Kinki EXM1+ vs Purifi 1ET400A - Class AB vs Class D Amp

Kinki Studio EX-M1+ vs. Purifi 1ET400A - Class AB vs Class D amp
AUDIOPHONICS HPA-S400ET Power Amplifier Class D Stereo Purifi 1ET400 is a Class D stereo power amplifier based on two PURIFI 1ET400A modules and a HYPEX SMPS1200A400 power supply.
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[@darrenchase886]

Just my honest opinion they both sounded good it was hard to tell the difference nice setup

[@user-np2we4pb9h]

Thanks for this. Pretty much the best comparison video I’ve found because of your choice of amplifiers and variety of music and seamless transitions between the two amps. Class D has really come a long way. I think I’m going to grab me a Hypex NcoreX soon.

[@Nickhifi88]

In a blind test, I guess you would struggle with deciding which one is playing. Amazing close, now focus is more on the speakers since the dacs also are very very “clean” even when looking at budget models. Very good comparison setup by the way!

[@deepcuttabeats356]

Through my Focal Chora speakers, the Kinki had more natural sounding hi-hats and the sax 🎷sounded more pleasing. Center image also was more tightly focused when hearing main vocal or instrument. The Purifi center image was less tightly clustered in the middle. Soundstage width seems similar between both. Bass is stronger through the kinki. Vocals sounded more natural and believable through the kinki. Amazing recording quality as usual! I wish all KZbinrs provided direct demo recording comparisons and talked less lol.

[@VirtualHiFi]

Thank you for sharing your opinion and positive words on the quality. ;) thank you

[@hrvojekant9415]

Both sounds excelent...choice of songs is outstanding as well.

[@VirtualHiFi]

Thank you for your very kind words ;)

[@SpencersStuffTV]

Maybe its just me, but the major difference i hear is the class d seems quicker and more precise, almost like the decay is reduced which makes you feel like the "airiness" is reduced. It also sounds like tbe AB amp is slightly more midrange focused. Both sound great. I have some Hypex Ncore amps from buckeye amps and theyre no slouch. I actually had to change the decay to slow on my rz50 when i moved from the AB amp to the ncores. Now the sound is similar but with alot more power. Great video!

[@VirtualHiFi]

Thank you for your comment, positive feedback and opinion. Yes class D is getting scary good 😊

[@user-td1lo9eo2p]

Are the Ncore amps Gan fet ? And what’s the difference with the step up Nilai ? Buckeye amps don’t offer that version

[@Pierre-Leloup]

I have 3 of these Audiophonics amps in my active system. They sound more open and dynamic with OPA1612s, but if you want to get the best out of them you have to use Sparkos Labs SS3602s for the ultimate touch of smoothness and finesse.

[@floof3942]

There’s a difference. Kinki appears to have boosted base. Purifi may be more flat and neutral?

[@ryanwallman7114]

I played the demo 3 times and really listened hard but I could not decipher which one sounded “better” it was pretty much exact to my ears. Great demo by the way! I currently have an Audiophonics power amp as well (AP300-S500NC / Ncore NC502MP) love mine 👍

[@VirtualHiFi]

Thank you for your feedback. Current class D amps are really very good 😊

[@Acoustic_Theory]

The next frontier for Class-D is three-dimensionality, spaciousness, tonal warmth, and control of bass damping. I recently went from an Aragon A2004 to Hypex NCoreX monoblocks and I found that the scale and size of the presentation shrank - in soundstage width and depth, and in placement of instruments from front to back within the soundstage. The Aragon has less subjective control in the bass and lower midrange, but produces the wide, deep, and spacious soundstage that I think a state-of-the-art amplifier should. The NCoreX are still quite good, but I'm keeping both the NCores and the A2004.

[@terrysnyder967]

Both sound good but subtle things such as soundstage depth and note texture make the KINKI STUDIO stand out just a little more. I'll still take my Sugden A21-S and it's monster 25 Class A watts over either of these.

[@bobslave7063]

thanks for a nice demo. I feel like kinki has a bit more depth and air

[@VirtualHiFi]

Thanks for watching! And for your positive feedback ;)

[@milosdunjic8718]

Class D (esp. Bruno Putzey’s designed nCore and Purifi modules) has definitely matured to the point where there is absolutely no material difference in quality of sound … however, on average, they are cheaper, lighter to cary & handle, much more efficient in power consumption and generally offer more bang for your audiophile buck. Can’t wait for active speakers, utilizing these boards to start mushrooming! Audiophile nirvana is almost here lol 😂

[@VirtualHiFi]

Totally agree thank you for sharing your great comment ;)

[@therationalpiper7428]

Audiophile nirvana is already here. My budget version of it is a good preamp under $1k (I have a Schiit Freya Plus), a hypex amp, and Magnepan LRS plus or .7s. If your budget is $8000 to $12,500, the Janszen Valentinas (A8) as well as their smaller monitor siblings, use built in Hypex amps and they are the best speakers I've ever heard save for perhaps a ridiculous multi million dollar Von Schweikert setup. Janszen uses an electrostat tweeter that needs the power of class D (or very expensive Class A/B) and the affordability of the Hypex/Purifi makes it an amazing value. The Class D revolution has increased the value proposition of electrostats.

[@danab7472]

Considering the difference in price between the two, the Purifi amp performs amazingly well. I’m ordering one!

[@VirtualHiFi]

Great choice, they are indeed very similar and pricewise you did great choice. Enjoy ;)

[@fiogray]

What sounds best, the purifi or the Fosi Audio chip amps?

[@42degrees86]

Purifi is on a different level and possibly the best class d amp module. The power supply and buffer is very important.

[@James-mb5jr]

Great video. As different listeners on your video are using different headphones, perhaps it is best if you also share with us your thoughts on these two and your preference, since your are listening to it live at the recording. Thanks

[@VirtualHiFi]

Thanks for sharing your feedback. I already do that in my more recent videos. :)

[@wvw2294]

It would be interesting to use a Nilai power amp (many people prefer them more as Purifi)

[@VirtualHiFi]

I no longer have purifi to test it with the power supply so that will remain a mystery ;) at least for now

[@DSor1]

Thanks for the comparison. What pre amp did you use with the audiophonics?

[@VirtualHiFi]

I used audiophonics pga2310 preamp that is discontinued, but you can get similar ones by other manufacturers

[@caseyleedom6771]

Nice video. It would have been nice if the music selections were listed ...

[@VirtualHiFi]

Noted. I'll try to add the timelines with tracks to my older videos and all new ones do have chapters with tracks titles ;)

[@darrenreed883]

Class D is tighter in the base region and far more dynamic and better instrument separation.

[@VirtualHiFi]

That KS for sharing your feedback 😁

[@ottosato]

Class AB sounds fuller, denser and more space. Class D somehow a bit lean. But has edge on speed and transient. Its amazing that class D nowadays has more mature sound. Excellent video. Keep it up !

[@mrpmj00]

If you feel that it's lean, the easy fix is Cardas Parsec interconnect cables.

[@rorybuszka2215]

The ‘leanness’ of Class-D comes from having very low output impedance and thus very effective damping of the woofers - the output impedance is so low that even the resistance and inductance of speaker cables becomes significant in affecting the amount of woofer control. Bob Carver is famous for demonstrating that he could impact the bass character of the amp by adding series resistance at the amplifier output.

[@alexandertimoschuk8470]

A bit late to the game. The great part of this video is the selection of components. I too was looking at these two products because they offered the most for the dollar. In the end I opted for the class D because of Bruno’s highly respected work with the Purifi module. The sound difference in my opinion is the more impactful bass with the class D amp. I like this especially with dynamics. Listen again and focus on drum notes.

[@goodsound4756]

It’s your video, so I wanna learn about your opinion! It doesn’t matter how Hi-Res your source is, KZbin makes it a MP3 out of it.

[@VirtualHiFi]

Thank you for the feedback I'll try sharing more of my thoughts.

[@bobslave7063]

Amazing! Did you use some op amps with purify?

[@VirtualHiFi]

No I used stock ones ;)

[@transpermeance1535]

What I hear in this and another comparison posting is that the Purifi removes the trailing off of the singer's breath and so it sounds like spotlighting. The initial enunciation is there but it suppresses the sound of the trailing off of their breath. It is as if the natural trailing off of breath it is somehow converted into an inhale or sudden change in what was just passing for ambience and I interpret that as a distraction that disrupts my focus. In the other comparison with Hypex Linai , the Linai did not do this but the dynamics and presentation seemed too set back compared to the Purifi. Still waiting on other Linai comparison postings to judge if the the Linai has a tendency to be too laid back. Since NCx500 module came out as Hypex's response to Purifi but could not compete with the idle power and Bandwidth spec of Eigentakt; Hypex changed their loop architecture in Linai to allow more loop gain to compensate for the increased dead time distortion which went up as they tried to bring the idle power down and efficiency up. Idle power and efficiency is a big deal in multi channel installations which is a big part of their target market. Since Eigentakt is more like a perfect Voltage source than any other amp that was used to fine tune a multiway crossovers in real speakers, it will deliver more power than other amplifiers where there are dips in the impedance of the speaker and so the perception of fuller bass when the woofer reaches it minimum impedance usually about 100Hz and spotlighting in the crossover zone s between drivers ; maybe that is what is causing the effect. Reverting to cheaper speaker wires might fix the problem.

[@VirtualHiFi]

Thanks for sharing your very interesting comment. I had purify modules and while they are powerful I like the musicality of TPA3255 more ;)

[@James-mb5jr]

Great recording. Btw, the class d is a power amp so what did you use to perform the pre-amp function? Thanks

[@Artcore103]

These don't require anything special your DAC can drive them directly.

[@ianpdavis]

Think the video is missing at the end though.....!

[@VirtualHiFi]

Thank you, I didnt notice blank part. I edited it and it should change soon. Thank you and thank you for subscribing ;)

[@MSiAventador]

1:20 - 1:50 Purifi destroys Class A/B with clarity and width of cymbals.

[@VirtualHiFi]

Thanks for sharing :)

[@h2ophilter]

Great presentation and great channel! I'm curious if you have access to the new Kinki offshoot the released the CHoco integrated. I wonder how the EXM1 sounds vs CHoco Emei.

[@VirtualHiFi]

Hello thank you for your comment. Unfortunately I do not have the Emei at the moment. Hopefully someday. And that. You for your very positive words 😁

[@Joebiscus]

Very interesting comparison and honestly, I would have expected much more difference. I find the Class D more articulate and the bass tighter, I prefer it! But the Kinki EXM1+ is an integrated and the Purifi 1ET400A is a power amp, there's still a little preamp hidden away or the amp is attacked directly from a DAC which would make the Purifi 1ET400A one hell of an amp 😉

[@VirtualHiFi]

Glad it was helpful! Indeed I used a Preamp but just as a volume control. I used AUDIOPHONICS PRE-01 PGA2310, which is just a volume control module very similar to the one in Kinki, the Preamp is discontinued from what I can see, but there are endless 100$ similar ones using PGA2310 and 2311 modules. So yes the difference in sound is not that big what only proves how far class D arrived in sound quality recently.

[@thegroove2000]

Have you ever those those fantastic speakers with a modest affordable amp?

[@VirtualHiFi]

Indeed I did ;) Check out this video kzbin.info/www/bejne/eJfbhZuVpa9-rZY&pp=ygUJcXVhbGlvIElR Also in a few days i'll publish my review of the Ayima A07 150USD amazing amp :)

[@ukaszjanas9786]

Ciekawe czy w ślepych testach do odróżnienia... Może jakieś podsumowanie odsłuchów? Pozdrawiam!

[@VirtualHiFi]

Pewnie tak, bo purifi to taki linki tylko z troszkę słabsza kontrola basu i cit większa różnica w zejściu na korzyść kinki

[@szarkul]

wait there is a small difference of sound, but this could be opamps difference. Can you write if purifi is bypassed or also using same opamps? thanks

[@VirtualHiFi]

Thanks. I used the purifi exactly as it arrived and don't really remember if there are swappable opamps.

[@szarkul]

By the size of box i recognized IT as audiophonics purifi which has buffers not best ones by the way. So to compare both please put opamps from one to another.thanks

[@michaelbrandt9806]

One of my favorite Channel. Super

[@VirtualHiFi]

Thank you so much 😀

[@dicmccoy]

The Purifi. The bass is so much better on the Purifi. It has more detal and control.

[@neilsonlee3334]

I have watched a lot of video where you compared aiyima vs fosi. I am curious have you ever compared these inexpensive class d with hyper ncorex, nilai or eigentakt?

[@VirtualHiFi]

I had multiple hypex ncores icepowers, purifi, and the TPA3255 is in my opinion the most engaging and musical one. It just brings on the music not sounds.

[@michaelcampbell9459]

@@VirtualHiFi So are you saying the new Fosi V3 Mono with TPA3255 sounds better than any of the Hypex/Ncore/ICE/Purifi module amps you have tried?

[@phillipmorris9847]

the kinki has a thicker bottom end, but thats not to say its better, have to listen again later...thanx

[@VirtualHiFi]

Thank you for your comment and subscribing ;)

[@pesoso78]

Sorry Kinki, but for less than half the price Purifi is the choice

[@VirtualHiFi]

Great comment ;) and thank you for subscribing ;)

[@user-lo6ye5bx3t]

Class D is still not there yet AB is lot lot better in all ways

[@VirtualHiFi]

Thanks for sharing your opinion ;)

[@mjmonjure]

Nice music selection! I for one cannot hear any difference or even interruption of sound.

[@VirtualHiFi]

Thanks for your feedback ;)

[@bryansu]

really dont hear the different...

[@VirtualHiFi]

They are very close which only shows how close the D-class got to AB in sound quality

[@ianpdavis]

Kinki just takes it I think. Little bit more heft in the bass - maybe a little more space around the midrange and treble. Its not night and day.

[@VirtualHiFi]

I totally agree :)

[@footfall4559]

It was night and day for me, Kinki was way better in everything. Still a better comparison would have been with a NAD C298. A class D amp is not just the modules.

[@robertfecu9620]

for me not NIGHT and Day....

[@robertfecu9620]

The purifi is more open .....listening on Beyerdynamic T90 ...

[@VirtualHiFi]

Thanks for sharing

[@matytinman]

Kinki EX-M1+ sounds much better, more musical, more addictive. With electronic music the differences are reduced, as expected. The piano (an instrument with a multitude of harmonics) is much better with the Kinki.

[@VirtualHiFi]

Thank you for sharing your pick and opinion with us ;

[@gottrekk5798]

Another great video.

[@VirtualHiFi]

I appreciate that

[@aleksanderkrol4537]

Could you add lossless files to some server and link in description so that we could listen without youtube. I have upgraded Kinki exm1 and Qualio is such a small dream, especially since they are made in our Poland :)

[@aleksanderkrol4537]

Poza tym fajny kanał, będę obserwował. Pozdrawiam

[@VirtualHiFi]

I'll try to do that some way ;) Kinki is a very good amp so congratulations. It matches Qualio very nicely. And thank you for positive feedback ;)

[@guidoastolfoni]

I have a very hard time hearing differences.

[@vonjuergen]

1:13 4:16 5:35 6:29 7:24

[@athrl]

Both amps have only 3-5% different in my opinion

[@VirtualHiFi]

Thanks for sharing. The amps have very similar sound character that is a sure thing

[@jericlee8816]

No big difference

[@VirtualHiFi]

Intoally agree ;) and there is quite big $$$ difference

[@domenicofpv6490]

Purifi or the fosi za3?

[@VirtualHiFi]

that depends on your system and needs. purify is more balanced and more dynamic on low volume levels with overall more watt power. ZA3 is warmer sounding not as expressive and will work better in dynamic open sounding system. the midrange is more magical on the Fosi and there is a price difference. there is also big upgrade in sound for the Fonsi dual mono and but it would require a preamp for comfort of use. I had Purify and in my system I prefer the Fosi

[@domenicofpv6490]

@@VirtualHiFi good to now thanks!! Have the hypex Nilai here but I m dissapointing in it.

[@olliking6204]

Sound equivalent i think

[@VirtualHiFi]

I believe you are very close, the overall character and sound signature was very close with Kinki having a bit more lowers bass.

[@slak87]

AB class has a better sound, more space, sounds more natural. The D class has better bass in some ways, but you can hear how it cuts the space in the recording, even on the YT recording, which spoils the sound quite a bit.

[@VirtualHiFi]

Thanks for sharing your comment 😀