Classe CAM 350 monoblock vs Classe CAM-400 or Bryston 4B3

timothy,

I own a full Classe pre/pro SSP Sigma with CA 5100 (which is from the series that the CAM 400 resides) a 5 channel 100 wpc amp that I use for all surround and the newer CA 2300 (the newer series from which the architecture is very similar to the current Delta Series) a 2 channel 300 wpc amp which I use for primary left and right and all music reproduction.

A number of points:

Firstly, Classe is back up and operating and is still supporting repairs on earlier equipment so I would not discourage you from buying.

The CAM 400 is a nice sounding system and it utilizes heat sinks along the sides for cooling.  If you search internet, you should be able to find pictures of 6 of these amps in numerous rooms at Abbey Roads studio where they are powering TOTL B&W speakers (pretty cool!).  CAM 400 was replaced with CAM 600 around 2011.  CAM 350 was replaced with CAM 400 around 2006.

The CAM 350 is getting a little "long in the tooth".  

If you are concerned with warming, I would strongly recommend you looking at either CA 2300 or CAM 600 monoblocks (although these may be overkill for the rest of your system).  BTW the CAM 600 is essentially a CA 2300 with both output channels wired together.  This series is much newer than the 400 and uses "ICTunnel" cooling with a variable speed fan on the back.  Other than switching to "on" from standbye, when the fan is momentarily turned on at 100%, I have never heard the fan during listening, either when using with home theater setup or just two channel.  I have the 5100 sitting on top of the 2300 and even when left on for 24 hours (which just happened earlier this week) the 2300 does not even get warm on the outside.  The 5100 does get slightly warm (as do CAM 400s).  This being said, it is much less warm than Class A operating amps or even my previous BAT VK 500 which warmed my large dedicated room at least 2-3 degrees.  In fact, my wife regularly teases me that the room is cold since I went to the all Classe system.

In terms of sound quality the Maggies will sound great with any of them. I would strongly recommend instead of the CAM 400, buy a CA 2300 and use the leftover money to buy a Classe pre/pro this would give you option of home theater but primary L/R channels are balanced.  There is a 2300 currently on ebay which should be available for $3-3.5K in Nashville, TN area (I actually know a little about this one's history as I own it's "brother"!).  There is an SSP Sigma mkII available on Audiogon which is owned by a friend of mine in CA and it has been absolutely babied it's whole life!   This is person that I bought my 5100 from.  I can tell you this marriage SSP and 2300 with excellent cabling will rival systems costing many times more.  You can see a complete description and picture of my current system under psnyder149 virtual systems.  Let me know if you need any additional info. and good luck!

@ Mike_in_NC

It has been frustrating trying to get anything done.  I have a local dealer who sells Magnepan, Bryston and McIntosh. I would love to listen to both Bryston 4B3 and McIntosh (MC312 or MC462) drive my MG-3.7i speakers but after maybe 6 calls yesterday he called back this morning to say he was open for someone else but not for me.

 He didn’t sell me the $7,500 Magnepan speakers either; he made a mess out of that as well.

 I have no education in culinary arts, but I have had family who made a grand living as professional taste testers.  Fact is I can taste things in food many others can not. In the same way I can hear nuances in music some other folks may not notice. Exactly what you recommend is exactly what I would prefer.  Listen and make up your own mind and Lord knows I would have an opinion.

 You are the second individual who is not too impressed with the Magtech, I don’t have an opinion but I respect yours. I know Wendell loved the old Bryston and the Bryston 4B3 is much better than what the old Bryston 4B stuff. I think I should place some credence on Wendell’s opinions?

 I had a deal with a Bryston that somehow fell through?  If that deal can be resurrected a used Bryston 4B3 would could me almost $2,000 less than a new Sanders.

 There are still a few Classè amps on Audiogon; a pair of CA-M350 mono-blocks, and pair of newer CA-M400 mono-blocks but they were new in 2007. I am temped. I know what they sound like but I have issues with their age, location and Classé’s service in the future.

 Road blocks at every turn, after all the drama somehow, Lord willing, this will all work out for the best.

timothywright OP
The Parasound Halo A21+ is rated 500 wpc 4Ω (which I like) costs $2995, however THD is rated <.1% which does not impress me. The amp I am replacing has THD <0.005%

That’s because John Curl as does Nelson Pass etc etc most of the gurus, don’t believe in tones of feedback (and use local instead of global feedback) to get "reasonable" THD figures, where the amp that has .005% obviously does. I hope you know feedback if not used sparingly is detrimental to sound and can make an amp sound sterile.

Stereophile A21+: The A 21+’s distortion was predominantly the subjectively innocuous second harmonic, the second-order difference product at 1kHz lay at a very low –86dB (0.005%), and higher-order intermodulation products were even lower in level.
https://www.stereophile.com/images/220Para21fig5.jpg
https://www.stereophile.com/images/220Para21fig4.jpg

Cheers George

Have A Bryston 4B that I bought used 27 years ago, driving peripheral speakers. never a problem. Have a newer 4B SST driving Vandersteen 3A sigs. I messed up a binding post on the 4B SST and Bryston fixed it under warranty with great communication and quick turnaround. Both Brystons are being driven by a DeHavilland Ultraverve. I’m happy with the sound produced by this combination. Both Brystons get a little warm (temp) but not enough to be of concern to me. 

A few comments.

@psnyder149 found the Classé CA 2300 fan inaudible. I agree that it's a fabulous-sounding amp; in fact, I was about to buy one. But in my audio room, when I was listening to string quartets, the fan became audible during quiet passages. I'd urge caution in this respect for prospective buyers. Most listeners don't mind the fan, but some of us do.

@georgehifi points out that amps that use reduced feedback might have "high" THD, around 0.1%. I agree with George that that amount of THD can be inconsequential. It's difficult to hear, and I would not rule out an otherwise well-regarded amp for that reason. THD, especially 2nd and 3rd harmonics, is far less objectionable than IMD.

On Classé repairs of older equipment, I urge caution again, and I'd ask Classé how repairs might be handled for a specific model. The last information I saw from Classé (during resurrection from the B&W closing) was that older products would be handled by B&W but that parts availability might be problematic. So, wise to check before buying.

And @timothywrite, I sympathize with the difficulty of getting anything done these days. Looking at Audio Advisor, I see Bryston again has raised prices, with the 4B3 MSRP going from US $5995 to $6795 (though currently discounted to $6115). That would be one way to get a home audition, but boy, Bryston sure has become pricey!