Classe Amps

Sorry to hear you’re having problems hifirookie. My amplifier repair experience with Classé in late 2016 could not have been more different from yours. Curious did you send you amp back tot he factory in Quebec?   This website http://www.bwgroupsupport.com/service/ra-request-cust still lists Classé as a brand they repair.

My used but still under warranty CA 5300 5 channel amp quit working. I corresponded with B&W Group’s International Customer Service coordinator, Robert Adam in Lachine Quebec. I told Robert I thought I could find a repair technicion here in the Atlanta area, but Robert insisted the amp come back to Canada.

Packaging and shipping the 130-pound hunk was not easy nor inexpensive. Tracking the repair progress on B&W Groups website was helpful, and the repair was completed in just a couple of days.

The whole transaction took about a month with transportation and clearing customs twice taking most of the time. Robert Adam and Arnold Brookhuis in the service department were very responsive to emails. When it was all said and done the repair was completed under warranty even though I was not the original purchaser. The unit has functioned perfectly ever sense.

I know Classé had closed its doors recently but it now appears they have been resurrected per the following 1/8/18 quote from Stereophile Magazine: “At CES in Las Vegas, it was announced that Sound United (Denon, Marantz, Polk Audio, Definitive Technology, Polk BOOM, HEOS, and Boston Acoustics) had acquired Classé Audio and that operations would be resumed under the leadership of Dave Nauber.”

Hifirookie, you just resurrected a decade-old thread. I rarely log on to this site these days but your story is a sad one. I have been told about these stories before. Instead of restoring the equipment to their original state, some of these bad technicians actually did a shoddy job - poor soldering and unnecessary modifications etc. However, it’s quite astonishing to have the manufacturer’s rep doing that to their own gear. As you have mentioned, it’s a disgrace.

I hope you would get that sorted out soon.

I recently sent in a Classe CA-200 Amp into Classe FOR RE[AIR.as the left channel was not working, they replaced the fuses  charged be 450 bucks plus shipping..I thought ok if it fixes the problem ,than ok  no problem.
As i unpacked it,i took the cover of the amp..and saw right away that the fuse was blown...scratching my head ,,I took the fuse out and it was'nt just destroyed but melted, I phoned the dealer,,who was shocked,,and told me to bring the amp in,,which i did, 
They phoned Classe and explained what happened,and they said it must be another piece of equipment that blew the fuse. so Classe sends in another set of fuses,The tech at the dealer puts the fuse in,amp was unplugged,,and it blows the fuse instantly.
he calls Classe and says it must be the way he hooked it up,,thats hy the fuse blows,,he explains it was not even plugged in,and the fuse blows..Classe finally says ok send it back,,so the Amp is sent back for repair,this time they call back and tell me that the right channel is blown,and i explained to them that the right side was blown and not working,,i said this was not the issue it was the left channel,that was the problem.
After a few months going back and forth Classe decides its not there fault that the amp blew.and send it back in worse condition than it was when i sent it in,
so i wanted to see what the real issue was with this amp and took it to a well known and reputable shop ,and asked them to take a look,,he told me and i quote..whoever tried to fix this amp does not know what there doing,theres gobs of solder and bypass wires that shoud not be there,,frying both power boards,in the amp and preamp side of the amp.
I would be leary of buying any amps or any piece of Classe equipment,i am not the only person that thinks this,as the people i have talked to have had the same experince...STAY AWAY FROM CLASSE...YOU WILL BE DISAPPOINTED ,,NOT IN THE GEAR BUT IN THERE SERVICE DEPARTMENT.
I would also like to know how a company cant even fix there own amp..when someone outside of the company,,and just a novice at that can repair this amp and they say they cant get parts anymore,its disgraceful,

I've owned Classe amps ande heard many Krell amps (though I wouldn't buy one). I'll take a Classe amp over a Krell amp anyday of the week. YMMV.

Cheers,
John

Im in a similar situation as yourself and have been wondering about this for awhile. I also have heard great things about the portal panache integrated amp. I wonder how that would stack up to the krell and classe.

For what it's worth, a DR-9 can't be beat for price and built. Many other ss amps I have heard including Krells might have more bass, but they never capture the soul of a recording as well as a Classe DR-series amp.