. Add to that a less than stellar case design around heat management and the "lifespan" will really suffer.
since class D is commonly used in active and powered speakers aka plate amps the failure rate is high in that application.
all my discrete hifi gear never broke, but all my plate amps in speakers and subwoofers failed or had issues at one point.
This is similar to the widespread opinion that older computers become slower and slower because the zeros and ones wear out over time!
That is actually true, I am working in the semiconductor industry, i.e. the industry that makes the computer chips. And it is also an accepted theory there. It has to do with electro-migration, it must not always be the case but it can occur.
Speaking of books, yours seems to be really good. At least the first part I read of your first. I just wish they were priced more modestly.
Thanks for that story about myths. I can add it to the list: Dacs matter, Cables matter, Burn-in, Noisy PCs, what did I miss?
Burn in does exist but it really depends what you're applying it to. Electronics, not so much, speakers yes. Because there's mechanical movement in speakers, not in electronics.
Looks like you've never even tried those "myths" for yourself
Cable lifters, different gauge wire for highs and lows, anti -vibration pads under your electronics, audiophile fuses.
@@geoff37s57 But those are all true! 🤣🤣. Just kidding, you're right, they need to be on the list!
Well DACs do matter, really easy to measure and hear, the other ones are total bullshit, yes.
Thanks, just received AGD Audion MK3's 12 days along with PS Dac MK2.
Actually, with the turning full on and full off of the transistors, there is no middle area where excess power has to be dissipated, so, theoretically, the transistors should last longer if they are operated like a switch. As long as the device is within the current ratings, it should last a while. But like with any amplifier, if you over drive it often, you probably will kill it much sooner than if you used the amplifier for regular listening and / or background music.
As all the components are mounted on small boards, if something fails then it's just like updating to the latest module/board that people do anyway.
Everything has a limited livespan own a very good class a. And yes they needed to be refurbished.
I 've had several 'trad' amps of respectable quality - I'm 70+ - Pioneer, NAD , Carver etc. and none has lasted more than 7 -8 years. weakness pretty consistently speaker relays and / or pops / clicks in the controls. can't say new models yet, ( just bought a new Outlaw rec. last year.) are the 'electronic ' controls more reliable than the older style ?
My dual monoblock tpa3255 has run now for over a year , no change @ 8 ohm ,cool as a cucumber @ 40volts
Any solid state electronic circuit, properly implemented can last lifetimes. A fella I enjoy arcade cabinet resto videos from, just repaired a CRT PCB that was literally cracked in HALF. People truly underestimate the resiliency of our modern electronics. Im sure any PS Audio product could survive multiple trips to the moon and back easily, lol!
Great explanation Paul. If transistors were electromechanical this might make sense.
Here is the designer’s dilemma, the switching frequency and current in class-D brings this firmly into RF (radio frequency) design rules. Ground isn’t ground anymore, it’s an inductive impedance, routing becomes critical, feedback return paths, again great care is needed. The way round this is for everything to be mounted very-local to its connected circuits. Or put another way, you will never see a large class D PCB. This leaves little for distancing circuits from hot components, or even mounting heatsinking on the board, it just compromises the layout. Class A-B and such, you can ease up and space things out. So long as the parts used are high temperature spec, long life then it will be fine. However even the big names and high cost stuff will sometimes happily budget and stick in a duff part. So it depends on how good the designer was in getting stuff past the bean counter in any business.
My Fosi TB10D usually is room temperature even when I play it too loud.
A class D amp can be difficult to repair some technicians would not even try it but it is normal now to just swap boards if something needs to be repaired.
Class AB amps on the other hand can be brought back to life by replacing the electrolytic capacitors especially for the linear power supply.
Im looking at class H amps, seems like they'd have better longevity and maybe use less energy as well.??
I guess it is because capacitors have a limited lifespan? In that case it is the same for all typologies of amps.
I blame the water analogy for things like this.
Audioholics site states that class d amplifiers in subwoofers are prone to much greater failures. Other class d amps, it may not be so. My class d sub has worked hard since 2016 without issues.
Marvin the Martian
Transistors do better being either fully "on" or fully "off" than they do anywhere in between.
Class D amplifiers fail for other reasons, often as a result of idiots trying to drive them too hard.
Just like other amp classes...
I've never seen other amps besides class D die as easily from being over driven.
@Reticuli imo, it's because manufacturers have made them a commodity. Use the cheapest components and engineer the unit to just meet UL or CSA standards. Mix that with a repair costing more than half the price of a replacement, purchasing the 'latest and greatest' for a few dollars more is the most attractive option, financially. It reminds me of the old saying 'the component failed to protect the fuse'. 😂
Many of the class D amplifiers I have worked on, the designers are so bad....some are "grotequely stupid" by putting real hot components barely in their SOA (High watt resistors,Transistors, Regulators, Zeners) in close proximity to items sensitive to heat like electrolytics, plastic components etc. The datasheet quoted MTBF's can be shortened. And yes - they can say the word "BANG", followed by some fizzing then the fuses jump into the ultra violet. And because the PCB substrate is so cheap... the print goes up with the fuses. Some of these amps cost £6000 or more. On most the build quality is all in the chassis . .. . not in the reliability engineering and the electronics.
Unless they have crappy SMCs surfece mounted crapacitors that spill their guts om dual triple or quadrupple layer circut boards...
A class D amplifier has a similar risk of being damaged as a switching power supply with a push pull stage. The latter is used in many PCs. If the design is correct there is no reason why it would fail earlier than a class AB amplifier. Probably it can last even longer because less heat is generated.
To be so completely opposite of reality! Sold state devices, transistors, are switches. They work best when being used to just turn on and off. They are more apt to burn out from overheating while dissipating heat from linear operation. As such a Class D amp is more likely to outlast a Class A, A/B linear design. It is more likely that Class D is typically used to reduce costs (per watt) and use lower quality components.
My experience: Adcom GFA-2, 40 years and not a hiccup. Subwoofer with class D plate amp, 1 year, dead.
Dunno if the amp in my Polk PSW650 is class D or not, but I bought it new and it's been in almost continuous use since the mid '90's, and is only now showing some issues, sometimes a popping sound when there are long periods of no low-end signal (mostly movies) then suddenly there is a peak. I'm planning on buying an NAD M28 to power my home theater system (7 Focal Chora 826's) and I'm hoping with the NAD, especially for the money, that I'll have the same type longevity I've had with my Polk gear.
Ray Bradbury I'm sure!
Loosely based on this argument of longevity. Modern solid state AM transmitters use their variation of PWM for said purpose of amplifying radio waves and if you think about it those are running 24/7 and have been for decades now.
It's amazing what they have done with large scale AM transmitters. Made up of racks of smaller amplifiers they are time-shared, programmable in different power levels and phase configurations for daytime and nighttime authorizations and are hot swappable in case of failure without any downtime.
@@InsideOfMyOwnMind it made life so much easier for the engineering folks out there in radio land.
I think technically the class D advantages to audio equipment is limitless.
Sonically things have improved to levels that are closing in very fast on Class A-AB configurations and in some cases flat out rivaling those older technologies. I actually like both technologies.
@@Channel-cm7yc I had once thought about a multi channel class D amp that used a multiplexed configuration and a filter for each channel but only one output stage to serve all channels. I since learned that some people had tried to do it but at the time it was very tedious and not worth the trouble. I mean, I had the whole block diagram drawn out and everything. Oh well.
Oh, thank god :)
The more rational explanation, logic and facts you present to a conspiracy theorist, the more he/she will believe they are right and you are wrong. They will rather self destruct than admit their "knowledge" is bogus, or that they have been silly enough to be misled.
You will hear a lot of "I once has a class D amp that failed, which supports my point. I don't care that you had a class A or AB amp that failed because that is besides the point."
😂😅
It’s still a transistor. SMH. Why do mosfets fail hard? It’s like Hiroshima for amplifiers. BJT’s can get violent, but at least you can stand up the dominoes.(mostly repair) Fets on modern multilayer boards, fail beyond all recognition too often, welding the boards. Today’s solution, replace the module, throw it in the landfill with no recyclability. We have a disaster coming with our fat, lazy, disposable, consumption.
The rise of interest in Class D coincided with the flood of fake components in the mid 2000s. Whilst Paul is right about the designs not being destin to fail class D does work its component's hard. They need to be of good quality and speced for the job.
One point you misses. Computers all operate as arrays of switches. You don't hear of i-phones failing due to switching problems.
I think the New York Times still believe there are Martians...
Everything has a limited life span but class D amplifiers are more likely to become landfill sooner than class A/B. The latter (provided they are build with discrete components) can be easier repaired with fewer skills. And all those fancy class D chips will be obsolete just like the STK power output modules of the late 70's. Don't expect any class D amp to ever reach the status a vintage Marantz receiver has.
anything will fail if ill designed or ill manufactured.. believe it..
Here's a possibly controversial comment. It's a pity Paul WON'T see it? Perhaps I should write to him?
I've noticed that Paul's listening rooms are VERY brightly lit. Personally, I think music sounds better in subdued lighting conditions!
That said, has anybody heard somebody say something like, "I'll just put the light on, so I can hear better!" 🤣
That's what the off on a light switch is for.
Ray Walston
Class D might last longer because they should produce less heat if they have a fast enough slew rate.
Is that your new sub behind you?
I can personally guarantee I will never have a class D explode. Can you guess why?
You never turn it on?
Or you never buy one.😊
Anything that's using capacitors (Electrolytic) anywhere from the power supplies to the signal path are going to fail one day or another ..Does not matter class abcdg
Ham(sheer)
You'll find millions upon millions of failed class D subwoofer amps, it's a given that the amp is the weak point of powered subs and speakers. Companies can't get out of their own way using the cheapest possible components and they usually offer a very short warranty on the amp compared to the rest of the speaker.
Nobody in todays market are goin to bash class d amps they want to sell these amps lets see if there around like amps from the seventies fifty years from now
My first class d amp had a short lifespan after I tossed it out of my house to a rainy backyard. Just say no.
yeah the moonshines came from the moon,right after they Nuked the alliens & atmos-phere off it ! soo,Who do ya think the Alliens are ?
Not naming names, but I had a not-inexpensive Class D integrated go kaput for no apparent reason after five years of routine use, forcing an out of warranty repair. Internet chatter reveals others have had the same issue with the same product.
My vintage 80s Japanese AB amp that replaced it, however, has never needed service in 40 years, and sounds better, to boot.
Im waiting for GaN class D.
Already out. Orchard Audio.
@@TheTrueVoiceOfReason thank you. Did you tested?
That will be fun to watch.
AGD and Peachtree Audio are a couple of others using GaN class D.
Paul’s favorite myth is directional cables
Class D is in the cars!
There is such thing as "automotive grade" components (one step below mil-spec). They cost more. The fact that they (class D amplifiers) may or may not survive in a car is relatively unrelated to consumer grade products.
Self-terminate....
D stands for Detonation, Destruction, Demolition, but maybe it's just Distraction
Or Divine sound Delightful dynamics ??
Been loving mine for the past 6 years used every single day.
If class D amplifiers offered sonic improvements over class AB then I would buy one for my hi-fi system.
They do score in terms of efficiency, allowing higher outputs at lower voltages with less heat, but is this an advantage for the average home hi-fi listener?
I think not.
As far as comparitive life span is concerned, I wouldn't expect a difference, since this property is more dependant upon good design and quality, rather than the amplifier class.
My stellar amp sounds better with time without a doubt 👍
Class D seems to perform “better” (simpler, smaller, cheaper, cooler) and thus further abused, for example, driving challenging loads or very low impedances as they do not show distortion upfront in the same way class AB does… just a thought…
Conspiracy theories on HiEnd Audio?😮
do you mean in? or outside of high end audio?
because "on" does not seem to work in this context.
Hampshire FFS when is Paul going to learn how to speak English.
As long as there are going to be UA-cam channels, there will be language police. (English is not my native language, just in case you find something wrong with my reply.)
Class D Amps sucks
Why?
@israelelias1574 A bad class A amp sucks, a good one doesn't. A bad class AB amp sucks, a good one doesn't. A bad class D amp sucks, a good one doesn't. Your generalization/absolutism does not hold water. You probably never heard a good high end class D amp.
Sure, if you say so, troll.
@@andymill8552 or simply class D amp like Nilai 500- not hi end but souds very good
Class D sucks. Why take a continuous sine wave, break it up into 44,000 parts, and then stitch it back together again, and call it music. Sorry, but no.
Except class D amplification does not work that way. There are lots of misconceptions and prejudices about class D amplification and your statement sadly belongs to those categories.
@@andymill8552 You'll never be able to teach people that. They just want to believe in the mystique of "pure" analogue sound. And that's OK. Look. This is an industry where everyone wants to make money. Let him. There's a straw for every donkey.