Classe DR-15 amplifier compared to Classe Dr-9

If I remember rightly the DR-9 was designed as an A/B design to compete with DR-3s in sound without the high price tag of class A. The DR-15 is more of a Glen Grue designed amp using Dave Reichs signature as a selling feature.

To the person who stated that the Classe DR-3 was the only pure class A amplifier designed by David Reich: David also designed the DR-2, DR-3B and DR-3 VHC (short for very high current 45 wpc pure class A amplifier). All are now highly collectible sonic works of art. In the class of early Mark Levinson gear like the ML-2's but far more reasonably priced.

The only draw backs to these early Classe amps are the tremendous heat that they give off and the large amounts of current that they use -- they are very inefficent designs, yet sound very much like good tube amplification.

Back in the early 1990's I owned a DR3-VHC and later a DR-2.
Both were built like tanks; beautifully engineered and constructed.

The DR-9 is an excellent amplifier; also built extremely well. However, it is not a pure class A design and probably gives up just a bit in the way of sound quality as a result of it. Yet, it is still a superb piece of hi-fi gear. Had I not owned the aforementioned DR's (hard acts to follow) I would be even more impressed with it.

As for the newer Class A gear, it's still very nicely built. However construction is now more to a price point than it was back in the early 1980's, when David Reich made his company famous, by building the best amplifiers he knew how to. His creativity in the early Class A line of amplifiers and preamplifiers still draws the attention of hi-fi enthusiasts the world over. His amplifiers were (and still are) that impressive.

Lornoah, what do you mean about "as fast"? Can, or any of the other guys on here describe this statement in more detail?

I've heard the term used and would love some clarification.

Thanks!

Sorry for the late reply. I was using one Dr-15 to drive Apogee Stages and found the resulting sound slow and sluggish. I was also using a passive preamp so there may have been an impedence issue. Buying a second DR-15 resulted in a faster sound and more true to life. I experimented with short low capacitance cables and this also improved matters. I'm at the stage now where I'm satisfied.

The thread is from quite some time ago, but adding some input for those who arrived here through an internet search looking to research or purchase a DR-15 or DR-9. 

Adjectives such as "speed" and "fast" when discussing amplifiers, speakers, or cables seems to really be about how well a system accurately captures attack and decay:  the key stroke on a piano or the hit of a drum have an attack at the strike and a decay in the sustain -- an audio instrument that accurately manages these attributes is one that doesn't turn muddy, muffled, or unfocused at these sonic junctures.  In other words, an amplifier should have enough power to expand and contract the speaker fast enough to capture each beat of a drum solo; yet, the speaker needs to be fast enough to accept these changing demands from the amplifier and respond accordingly.

When all goes well, amplifier, speakers, cabling, even a stylus should all together have enough synergy and balance to maintain the integrity of the original instruments in play.