modern class D amps with Towers (v2 and ELX) -- anyone have any experience?

[Bruce Watson]

The title says it all.

I'm thinking about a Buckeye Amps three channel Purifi 1ET400A Amplifier (https://www.buckeyeamp.com/shop/p/purifi-1et400a-amplifier-3-channel). From what I can tell the Purifi 1ET400A class D amps sound pretty much like a straight wire with gain. But I personally have never heard one, let alone with a speaker using RAAL ribbons.

If anyone has any experience I'd love to hear it. I have a tendency toward acoustic music from classical to jazz, and HT of course. I'm thinking of using one of these things on the L/C/R channels. The rest of the 7.2.4 system will have to struggle by with the internal amps in a Denon AVR-X3800.

What does the group think? Does it make since to go Class D? Or is it insanity with Ascend speakers?

[curtis]

Hi Bruce,

I am using Purifi 1ET400A based amp to drive my LX's. Before the LX's, they were driving Sierra-2's. At the time, Buckeye had a 3-4 month lead time, and I went with VTV (@racrawford referred me to them). Plenty of good information out there on the 1ET400A.

The amp I got is a five-channel design with the Purifi amps driving the L/C/R, and Hypex amps driving the surrounds.
https://vtvamplifier.com/product/vtv-amplifier-five-channel-purifi-audio-1et400a-amplifier-32-purifi-hypex-nc252mp/

As you know, sound preference is very subjective, but I really like how everything works together.

[racrawford65]

I’ve got 2 VTV Pascal amps.
1 is a 4 channel (125 wpc) that I was using to drive HTM200 as Atmos heights. It is in my closet now but am thinking of having VTV change it to a 2 channel 250 wpc to use for my ELX RAAL towers (and selling the Rogue ST100). Or maybe keep the Rogue to drive the LX’s in my office.

The other is a custom 7 channel VTV Pascal. 1 channel (250 watts) is driving my ELX RAAL Horizon. The other 6 (125 wpc) drive my S2EX surrounds and the 4 HTM Atmos.

Everything sounds great to me

[novaduckfan1]

Bruce,

I enjoy the Buckeye Purifi ET-400A two-channel amplifier. It works perfectly with my 2EXv2s, which as you know feature the 60-10 RAAL tweeter, the smaller cousin to the 70-20 RAAL in the Sierra towers. I strongly recommend Buckeye based on my listening experience with the amp over the past 9 months, and on my direct communications with the owner, Dylan Launder. Extremely quiet, powerful and energy-efficient with a small form factor and different gain options, it's definitely worth the investment. Very highly recommended.

[Bruce Watson]

So... no hardness, or brittleness, or "transistor sound" then? Smooth vs. rough? Too detailed? Too laid back? The high frequency noise of a class D amp doesn't have any effect on the RAAL sound at all?

I guess what I really want to know is how good is the Purifi class D technology at getting out of the way of the sound so that you can just listen to the musicians and forget about the amps and the speakers?

[novaduckfan1]

Hi Bruce,

I cannot make generalizations about Class D. I can only speak from my direct experience with my Buckeye Purifi ET-400A, which replaced Emotiva UPA-1 Class AB amplifiers. Neither the Buckeye nor the Emotivas presented any of those negative qualities that you are concerned about. In my case, I was looking for a smaller, lighter form-factor that is very powerful while being more energy efficient. When I place my ears next to the RAAL tweeters, I hear nothing - the Buckeye is extremely quiet. It provides more than enough power, specified at 225 watts per channel at 8 ohms (peak); I doubt that I use more than a tenth of that given my listening habits. The Purifi measures extremely well to the extent you find those measurements meaningful:

https://www.soundstagehifi.com/index.php/opinion/1482-the-purifi-puzzle-part-one-the-measured-performance-of-the-eigentakt-amplifier?tmpl=component

https://audioxpress.com/article/fresh-from-the-bench-a-tale-of-two-class-d-amplifiers-orchard-audio-bosc-and-purifi-audio-eigentakt-eval1


In terms of your requirements (getting out of the way so you can focus on the music), the Buckeye implementation of the Purifi ET-400A passes with flying colors.

[Bruce Watson]

In terms of your requirements (getting out of the way so you can focus on the music), the Buckeye implementation of the Purifi ET-400A passes with flying colors.

Good to know. Thanks.

[curtis]

I agree...it is VERY transparent.

Your plan is to use it as an external amp off of the Denon?

[Bruce Watson]

Your plan is to use it as an external amp off of the Denon?

Exactly.

[curtis]

Exactly.
In that case, and I am just thinking out loud...

I would think about shutting off all the amps in the 3800 and use it as a pre/pro only, and using something like this:
https://www.monoprice.com/product?p_id=33307 (https://www.monoprice.com/product?p_id=33306)

Supposedly, by shutting down all the amplifiers in the 3800, you should get cleaner output via the pre/outs.

Just a thought.

[racrawford65]

or maybe 2 class D amps - a 3 channel for the LRC (or 5 channel for LRC+surrounds or 7 channel for the bed layer) and a second with the remaining channels. Perhaps custom for the main amp (like LRC at 250 wpc and any additional at 125 wpc).

[curtis]

or maybe 2 class D amps - a 3 channel for the LRC (or 5 channel for LRC+surrounds or 7 channel for the bed layer) and a second with the remaining channels. Perhaps custom for the main amp (like LRC at 250 wpc and any additional at 125 wpc).
I was going to suggest something similar, but I was thinking about costs.
Since I just got the AVM 70...I had all kinds of thoughts in my head. :)

[racrawford65]

You already have a 5 channel class D - there you go LRC and surrounds. Now just add a 4 channel (for ATMOS) or 6 channel (for ATMOS + backs) and you're set.

Remind me, do you have 1 sub or 2 (or more). If only 1, might as well pick up a second.

All of the above would make for a very Merry Christmas for Curtis :-)

Plus, it's so much easier spending other people's money. LOL