Seems many amps are going to class D which doesn't make sense to me. Was lloking at the Pioneer SDP-800, but am not sure now.
Marconi/Audison level gear is out of my budget though...
Your thoughts; is class D SQ capable, all else being equal?

 

Absolutely. It all comes down to how the manufacturer makes the amp. Unfortunately there are a LOT of junk ClassD amps on the market but I would rather have a reputable ClassD than a low end A/B

 

JL HD Class D is a great amp and has been in a few world champion cars....must be pretty good for SQ.

 

What doesn't make sense to you about class d?

Class D is only advantages, no negatives, especially since some brands don't put them as their top line for some known reasons... so you can get them cheep! examplepi phantom.

 

Full range ClassD does have some challenges, and if not addressed properly (ie cheaping out on the design) headroom can suffer and they can sound a little rough, especially on the top end.

Again, this is really no different than A/B amps - it all comes down to how well the amp is designed and built.

 

Class GH amps are also inexpensive, sound good and make good power.

Think Clarion or ARC KS series.

 

I've 2 JL class D amps running my system. I absolutely love them. They are a smaller footprint than A/B of the same power and run cooler. My previous setup included JL Slash 300/4 and 500/1, which weighed more and ran hotter and to an extent, used more battery power. Honestly I feel the JL HD amps have better control over the drivers than their Slash series.

 

The class D = bad SQ idea has come from the past but really doesn't apply these days. The rate at wich modern well-designed mosfet power supply does the digital switching is WAY faster than the old designs and this is where the poor SQ rep came from.

 

The only benefits to class D amps are size and efficiency, if you have the space, class A/B all the way

 

A/B yeilds the best overall results.
Like already posted - D for efficiency and size.
D has come a long way and I've loved jl's HD and slash series D amps for the past 5 years in multiple cars.
Trial and error with your own ears and listening to multiple amps will help you decide.