Nobody is having those arguments anymore. When I wrote my previous article, class-D audio was fairly new, and audiophiles were still arguing about whether class-D amps could sound as good as class-AB or class-A units. These pulses efficiently turn transistors on and off, and the transistor output is converted back into a louder analog signal. In a nutshell, a class-D amplifier works by converting an analog signal into a varying train of square pulses of fixed amplitude. If you have basic soldering and machining skills-can you drill holes in sheet aluminum?-you can get high-end gear for a lot less. But really now, step away from the checkbook and get out your soldering iron. The lists are dominated by amps costing more than $1,000 (nine of them cost more than $2,000).
Part of my motivation was the annual Best Stereo Amps lists from gadget-review website The Master Switch. But a couple of months ago I got the itch to see how much better I could do now, almost a decade later, with the same challenge. So I've been steering people to excellent class-D amplifier kits from Class D Audio, DIY Class D, and Ghent Audio instead.
Sorry folks, the main components are long gone. I built a worthy little amp, and the article I wrote about it for IEEE Spectrum still attracts page views, and even sporadic emails from people asking where they can get the parts. Years ago I decided to see how little I needed to spend to build a high-end, audiophile quality, class-D amplifier.
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