Classé is no more

[Johnny2Bad]

Bowers & Wilkens, owner of the Classé brand of audio components, is shutting down the entire operation in about a week. All employees will be let go, all manufacturing will cease (they imply they might make one more manufacturing run of popular products in the catalog) and support will revert to B&W Group.

A sad day for audio in my opinion, they made great stuff and although expensive, offered good value in the segment compared to other Ultra High End manufacturers.

On Friday, October 6 2017, the Montreal (Canada) offices will be shut down and all staff dismissed.

 

[TLS Guy]

Not surprised by this. B & W have Rotel.

However B & W were bought by a confounded venture capitalist last year. It is Eva automation, a new startup. This was lauded by the owners of this site. I'm skeptical if anything good will come of it. At worst they will mine the assets, at best it will become a home automation company and whole house wireless audio of probably suspect quality.

I'm not optimistic.

 

[Bucknekked]

I'm not optimistic.

TLS Guy
you could have just written the last line all by itself.
It made me laugh.
If nothing else, you are a master of understatement.
I've had two wonderful chuckles today on the AH.
What will happen next?

 

[lovinthehd]

Always thought Classe was a presumptious and somewhat annoying brand name...maybe it makes more sense in French? Not one of their products ever tempted me....somewhat like B&W never tempted me even before EVA's purchase.

 

[Alexandre]

Wait… for real?

 

[shadyJ]

Looks like Classe is dismissed!

 

[class a]

Not surprised by this. B & W have Rotel.

However B & W were bought by a confounded venture capitalist last year. It is Eva automation, a new startup. This was lauded by the owners of this site. I'm skeptical if anything good will come of it. At worst they will mine the assets, at best it will become a home automation company and whole house wireless audio of probably suspect quality.

I'm not optimistic.

B&W does not have Rotel. Rotel has an agreement w/B&W to distribute through their world wide system. Rotel is still owned separatley.

 

[Alexandre]

Uh… it looks like this is a rumor that's been going around since June but there seems to be no official word anywhere, no press release, nothing. What gives?

@Johnny2Bad did you see any "new news" about this?

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

Every time I auditioned the B&W 802D, they were powered by a Classe amp. And every time I would hear a hissing noise from the speakers from 6 FT away. So I was never impressed with Classe just for that.

But it is always sad to see people losing their jobs. Never a good thing. That is the sad part.

Classe should just let ATI build their amps.

 

[Steve81]

Uh… it looks like this is a rumor that's been going around since June but there seems to be no official word anywhere, no press release, nothing. What gives?

There is this:
https://www.strata-gee.com/classe-closing-october-6th/
and this:
http://www.avsforum.com/forum/86-ultra-hi-end-ht-gear-20-000/2900217-classe-audio-has-closed-2.html#post54873294

 

[Swerd]

Classé is now passé.

 

[Bucknekked]

Classé is now passé.

I knew there was a punchline or a pun there some where

 

[class a]

I was at my local dealer today and he received a call from B&W confirming the closing. He was wary about the situation and stopped purchasing any Classe gear about 6 months ago. All that's left is a Sigma Integrated.

 

[Swerd]

I was at my local dealer today and he received a call from B&W confirming the closing. He was wary about the situation and stopped purchasing any Classe gear about 6 months ago.

A question out of curiosity. For someone who already owns Classé gear, as your moniker suggests, why does it matter if they go out of business?

I don't own any of their products, but they have a reputation of making very well constructed (perhaps over-kill constructed) "big iron" amps. They should last a long time, decades. The robust used amplifier market attests to that.

If they do need repair, there are qualified people who can work on these. And there are other makers of large and expensive high powered amps for those who must have them.

 

[class a]

The Class a moniker is for Class a amps. I have a pair of Threshold T-50's and once had a Forte 4A. I did have a Classe CDP-10 CD player and an SSp-30 Surround processor. Nice gear but both started to develop problems after a few years. I'm sure you'll get some excellent prices on the amps. Good amps will last my T-50's are about 25 years old and still going strong. Plus I locally have a great tech guy who has taken care of them.

 

[Swerd]

The Class a moniker is for Class a amps. I have a pair of Threshold T-50's and once had a Forte 4A. I did have a Classe CDP-10 CD player and an SSp-30 Surround processor. Nice gear but both started to develop problems after a few years. I'm sure you'll get some excellent prices on the amps. Good amps will last my T-50's are about 25 years old and still going strong. Plus I locally have a great tech guy who has taken care of them.

OK, now I get it. Class A it is – not Classé .

I agree, it is a bit sad when a well-known name closes shop. But that's been going on for some time in the audio business. I remember years ago all the fuss over Mark Levinson, but the audio business survived anyway. A name can be purchased and live on under different ownership. I can think of examples where this was good and where this was terrible.

 

[class a]

Look at it this way I once owned Classe gear and Thiel speakers. Talk about the Kiss of Death.

 

[Darenwh]

I guess this means that B&W no longer has any Classé... So Sad...

 

[everettT]

They still have Rotel

 

[Pogre]

Always thought Classe was a presumptious and somewhat annoying brand name...maybe it makes more sense in French? Not one of their products ever tempted me....somewhat like B&W never tempted me even before EVA's purchase.

This post pretty much reflects my thoughts. Plus it's funny!