CLASSE - Great amps or highly flawed?

Jayt, or is it Dragont? Why do you have two user names on Audiogon?

Your name-calling is inappropriate, unfounded & only reflects back upon the writer.

It is certainly curious that Classe' sales manager would tell both of us different information. Since the information Classe gave me is also STATED IN PRINT in all Classe' owner's manuals, I would say that my information is correct. Go in the first pages to "CLASSE DESIGN PHILOSOPHY", and I quote, "All Classe products share exactly the same circuit design philosophy. This means ALL AMPLIFIERS and all high level circuits benefit from the same design goals. Similar circuits are then tailored to different power levels etc...."

In response to your accusation that I "pre-empted the discussion with a list of negatives on the entire Classe line," I suggest you read the title of the thread. It specifically states "amps". What right or business of yours is it to tell me to "leave the discussion," the one that I began? Why don't you follow your own advice.

Nilthepill, the systems I listened to the Classe in were very revealing systems, the components of which I shall list. In any event, the results were clear and significant.

Preamplifiers: VTL ($4500 new model), SFL-2
Amps: Mac MC2000, Mac 352, McCormack DNA-225, Audio Research VT-100 Mk II
Source: Ayre $7500 CD player, Sonic Frontiers SFT-1 & Theta Pro Basic IIIa
Speakers: B&W Nautilus 802, B&W 802 Matrix III.

Whenever I read discussions like this, I always wonder whether the person who auditioned the equipment has asked how long the equipment has been run. I am going through a significant break-in period with some new equipment that I purchased, and, if you auditioned it the day I brought it home, you would have made many observations about harshness in the mid-range, lack of bass response, a "sheen" on the high frequencies, etc.

I am now in the position to leave the equipment turned on 10-12 hours per day, and can state that the sound today is nothing like the sound on the first day. I expect in 2-3 more weeks the components will be close to totally broken-in and the sound will have changed (for the better, hopefully) yet again.

I guess my questions are: do you think equipment needs to be broken in? Was the Classe equipment you auditioned fully broken in? Could a full break-in period be the difference between what you heard and what the Classe owners are saying about their equipment?

No, the amp was well broken in from the dealer and over a year old.

Depends on your associated equipment and your tastes, just like any other hi-fi purchase. I personally love the Classe sound. I've owned a Classe CA-200, CAV-75 and currently a CDP 1. I've never had any problem with any of these pieces of equipment. As far as 'dark-sounding', if you like the 'brightness' of Krell, you will not like Classe. I prefer the musicality of Classe over Krell. This is a highly subjective choice though.

I’ve owned a late production run Classe CA 300 for well over a year now. In my experience, I have found that this amp works very well with electrostatic hybrid speakers. It casts a spacious, well layered soundstage that is anchored upon a vise-grip tight bass foundation. The midrange presentation is a bit cooler than Rowland gear, yet not as sterile as some Krell amps I have owned. (Yes, I’ve owned Krell gear) The upper registers are detailed and clean. Much like the Rowland gear, I can listen to this amp for hours as it is musically inviting, exceptionally dynamic and fairly involving. I can’t say that about most solid state gear. The CA-300 build quality is exceptional! This amp is a brute but also very sensitive. I have had issues with ground loop hums, heat sink ‘ringing’ and sudden safe mode shut-downs when this amp gets fed anything it doesn’t quite like. I’ve been fortunate as these issues have been far and few between and generally quickly resolved. With a used street price around $2,000 I believe the Classe CA-300 represents a good sound value. While a bit finicky, this amp is long on muscle with a sweetness and openness that just makes you smile! I certainly think it’s a solid state amp most can happily live with and others would die for.
Regards;
-Jerie