Best Power amps in $7000 range

*MAN* that's a lot of money.

Don't get me wrong -- if you've got it, more power to you. I just have a difficult time believing that there's an amplifier in that price-point that sounds $6000 better than a gently pre-owned, thousand-dollar amp.

Now before anybody says it, no, I haven't ever heard any seven thousand dollar amps. But still, I could do a lotta speaker upgradin' for six thousand bucks. I guess this just isn't my world. (Which would mean that I have no business posting, huh?)

Has anyone suggested Ayre? Again, this is all third-hand, but I don't know anyone in any of these forums who is unhappy with Ayre or thinks they're overrated or anything like that.

I have no experience with the Classe so I can't comment. However, I would be very suprised that anyone wouldn't be very pleased with the MC402. Very musical and engaging. If dynamics are important to you, than Pass may be the more appropriate choice. The merits of each have been contested endlessly in these forums.

The Classe seems to have some kind of static sound that crops up occasionally.

In that case, you might open it up and see if anything is loose (ground wires). One thing you can try is to twiddle the pots on tuning potentiometers....over time the contacts can may not be as good - giving it a twiddle may be all you need. (just remember the exact pot position - so you set it as before!!) The other thing to look for would be for damaged or old caps. JUST BE CAREFUL - power supply caps on this baby may have 100 VOLTS stored in them (for a long time after you unplug it). BTW... I have fixed a number of consumers items this way. The last amplifier I built was for a subsea instrument project with Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute - while I was a student - in another life - so although I am no electronics technician I a not afraid to look under the hood!!

I have no idea what it is nor do I want to pay the $100 each way to mail it to Montreal and have Classe bill me $75/h to fix it (I contacted them and that is how much it costs).

That sounds quite reasonable to me. Did you ask them if they can estimate repair cost after 1 hour work and get back to you? It ain't rocket science. It is quite likely they can fix it and fine tune it for you. After many years the bias and gain may need adjusting/tweaking anyway.

When you buy a product like this (like a Rolex) it is good for life, IMHO. You just need to maintain it. This is not your typical disposable amp from Best Buy...

Something doesn't make sense. You say you really like the Classe and it sounds amazing but it has a certain issue, but because it will cost you some $275 total to fix it you'd rather spend $7,000 to get an amp you don't know anything about. Is that correct?

First, I would say $7,000 is just a bit more than $275 or so. Classe service is excellent and fairly priced and they used to repair things in Massachusetts, if that's closer. Once fixed, a Classe will last many more years. It's a clearcut decision to me.

However, if you want another amp just because you want it, that's another story. Pass Labs to me by far the best of all the names discussed. A used Pass 250.5 would cost you less than half of $7,000 and is equal to a Classe CA401 in power with far better sound. There's a Pass 250.5 on A'gon now.

One more thing: You'll have to fix the Classe anyway to sell it.