Classe Audio CDP-.3 ________ Cary 308t


I purchased the Classe cdp from a local dealer and it stopped reading disks after about 30 days. The dealer sent it back to Classe and the player was returned in 2 weeks. The replacement unit required 100+ hours of break-in time so it was either a new unit or significant replacement. About 15 days later the replacement stopped reading disks.

Although the dealer has been very helpful and I originally liked the player I'm ready to move on. BTW: Dealer says the new Classe CDP-10 is being discontinued and he can’t get any more.

I've demoed the new Cary 308 and 308T and feel that the instruments and vocals do sound much better especially with the Upsampling. The 308T that I’m demoing at home now has a dual tube output. The tubes don’t generate much heat and Cary suggests leaving them on all the time. The jazz vocals, sax and piano are all sounding much better than with the Classe. There’s more air with the Cary, vocals are smoother, piano is really night/day better as compared to the Classe. The sound stage is wider with the Cary and music seems to flow around the room even at low volumes. The Cary does display more trailing in the vocals (semblance?) than the Classe and there’s the 60+ second warm up but the rest of the presentation seems to more that make up for this. Tubes?
adasilva
As much as I liked the Cary 308T I was much more impressed with the Cary 303/200 ($3k vs. $2.5k for the 308T). The 303/200 seemed like another level of detail and resolution. Perhaps I’m not a tube guy. Given the narrow price difference between the two Carys, the 308T no longer seemed as desirable. Also the 303/200 takes a digital in (can be used as a DAC with source switching) and has XLR out while the 308T is single ended only.

Just to clarify the Classe CDP I initially purchased was a “Demo” unit. Classe did not fix the problem successfully the first time and my dealer was instrumental in getting Classe to send me a “New” unit. After yet another break-in period the new Classe CDP is working and sounds better than the demo ever had. I admit that I like having paid a demo price and ended up with a new CDP. That combined with having auditioned the Cary 308, 308T and 303/200 left me with the feeling that only the 303/200 was a worthy jump up in performance. Given that the 303/200 is more that three times the price I paid for the Classe, and being happier with the latest unit I received from Classe, I decided to hold the CDP save for the next speaker upgrade.