Classé Audio Vs Anthem

The Classe Delta CA-2300 class AB amp is better than the Anthem STR amp but the Classe has been discontinued 2 years ago and did retail for $7K when purchased new when it was still in production. Nowaday a used Classe CA-2300 can be had for around $4k in used markets. The Anthem STR amp is a new current model from Anthem's top of the line model and retails for $6k new and is rated at 400 wpc @ 8 ohms, 600 wpc @ 4 ohms, 800 wpc @ 2 ohms. The Classe CA-2300 is rated at 300 wpc @ 8 ohms & 600 wpc @ 4 ohms and it doubles every time the impedance halves. 

The Classe CA-2300 is more refined and musical sounding overall than the Anthem STR amp. The Classe sounded more resolved and nuanced than the Anthem STR and a used Classe CA-2300 can be had for cheaper than a brand new Anthem STR if you can find a used one in after markets eg Audiogon, eBay, Audiomart, etc. 

What are your speakers? The Classe will pair really well with B&W 800 series Diamond speakers.

If you don’t mind their appearance, the CT-2300 it can be had for substantially less than the CA-2300. I have the CT-2300 paired with Sopra 2s and it is a wonderful amp! Either way, the old Classé amps for sure over Anthem...just my $.02.

What is the difference between the CT-2300 and CA-2300? Just looks? Also how much heat do these Classe amps generate? I am a bit worried about that.

Thanks!

The CT-2300 & CA-2300 are basically the same amps except the CT-2300 are designed and meant to be for rack mounted in one of those custom theater or home theater AV racks. The CT stands for Custom Theater. With CT-2300 Classe simply changed an orientation layout of transformer power supply and circuit boards a bit to fit the CT chassis but they both are same amps. Aesthetically, the CT (custom theater) version looks ugly as hell though if you wouldn’t mind that.
Classe made CT versions of all Delta series amps that were launched at the same time as the CA-2300 amp.

Classe even made the CT version of the SSP 800 av preamp surround processor and is called the CT SSP, which is basically the same as the SSP 800. All the CT version gears were slightly cheaper not by much though. I think they were cheaper by $500 to $1k depending on which component it is. In the case of the CA-2300 amp if I could recall correctly the CT-2300 was $500 cheaper than the CA-2300 when they both were purchased brand new back then. But for their monoblock amps such as the CAM 300 & the CAM 600 the CT versions of these monoblock amps were $1k cheaper for the pair when they were purchased brand new back then. But all their CT version gears look ugly as hell since they were designed and meant to be placed and rack mounted in one of those AV rack or HT rack and not be seen.

As far as heat goes, all these last Classe Delta series amps that Classe made implement ICE tunnel as part of its cooling or heat dissipation technique and has a fan. These Classe Delta series amps such as the CA-2300 / CT-2300 run cool at all time. These are class AB design amps. Older Classe amps such as the Omega series amps run in class A and run warm to the touch and definitely run warmer or hotter than these Delta series amps such as the CA-2300 but not too hot.

What are your speakers and preamp and front end source component(s)?