Back when Frank Reich was building gear in his Montreal basement (selling two dozen components a year), and then when Mike Viglas came along in 1980 to form Classé they made truly excellent products. Reich eventually left to retire to California, and Viglas carried on (he was a trained engineer) the product didn't suffer. But further ownership changes changed all that, and Bowers&Wilkens in particular used it as a step-up brand with rather ordinary design and switched from a cost-no-object engineering company to a bean-counter'ed retail brand playing off the old reputation. If you get the chance to pick up some 80's or 90's gear used, you owe it to yourself to give them a listen. You may be very pleasantly surprised. Later gear ... not so much.
