New cooler running amp picked up from the Post Office today.

[Batty]

My main amp is a DIYaudio First Watt M2X, but being class A it runs quite hot for just 25 watts per channel, so a week ago I bit the bullet and bought a Class D amp from S.M.S.L.

The A300.

The manual says 85W into 8 ohms. That is not what made me buy it, at $299 AU and being class D it was both affordable and ideal for cool running.

I have had Tripath amp in the past, tiny, 20 watt (high distortion) things, they were acceptable, I still use a Topping at work with Spotify.

 

This one is in another league, as I will not be using it above about 10 to 20 watts, distortion should not be a problem.

I have just slipped it in place of the MX2, it is promoted as a power amp, however it is a 2 input integrated with a built in DAC that I do not intend to use.

 

 

For the money I am very happy, and the bank manager should be too, but maybe not the Electricity company.

[PhonoFix]

I was once suspicious of Class D amps until I swapped out a 28kg Peavey 400w monster for a 4.8kg 1RU sized 400w class D SMPS, which sounded just as good for performances and obviously a lot easier to carry around. I was pleasantly surprised. 

[ganache]

I have been using a pair of PS Audio M1200 Class D amps for a few years and am very happy with them.  They replaced a pair of very old Counterpoint hybrid amps when one died after a repair.  

[Batty]

I admit that I have always been open to different technology, I guess being a techo helps in that regard.

I work with High gain Low noise amplification amongst other things.

[Batty]

I like it enough to buy another and bridge them.