Classe CT-2300 Stereo Power Amplifier Review

[admin]

The Classe CT-2300 300wpc/600wpc (8/4 ohms, respectively) two-channel power amplifier is well engineered from inside and out. Classe's unique ICTunnel keeps the amplifier running cool under all operating conditions making it an ideal option for rack mounting. Feed this baby the very best speakers you can afford and it will rewarded you with a sonic landscape not achievable by lesser designed amplifiers. From its benchmark test results to its pristine sonic virtues, I found my time with this amplifier to be a pure delight. After two months of dining on the CT-2300, I can say with total confidence that my appetite is fully satisfied. Highly recommended!

Discuss "Classe CT-2300 Stereo Power Amplifier Review" here. Read the article.

 

[Adam]

Hi, Gene - nice review! Those amps are way out of my league, but I like reading about them.

In the design overview, you show two top views that compare the CT-2300 to the CA-2300. Is the image of the CT-2300 an older version? The internal components are different from the CA-2300 (but you say they should be identical), and the number of speaker terminals doesn't match (looks like two columns of them instead of four).

 

[GranteedEV]

Great Review Gene. This seems like a very nice amp for a pair of Salk SS12s

 

[gene]

Hi, Gene - nice review! Those amps are way out of my league, but I like reading about them.

In the design overview, you show two top views that compare the CT-2300 to the CA-2300. Is the image of the CT-2300 an older version? The internal components are different from the CA-2300 (but you say they should be identical), and the number of speaker terminals doesn't match (looks like two columns of them instead of four).

thanks for your compliments.

Yes the internals are identical. just the layout is a bit different. Both amps have two pairs of binding posts for bi-wiring under the but the power transformer is oriented differently according to the pic. Classe told me they are identical so it is possible the components are different due to old/new pic as you mentioned.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

Classe amps are nice and pretty and have great output numbers.

It's funny how some guys actually complained that Classe amps just don't make their speakers sound as good. Some guys are nuts.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

Have you asked ATI to send AH an AT3007 amp yet?

Anyone has a Mark Levinson amp so we can compare?

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

Great Review Gene. This seems like a very nice amp for a pair of Salk SS12s

What's the odds of Salk sending Gene a SS12 for review?

 

[Batman1969]

Perfect example of why the high end is dying. A $6K+ amp made in China. Looks cool, sounds good, but is the purpose of making the amp in China to make the amp more affordable and more available to the masses or to maximize profits? I'd say based on the price, maximize profits. I used to own a Classe 5 preamp. Good preamp. The 6 was awesome. I don't think either of these products were made in China. Having owned Classe and other high end products, I will stick with my home theater receiver made in China at 1/8th the price of the Classe, but at least 50% of the performance. Not dissing the performance of the product, but as a consumer, the retail pricing makes me want to puke given where the amp is made.

 

[panteragstk]

I usually don't try to steer a discussion, but why does where it's made automatically make it less desirable? If it is just as high in quality if it was made in the US/Canada then what does it matter?

 

[3db]

I usually don't try to steer a discussion, but why does where it's made automatically make it less desirable? If it is just as high in quality if it was made in the US/Canada then what does it matter?

I think what the previous poster is saying is that because its made in China where labor is dirt cheap, a price drop should be expected but its not the case. I happen to concur with him. Even though Classe is a Canadian company, I would expect the price to be cheaper now that its being built in China. $3000 per channel sounds very expensive.

 

[3db]

The message preached on this forum is that all SS amps sound the same well within their power capabilities. Would the Denon sound the same as the Classe if the volume levels asked of the Denon were within its power band? Both posses ruler flat frequency response in the audi spectrum. However, I can understand them sounding different when pushed

 

[gene]

Perfect example of why the high end is dying. A $6K+ amp made in China. Looks cool, sounds good, but is the purpose of making the amp in China to make the amp more affordable and more available to the masses or to maximize profits? I'd say based on the price, maximize profits. I used to own a Classe 5 preamp. Good preamp. The 6 was awesome. I don't think either of these products were made in China. Having owned Classe and other high end products, I will stick with my home theater receiver made in China at 1/8th the price of the Classe, but at least 50% of the performance. Not dissing the performance of the product, but as a consumer, the retail pricing makes me want to puke given where the amp is made.

Yea I understand your argument but the performance of this amp is quite exceptional. Personally, I would have liked to see "made in Canada" on the back but its hard to find any electronics these days made in the USA, Canada or even Japan for that matter!

 

[Steve81]

I usually don't try to steer a discussion, but why does where it's made automatically make it less desirable? If it is just as high in quality if it was made in the US/Canada then what does it matter?

There are several reasons people seek to avoid made in China, regardless of the quality of the product; among these are the stigma that you're buying a product made in a sweat shop (not saying it's necessarily true in this case, but the stigma remains all the same), and the political and economic issues that divide the first world and China.

 

[Irvrobinson]

Perfect example of why the high end is dying. A $6K+ amp made in China. Looks cool, sounds good, but is the purpose of making the amp in China to make the amp more affordable and more available to the masses or to maximize profits? I'd say based on the price, maximize profits. I used to own a Classe 5 preamp. Good preamp. The 6 was awesome. I don't think either of these products were made in China. Having owned Classe and other high end products, I will stick with my home theater receiver made in China at 1/8th the price of the Classe, but at least 50% of the performance. Not dissing the performance of the product, but as a consumer, the retail pricing makes me want to puke given where the amp is made.

It's my understanding (unverified) that when B&W acquired Classe that's when manufacturing went from Canada to China.

 

[Irvrobinson]

The message preached on this forum is that all SS amps sound the same well within their power capabilities. Would the Denon sound the same as the Classe if the volume levels asked of the Denon were within its power band? Both posses ruler flat frequency response in the audi spectrum. However, I can understand them sounding different when pushed

That is the opinion of many on AH. I'm less convinced, which is to say I suspect that there might be subtle differences between *some* properly operating amps within their rated power envelopes. Subtle being the key word here. For an amp that measures like this one though, it would be a difficult case to make. When just about any distortion or noise is 75db or more below the fundamental, even at 1W, I'm at a loss to explain how there could be audible differences.

 

[GranteedEV]

That is the opinion of many on AH. I'm less convinced, which is to say I suspect that there might be subtle differences between *some* properly operating amps within their rated power envelopes. Subtle being the key word here. For an amp that measures like this one though, it would be a difficult case to make. When just about any distortion or noise is 75db or more below the fundamental, even at 1W, I'm at a loss to explain how there could be audible differences.

Comb Filtering from sitting an inches away from the sweet spot

 

[3db]

That is the opinion of many on AH. I'm less convinced, which is to say I suspect that there might be subtle differences between *some* properly operating amps within their rated power envelopes. Subtle being the key word here. For an amp that measures like this one though, it would be a difficult case to make. When just about any distortion or noise is 75db or more below the fundamental, even at 1W, I'm at a loss to explain how there could be audible differences.

I'm not dissing the review nor do I intend to but I can't help feel that "audiophile" crept into this review when discussing how the amps sound differently and how the Classe "hanging" with the upper crowd. The "break in" comment also has me concerned and is very audiophile centric. I can see from the build description that this amp is a very high performer. I have no problem with that. I wonder if the reviewer was only told what he was testing eliminating the knowledge of appearances, make, model, and price (eliminating the biases) if the end result (his opinion on how it sounded) would have been the same. I also wonder if its possible to begin correlating specs with sound. I hope I remained polite about this as I can understand questioning the reviewer and process can be a really touchy subject.

 

[gene]

That is the opinion of many on AH. I'm less convinced, which is to say I suspect that there might be subtle differences between *some* properly operating amps within their rated power envelopes. Subtle being the key word here. For an amp that measures like this one though, it would be a difficult case to make. When just about any distortion or noise is 75db or more below the fundamental, even at 1W, I'm at a loss to explain how there could be audible differences.

As a person that has designed audio amplifiers and have been reviewing them for over a decade that is NOT a sentiment that I share. Even at low power levels audible differences can be heard between amplifiers if the loudspeaker is revealing enough and the load is difficult. This is especially true at bass frequencies from my findings.

 

[gene]

I'm not dissing the review nor do I intend to but I can't help feel that "audiophile" crept into this review when discussing how the amps sound differently and how the Classe "hanging" with the upper crowd. The "break in" comment also has me concerned and is very audiophile centric. I can see from the build description that this amp is a very high performer. I have no problem with that. I wonder if the reviewer was only told what he was testing eliminating the knowledge of appearances, make, model, and price (eliminating the biases) if the end result (his opinion on how it sounded) would have been the same. I also wonder if its possible to begin correlating specs with sound. I hope I remained polite about this as I can understand questioning the reviewer and process can be a really touchy subject.

I actually don't care for the cosmetics of the Classe amp I reviewed. I much prefer the look of my Denon and the Pass Labs I am currently reviewing . Yet my opinion of the Classe remains unchanged b/c of appearance. It's a great amp able to drive the most difficult loads that my more powerful Class D simply couldn't with the same poise and control. As I said, I though the Classe sounded similar to my Denon amp until I drove the power levels up. At that point the Classe stomped my prettier Denon.

 

[3db]

As a person that has designed audio amplifiers and have been reviewing them for over a decade that is NOT a sentiment that I share. Even at low power levels audible differences can be heard between amplifiers if the loudspeaker is revealing enough and the load is difficult. This is especially true at bass frequencies from my findings.

But a difficult load is taxing an amplifier's capability. That I can understand. But what about the comment that was made about the PassLab sounding more forward and the Classe more layed back? Those sound like midrange and treble characteristics which should present no issues for the calibre of these units mentioned. The break-in comment has me perplexed. Like I mentioned previously, maybe a coorelation of how specs affect sound would be a good thing to help understand these comments.