A queston of Classe', or other amps



Several years ago I visited my Magnepan dealer with the cash in my pocket, and the prior intent to take home a pair of Magnepan 1.7i speakers. Driving the maggies was a Classè CP-800 preamp and a big pair of Classè CT-M600 Monoblock power amps.

I may have happily listened to the Magnepan 1.7i speakers for almost two hours when on a lark I asked to listen to the Magnepan 3.7i speakers. In only six notes I knew I would never be happy with the 1.7i speakers so I drove home with the cash still in my wallet and a plan to save up for the Magnepan 3.7i speakers.  It took a while for me to save another $4,000.

I am old and I must have the features that a remote control offers. Mostly just volume control; I am straight wire with gain kind of guy. I have owned RTA and equalizers but after the dog and pony show I always revert back to the clean basics. My critical application is stereo music.  Yes I have the Magnepan set up for home theater but I don’t see that as critical or near as interesting as 2 channel music. My only source of music is my Oppo 103d optical drive (as DAT) with my music collection on a 2TB USB hard drive. My days of tape decks, vinyl and tuners are forever over.

The only thing I did not like about the audition was the heat. The combination of Classe’ amps made the 18’x24’ showroom unbearably hot after only two hours of listening. My home listening room (only slightly smaller) is near my home thermostat and I can easily see the amps shutting down my furnace in the winter and tripling my AC bill during the summer.  I’m not going to do that.  Then again, do the mono blocks run any cooler with music at conversation levels?

So almost 3 years ago I purchased a new pair of Magnepan 3.7i speakers and a Rotel RC-1590 preamp (<0.002% THD). Those feed my 40 year old Yamaha M-2 power amp (350w+350w) into 4 ohms with <0.005% THD. And it all sounds OK, just OK. It does not sound as good as I remember with the Classè amps which just took my breath away.

When the current zombie panic is over. the dealer has a demo Classè CP-800 in stock which he told me I could have at a good price. Common sense tells me a clean 700wpc of the Classè monoblocks for 4 ohm speakers might be fun but should not be necessary (nor are they very affordable).  Am I wrong to assume I only need a preamp and not both pre and power amps?

I think my Maggies are well placed about five feet away from the back wall. I don’t think this is as simple as a speaker placement issue?

The Classè dealer also sells Acoustic Research preamps and PrimaLuna. I don’t know if I would group PrimaLuna with Acoustic Research and Classè?

 If I knew I wanted the 3.7i speakers after 6 notes; the difference to my ears was that obvious.  Could my Rotel be that mediocre? Am I going to spend $5,000 on a Classe’ pre amp and then wish I also purchased the monoblocks?

Is it my imagination that Classè monoblocks always act like 100,000 watt space heaters or is that only when pushed hard?

Sorry to be so long winded, I hoped that by expressing all the germane facts up front one might expedite the discussion.

 BTW, my preferences in music amounts to almost anything except Rap; mostly Jazz, Blues, Gospel, to a lesser extent some Classical and some Rock and Roll.

 


timothywright
I recently purchased a used pair of CAM600 monoblocks. My speakers are Apogee Duetta Signature ribbon panel speakers which are low efficiency (86 dB). My listening rom dimension are 18 x 11. I am retired and listening either to music or TV in my room close to 5 hours/day during the Corona virus pandemic.

 I can guarantee you that the Classé amps will not heat up your listening room. I had the amps running for a few hours today and their aluminium case is actually at room temperature. I do not sense any kind of heat at their touch.
The latest developments, while I wait for my Classe dealer to reopen (30-45 days?), is that my Yamaha M-2 power amp is in the shop, and this time I plan to recap it. This is not an inexpensive or trivial medical procedure.  The Yamaha M-2 has two capacitors in particular that are the size of coffee cans, so replacing those along with many smaller siblings may cost $500 or more.

 

In my perfect and imaginary world my fresh Yamaha will be capable of taking on all contenders.  Anticipating other outcomes I still have an interest in Classe and Mr. Snyder your comments are particularly helpful. My Classe dealer has 3 locations and seems willing to “make a deal” on what ever he has in stock when he reopens. I am having trouble getting a listing of his Classe inventory and pricing so I could know my options.

RE CA-M400 vs. CA-M600 et all, duly noted, very useful to me, thank you very much

 > One final note...  The system as outlined above demands and deserves high end power, interconnect, USB and speaker cables.  I am using Nordost Valhalla and they absolutely bring out the best. – I have always been skeptical of magical cables, but I will try your recommendations. (Thank you)

 > Mr Schubert RE: Buy while the dollar is still worth something.

 These are unusual times. Recently the dollar is up markedly against the Euro, CDN, AUD and steady against the Yen. As screwed as we (USA = dollar) may be, it may be that most all other nations are far worse off.  Since Putin picked an oil fight with Saudi Arabia the Ruble is taking a bath. The price of crude oil could actually go negative.  Gold which one buys in anticipation of times like these has failed to perform as promised.  Yes these are most unusual times, but I expect a rapid economic recover as long as the Second Coming does not interfere.  The Fatima prophesy (Oct 1917) was that the world would end in 100 years. My next audio system might just (hopefully) be a harp.   ;-)

 


An update on 4/22/20,

 

The shop recapping my M2 power amp has had it untouched on their bench for 4 weeks.   The repair shop I might prefer that is Yamaha certified will be closed for a few more weeks and may be backlogged when it does open I must be patient.  Before I spend $6,200 on a new Bryston 4B3 or $4,500 on a used Bryston 4B3 or Classe I would like to hear my Magnepan 3.7i speakers with the recapped Yamaha M2 amplifier.

I am also paying attention to used Classe power amps for sale here on Audiogon. I am a little uninformed on all the various Classe power amps. My local dealer, only 100 miles away may also have some demo Classe amps in stock.  I know I like how Classe amps sound. I know the 2020 Classe power amps cost $10,000 which I refuse to spend. I don’t know the best years and models to seek out and which ones are the worst heat guns.

I am told that not far from me a Classe owner is looking to sell a pair of amplifiers, model and age unspecified, but with the quarantine I have not been able to contact him.  I would love to demo his amp/s in my listening room.

In a perfect world I could compare my Yamaha to both Classe’ and Bryston in my own listening room and I would know what to do in only a few hours.