Solid State Power Amp Reviews

Classé Audio DR-3 power amplifier System

Sidebar 1: System

David Reich loaned two DR-3s to the New York-based Audiophile Society for demonstration when he came to visit us, and these were briefly available for review. My reference Snell Type A/III loudspeakers were configured in a biamplified mode, so each stereo DR-3 was set up to drive one speaker. I found that my recently updated Levinson ML-7 and older ML-6A preamps developed a very low-level buzz when connected to DR-3s (footnote 1), so I used Luxman C-03 and Tandberg 3008A preamplifiers for most of my critical listening.

Shure V-15MR and Accuphase AC-2 cartridges were used in a Magnepan Unitrac arm on a Linn Sondek turntable. A number of the best DMP compact discs were played over a first generation Philips-style CD player. Tandberg interconnects and speaker cable, which worked marvelously with the DR-3s, were also employed.—Larry Greenhill

Footnote 1: Neither Sid Chatterjee of MLAS nor David Reich could explain the compatibility problem.

COMMENTS

The more things change, the

Submitted by CG on May 6, 2020 - 12:18pm

The more things change, the more they stay the same. Or however you translate that Jean-Baptiste Alphonse Karr line.

The ML-2 was a direct descendent of the JC-3 power amplifier designed by John Curl. (Lots of stories behind that, I'm sure).

And, guess what? A surprising number of current amplifiers are also direct descendents, too. Many use that circuit topology today. Certainly, there are exceptions, but they are exceptions.

Of course, lots of implementation details have changed as better parts and techniques have come along. (And gone along, too.)

The JC-3 came out 44 years ago. Makes you wonder, doesn't it?

Anyway, the price of the custom order ML-2's referenced in this article would come to around $22K in 2020 inflated dollars. This also makes you wonder, doesn't it?

JC1+ .........

Submitted by Bogolu Haranath on May 6, 2020 - 12:34pm

Stereophile review of the new John Curl designed JC1+ mono amps is coming soon to a mail-box near you :-) .......

a correction...

Submitted by T-NYC on May 6, 2020 - 4:16pm

Nelson Pass copied Lincoln Walsh' patent for sliding class A, successfully embodied in Paul Klipsch's favorite amplifier, the Brook series of tube amps. The Japanese firms did the same and with considerable finesse in their premium versions.

Great amp

Submitted by volvic on May 7, 2020 - 4:55pm

Remember hearing it just as I was getting into hi-fi as a youngster at one of my favorite hi-fi stores; one of the employees had brought it in to the store to try with the big Maggies he was contemplating purchasing. He was a friend/acquaintance of Dave Reich, had Dave bridged two DR-3's for him. Classe was never the same company after Dave Reich was forced out of the company. Good memories.

Classe .......

Submitted by Bogolu Haranath on May 7, 2020 - 1:49pm

Classe is back, now making Delta series stereo and mono amps ...... Their mono amps can deliver up to 35 Watts in pure class-A ....... See their website for details ...... May be Stereophile could review the Classe amps :-) ........

Re: Classe is back

Submitted by John Atkinson on May 7, 2020 - 2:41pm

Bogolu Haranath wrote:
Their mono amps can deliver up to 35 Watts in pure class-A ....... Maybe Stereophile could review the Classe amps :-) ........

I review the new Classé Delta Mono monoblock amplifier in the July issue of Stereophile.

John Atkinson
Technical Editor, Stereophile