classe twenty five and classe fifteen

I was a Classe dealer for many years and concure that the 25 is an excellent amp. The 15 was also very good, but the 25 was better.

There were actually a few small changes from the "DR" series to the "numbered" series:

The improvements to the Ten, Fifteen and Twenty Five vs the DR-10, DR-15 and the DR-25 are as follows:

* Current delivery to the front end was improved with better impedance matching between supply and signal bearing circuitry.

* Amount of input stage regulation was reduced.

* Output stage emitter resistor values were changed.

These changes resulted in the new amps sounding more alive and having more "jump factor". The DR series were a little darker and warmer sounding.

I still think the best sounding Classe amps were the DR3VHC and the DR8 and DR9.

Mofimadness,

I thought the same thing, but when I called B&W/Classe' Audio about 2 years ago to inquire about having my DR-25 upgraded to Twenty Five status, they told me that any changes between the models were extremely minor and that there would be no audible difference.

I'm sure that you are right. As the original owner, I was not entirely pleased with B&W's/Classe's reluctance toward helping me with that. I actually tried to contact Dave Reich, but apparently he is no longer involved in audio.

DR probably works better with forward speakers and the Twenty Five with laid back ones. Regardless, it is a hell of an amp. I don't think I would kick either out of bed ;)

Always heard good things about the first Dave Reich designs, but never actually heard them. Based on specs, they were not rated high on wattage, but I understand that ran in Class A all the way to clipping?

Dlcockrum,

If you look at the product literature, (I still have some), it lists the amps output(s) as A/B. I swear though, that Glen Grue once told me that the amps do run Class A up to a point, but I really can't confirm or deny that. I always thought that they did. I had a pair of DR8's running mono and LOVED them on my Apogee Stages and I had a DR3VHC on a pair of Acoustat Model Sixes that ROCKED!

Sorry, I needed to clarify that the DR3, DR3B and DR3VHC were indeed Class A amps. The DR8 and DR9 were listed as Class A/B amps, but "might" have ran Class A up to a certain level.

I owned both the Twenty Five and the DR25 in the same system, and much preferred the Twenty Five, despite Classe telling me the technical differences were minor. I found it more dynamic, alive, open sounding. I originally explored the Twenty Five, already owning the DR25, after reading the Stereophile review, where the reviewer (LG I believe) very much liked the Fifteen and did not like the DR15 at all. My speakers at the time were Snell B Minors.