Fluctuating volume in one channel: Part II

Earnestmoney, I can't believe what you wrote about packaging up the amp...

I already went to Home Depot and found that 4'x8' sheet of foam insulation and decided that it would make great packaging material. Right after I left Home Depot I went to U-Haul and bought a box!

I do not have the original box, but I am going to double box it with the 2" insulation in the first box and something a little thinner in the outer box.

I am worried about the return home, though. Classe told me that they will put the amp in an original box before they send it back to me, but I'm wondering if they will put that box in another well packaged box.

Earnest, I have been listening to music for about 5 minutes at a time... after that the left channel cuts out. It's pretty rough :(

I narrowed it down (without a doubt) to a faulty amp. I spoke with Classe and will be sending it back as soon as I get it packaged up safely. I hope their customer service is good!

Earnestmoney, I had already gone to the stores before you replied. I'm a few steps ahead of you :) I actually ended up going to Lowe's and found a different 4 x 8 sheet of foam. This stuff was actually white styrofoam and offered a little more cushion than the stuff that my Home Depot had (very hard yellowish looking stuff). It was a few more bucks, but worth it.

After a few hours of sculpting foam I ended up with 4" above and below the amp and 3" on the sides. This is all inside a double walled box. Then, I wrapped the box in thick carpet underlayment and encapsulated that with another box cut to fit tightly around the padding. I did this to offer some shock protection in the event of a fall. Overkill? Probably, but at least I'm not going to worry about it.

If anyone wants to ship me a loaner amp for the time being feel free!

Good news!
I got my ca-200 back from Classe a few days ago. Including shipping time it was gone for about 2.5 - 3 weeks, but I figure Classe only had it for about one week.

I called them to find out exactly what was done to the unit because it's been working perfectly for the past few days and even seems to sound better.

They went over the whole amp and did necessary repairs.
One problem was the shield wires, which connect the input boards to the main boards. A third party used to terminate them and apparently weren't doing the best job, so they were replaced (this is now done by Classe). They also replaced the RCA jacks (probably due to normal wear) and made some updates. The updates included changing some output resistors, 2 caps, and a few diodes. The updates were, according to Classe, intended to improve reliability and stability.

They did the repairs at no cost and even sent it back to me free of charge... that's at least 50 bucks right there. I was very impressed with the whole experience and am now putting Classe up there with Thiel for unsurpassed customer service. I should also mention that I am not the original owner of the amp and it's warranty had already expired.

Bill, that's how my problem started... slight volume level changes now and then followed by more drastic level changes more often. I would call Classe and ask for Arman in tech support. If you can be helped he will help you.

gnobber, that's great! i hope it wasn't too painful being without your amps for tha time. it sounds like the switched the same things in our amps for the same reasons... they must be very similar inside.
i'm glad they're working well again. enjoy some music!