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classe Dr-3

looking for impressions on the sound of this amp...how does it compare to modern amps...im intrigued by it but it is 20 years old...i only have a lowly NAD c350 now but i wonder if it would be an improvement over the NAD in areas like imageing and transparency and grain/hashy noise.

any thoughts welcome
mbacinello
gliderguider's avatar
gliderguider
294 posts
 
I've always loved Dave Reich's superb early designs, but they are pretty old now. If you're thinking of a DR-3, you might consider the new Aleph J from Nelson Pass at First Watt. It has the same power as the DR-3, but is a modern Class A design. I'd be willing to bet it sounds better than the older amp as well. The early Classe designs sounded pretty dark. For under $2500 you simply can't go wrong with the Aleph J. It's the best low-power solid state amp I've ever heard. I have a review here at:
http://forum.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/fr.pl?aamps&1132102991
aisip
84 posts
 
The DR-3 would definitely be a few sonic notches above your NAD amp. Succinctly put, the Classe is in a totally different league. They were considered one of the finest sounding transistor amps in their heyday. They were famous for being able to drive the toughest loads with ease despite of their low wattage. If you can find a used one in good condition, I say go for it! That's just my two cents...

Good Luck
gliderguider's avatar
gliderguider
294 posts
 
Drive tough loads is right. I once heard a DR-3 VHC (the big brother of the DR-3) kick a Krell KSA-100 into the weeds driving a pair of Apogee Divas. That was a phenomenal experience - Liszt's "Via Crucis" turned one end of the store into a cathedral with that amp. The Aleph J will not have the low-impedance drive capability of the DR-3 by any stretch of the imagination.

One thing to keep in mind is that the electrolytic caps in the old amp may need replacing at this point.
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