Anyone heard a Classe CA-400 amp?
- Thread starter cdfac
- Start date
beemer
Vintage Graduate
It's all in matching. I use the CA-200 with a pair of KEF Reference 3's, a Krell preamp and a Sony SCD-777ES. Great synergy, very liquid sound. No transistor edginess. Last year at our member Markus' party I rolled this system and played it outside to rave reviews.
Yes, some Classe equipment can roll off the top a bit and have some midrange bloom. This can work in your benefit if the speakers lean to the bright side. You never know what'll work 'til you try it.
Best,
Paul
Rick Vestal
Have a nice day and duck!
I agree... When I think of amplifiers, I put Krell at the harsh end and Classe at the smooth end.
hi Glen...it is also a excellent amp,lots of slam and comes fully loaded with the Classe sound we all know and love.I did not realize this model has the silver top only??it does look special...it is up against a Mark levinson 333 i just got(this amp is also a 9/10)....i will put it through comparisons for the next few months...although i am waiting for my friggin DV9600 disaster to come home
john
john
I did finally get a good deal on one of these amps! It seems to be performing great, although it came with some new speakers and I haven't done any amp comparisons to differentiate what contributions the amp and the speakers are making to the result. Here's a pic I took tonight. You may have seen the nudes before, but they probably didn't use a beer bottle to give you scale:
Glen B
Super Member
Congrats Chris and welcome to the "club". 
I've been running a CA-300 purchased new in 1996, and CP-50 preamp, and love the combo. Most people may not be aware that there were two versions of the CA-200/300/400, with and without mosfet rail fuses. From your pic, I see you are lucky to have obtained one of the earlier production models without the mosfet fuses. Classé ditched the use of these fuses in their CA-X01 models and of course their current Delta models.
I've been running a CA-300 purchased new in 1996, and CP-50 preamp, and love the combo. Most people may not be aware that there were two versions of the CA-200/300/400, with and without mosfet rail fuses. From your pic, I see you are lucky to have obtained one of the earlier production models without the mosfet fuses. Classé ditched the use of these fuses in their CA-X01 models and of course their current Delta models.
chadnliz
Addicted Member
I have 4 Classe C 150 amps and a Vlasse 6 channel (3 channel bridgeable) amp, I use 2 as mono amps, the surround for center and mid surrounds bridged and have a spare collecting dust. M y dad gave me thse and they sound great but sometimes I swap then out for the Aragon 4004 (poor mans Krell) for a different sound. Many times I need to run a stored tube buffer with Aragon as it is uber-detailed and can border harsh. Classe is warm but with wrong gear can be too much so.
Well I just picked up a CA-400 in silver and it is good to have one back(i sold my black one 2.5yrs ago...mistake).I am looking for a CA-? in silver only(for my HT) if anyone is thinking of parting.Must be good shape please and preferably with its box.
I have had the ML333 and i still love this ca400.I know there are better amps on bass but they also cost much more,and hey,if you are using a sub,well there ya go!
I have had the ML333 and i still love this ca400.I know there are better amps on bass but they also cost much more,and hey,if you are using a sub,well there ya go!
Hi, I just read through this thread, am leaning towards purchasing a Classe, although I had my mind set on the CA-300, not the CA-400. Can anyone tell me how they compare? Also, what difference would having the mosfets make, in the later models, as compared to the early versions?
thanks,
John
thanks,
John
Glen B
Super Member
I currently own both a DR-10 (all-bipolar transistors) and CA-300 (mix of J-FETs, MOSFETs, and bi-polar transistors). I like the wide, deep soundstage, pinpoint placement of instruments, and lifelike midrange of the DR-10. On the other hand, to my ears the CA-300 is a little more lively sounding, with better instrumental timbre, better bass authority, but not as wide and deep a soundstage or as pinpoint instrument placement as the DR-10.
I find it hard to pick either one as being better or worse. They're just different and I like both. If forced to, I could live with either one. The CA-300 and CA-400 are similar in performance, just that the latter offers more headroom. I would not agonize over type of solid state device (FET or bipolar).
What are your other system components ? Room Size ? Unless you have highly inefficient/difficult to drive speakers, a large room, and/or like to listen really loud, you may find the CA-300 to be more than adequate.
I find it hard to pick either one as being better or worse. They're just different and I like both. If forced to, I could live with either one. The CA-300 and CA-400 are similar in performance, just that the latter offers more headroom. I would not agonize over type of solid state device (FET or bipolar).
What are your other system components ? Room Size ? Unless you have highly inefficient/difficult to drive speakers, a large room, and/or like to listen really loud, you may find the CA-300 to be more than adequate.
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