New classe delta preamp and classe stereo amp?


Was wondering your thoughts on the newer Classe preamp and stereo amp combo vs something like the Accuphase E5000 integrated? Does anyone own this classe combo? It will be driving my older B&W 804S speakers and a rel t7x sub. I used to own the older classe cp500 and ca2200 amp. I have the E5000 right now and it sounds great, but just thinking of going back to seperates. Just a thought and some advice. I know the new classe is made in japan now. Thanks

duketbrd88

@hifihandyman Thanks, appreciate it.

@mike_in_nc thanks, not sure witch generation you are talking about. I had the older delta series, which had no fans. I'm sure the new ones are great. 

I have the Accupase E5000 and was thinking of trading it towards the new classe delta preamp and delta stereo amp. I thought I posted that in my original post, but I guess not.

@hifihandyman How do you like the dac in the pre amp? The one i'm thinking about, has the hdmi board installed. I would probably bypass most in the pre and just use it for 2.1 music  listening.

The DAC is excellent.  Very detailed and easy to listen to.  I also have the HifiRose 150b which is a tad warmer, but they are both very comparable.  The PRE is perfect for 2.1 because of the crossover, time-alignment, and available parametric EQ.  I did have a Denafrips Venus II with Gaia DDD and the DAC in the PRE is noticeably better than that.

FWIW:  Several years ago, a friend and I spent approximately 3 to 3.5 hours in a high-end shop auditioning speakers.  As such, we were both in critical listening mode, if you know what I mean.  The salesperson used the Classe amp & pre-amp you're interested in that day.  My friend and I were both very, very impressed with the sound quality and had no idea the amp had an internal fan until both of us read about it later.  The combo powerhouse stack was positioned on a stand that placed the units approximately 5.5' above the floor (i.e.  near ear-level).  There's no way, of course, one could possibly hear the fan when music is playing, even at very, very low decibel levels.  Several times during this audition, I walked right up to the stack when no music was playing and heard no fan noise at all.  The amp was absolutely dead silent.  So, short of some sort of defect or malfunction, you've got nothing to worry about regarding fan noise.  That being said, regardless of but especially because of the fan, I would keep this or any fine quality amp, fan or no fan, covered with a protective cloth or cover when not in use and cooled off (e.g.  desktop computer or printer cover).  Also, I'd occasionally use a good vacuum cleaner to blow & suck out any dust that gets into the casework over the years.  I'm compulsive that way and have always done this with my amps.  Dust is the enemy!

As for the Accuphase E5000 integrated, I've never heard it but have read some wonderful reviews of it.  If the choice were mine, I'd make arrangements to demo both under as controlled conditions as I could arrange (i.e.  components as similar to yours as possible; listening room as similar to yours as possible; music you are very familiar with; etc.) no matter how much travelling I'd need to do.  After all, when you're spending that kind of cash, what's a little travelling?  Of course, if you can make arrangements to audition these amps in your own listening room, that would be optimum.

Good luck!  If you do manage to demo both of these beasts, please let us know which one you eventually choose.  I'd be curious to know which you think sound or sounded better your speakers.  Frankly, given the specifications of both amps, I think this would be an extremely difficult decision, unless you've got a very large listening room and/or weird acoustic concerns to deal with.