Confused addict: need help with upgrade

I would experiment with your interconnects/speaker wire.
I'm not familiar with Classe equipment so I can't say whether it would suit your speakers and listening preferences. Also, other sources of music, (tuner and turntable) would be good comparing with your CD player. Don't get too wound-up in those magazines. It's all about
system matching within your listening room to your tastes.
Great music can be had for a very reasonable cost. Also,
give your new equipment a chance to settle in. (2-3 yrs., only kidding!) Relax and enjoy and you'll get there. Bill

Classe & B&W are lately hitting the market together. For the rest, I second Kotta's advice. Play with your present system, try support & tweaks if it tickles yr fancy (lots of discussion here on A'gon). If you're still not satisfied, slowly look at wires (include after-market power chords), THEN, maybe, the cdp. Meanwhile, buy music (tweaks are usually cheap). Cheers

Good advice from the prior writers. Nice to see some guys "get it"! You might want to read "10 Secrets to Better Sound" at www.audiotweakers.com It's loaded with insight as to why changing componets should be the last thing to do.

I suspect you're maxing out the front end of your system. Classe is indeed a good match for B&W. It is sufficiently powerful with enough current output and bass control. It also has a polite sound as opposed to some amps (you mention Krell in this vein) which can sound overly bright on B&W's.

It follows that you would hear improved dynamics - but I think in order to improve transparency you should audition some other CD players. The Rotel is strong at that price point but consider listening to something a step up. You might be surprised how much of a bottleneck the front end can be.

Also FYI leave your Classe and CDP on at all times - that makes a huge difference. If you aren't doing that presently you may find that will increase transparency.

I third (or fourth) the wire recommendation, it is the first thing I thought of when I read your post.

When you really get it right your system should really click. I am not familiar with the Audioquest wire but when it is right I bet you will know it.

I own the B&W Nautilus 805s. I have a very high quality front end interfaced to these speakers. They deliver what you feed them. My system is riveting on Jazz, vocals and instrumentals. For large scale orchestral music I will have to walk some additional miles ...

Maybe the Rotel was bright and not the Classe rolled off. That was my impression of Rotel integrated on B&W 601's. Stereophile could seem to make up their mind about giving the Classe an "A" because of it's forward sound. Finally gave it a "B". So I don't know if you could call Classe rolled off.
I swithed from Classe to Musical Fidelity with Revel M-20 / F30 and lost a lot of high frequency energy. So maybe Classe is really not less bright, just more "correct". Just my thought.

Are you sure Classe is distributed by Equity (Rotel and B&W)? They're a Quebecois firm, and pretty unrelated to those guys in the UK, eh?

Hello there,

Your Classe is a fine unit! Krell does have a little more resolution but well more analytical I should say, the Classe is more musical I think in many ways.
What you need is to go buy and older full range ribbon like the Apogee Stages! You want low level resolution, they are the only ones. Dont get me wrong the are many super new speakers today but the Apogee will sound different, layers and layers and layers of detail and I mean detail.
I had them all before, the DIVA, GRAND and finally parted with it few years ago. NO SUPPORT other that a guy in Australia who can repair these stuff. Now I have Wilsons and Sonus Faber as my references. You could pick up an older Apogee for a good price. Try it out if you dont believe me. You will be startled when you hear it for the first time. Musicians will be there in your room, no kidding. Maggies are not bad at all but Apogees were differernt, the had the subtleness, soundstage, dispersion level, dynamics, RESOLUTION GALORE!!!! and the ATTACK was mind blowing! Look around for even an Apogee Centaur Hybrid and it will give you a taste of the Jason Bloom's 27 in ribbon taste which was my first experience with Apogee and never ever forgot it and finally ended up buying 3 pairs all in along the the DIVA's the 250lb beauty! Good luck!

It took me years to find out what I wanted in a pair of speakers and the Apogee did it in 15 minutes of listening.
Good luck! I am no more a ribbon devote just to let you know. After 7 year when Apogee bailed out, I bailed out on Apogee my self! They are a classic design, simple but effective! p/s I was not impressed with many other ribbon manufactures! Apogee stood out to the top! Try it out and see for your self!