AVR Review of the CA-5200

[RebelMan]

The multi-channel CA-5200 doesn't get as much press on these boards as it probably should but it's no less worthy and happend to be my first consideration. Here is a review that sums up nicely what the CA-5200 can do and I would concur with most of the author's findings given my own experience with the amp.

Enjoy!

[sikoniko]

I still can't wait for Kal's ca-3200 review next month. These things make it difficult to hold back from jumping...

[photoman]

I've owned a CA5200 for almost 6 months now. I can honestly say, it's the best amp I've ever owned and the best of I've heard in it's price range. It does a great job in both audio and HT settings. Very happy with it. It is a beast to move, but you've only got to do that once maybe twice.

[nick.h]

How does it compare to the CAV-500?

[wettou]

Here is an other nice review, I love that amp

http://www.hometheatersound.com/equipment/classe_delta_ca5200.htm

Classé Audio Delta CA-5200 Multichannel Amplifier

[Nolan B]

good read. Has anyone ever seen a review on the 5100?

[Gump]

Alright now stop it!

You guys are making me itchy 8O ....and that's always a bad sign for my savings account :cry: .

[garak]

good read. Has anyone ever seen a review on the 5100?

Here's one:

http://www.classeaudio.com/reviews/reviews-pdfs/CA5100-SSP300-HomeTheater-Jul06.pdf

[garak]

Alright now stop it!

You guys are making me itchy 8O ....and that's always a bad sign for my savings account :cry: .

I'm betting you're going to get the CA-5200 sooner or later. So why not sooner than later. :B

[wettou]

CA-5200 is the way to go I love it

[style]

Alright now stop it! You guys are making me itchy ....and that's always a bad sign for my savings account

Hi Gump,
I had the MC205 too. At the same time I have recieved the CA5200 so I have test the 2 powerampli....

we dont' can say that the Mc205 don't sound...but when you have only in the hands (BIG hands 55kg.!!) you can understand the sound difference from the 2 ampli just with the amp in the arm.

I have sold the MC and than is the SSP arrived for make my fly with the Classe combo.

Style

[Hberg]

Kal's review is quite nice.

[Gump]

Hi Gump,
I had the MC205 too. At the same time I have recieved the CA5200 so I have test the 2 powerampli....

we dont' can say that the Mc205 don't sound...but when you have only in the hands (BIG hands 55kg.!!) you can understand the sound difference from the 2 ampli just with the amp in the arm.

I have sold the MC and than is the SSP arrived for make my fly with the Classe combo.

Style

Yes Style, you definitely have an opinion that I respect since you owned both amps and can give a side by side comparison. As much as I love my MC-205, in my heart I know that the best match for the SSP-800 is going to be the CA-5200.

I actually brought a 5200 home a couple of years ago to demo in my system. Other than almost getting a hernia from lifting it (by myself--big mistake) up into a wall niche about 5ft off the ground, it was an amazing piece of equipment.

Most notable for me was how tight the bass became. This was an example of what I had read about how an amp is able to "control" the drivers in the speaker. The bass from my 803D's wasn't deeper or bigger, but it was much tighter, faster and more distinctively dynamic. I was mesmerized listening to it.

It is indeed a terrific amp.

[Gump]

I'm betting you're going to get the CA-5200 sooner or later. So why not sooner than later. :B

Yea, I am in the preliminary "mulling over" my options stage right now. 8O .

My next purchase was going to be a pair of B&W SCMS speakers to upgrade my surrounds and get a better match with the front speakers. The 5200 was in the back of my mind, but I was planning on waiting awhile on that and making do with the McIntosh MC-205.

Now you guys are giving me that "itch"... :demon:

One of the problems with getting the 5200 now is that I would also have to get another equipment stand/rack so that the big boat anchor would fit in it. I had planned on upgrading the rack down the road anyway (probably with a studiotech or salamander unit) because the rack I have now has such poor circulation (just about set the place on fire not knowing the PS3 inadvertently was turned on for several hours---it was like a furnace inside the cabinet :E ). But, that's another grand or two on top of the cost of the amp...which brings up the other problem---keeping "you know who" happy .

I also have my eye on that new bluray Oppo coming out soon....it all adds up pretty fast as you know.

Decisions, decisions.... :B

[Classe4me]

I have had my CA-5200 for somewhere in the six month range and love it. I had the CA-5100 and was extremely pleased with it. The sound quality was fantastic, very clean, crisp, detailed, and seemed to be a powerhouse. The store I bought it from had a trade up policy and they gave me an upgrade price that was just barely over half of the list price difference between the two. It only cost me $1800 to go from the $5500 5100 to the $9000 CA-5200. It was the price and one isolated case of clipping, plus perhaps the dreaded upgradeitis, that prompted my moving up. I have never met anybody that was sorry for having the best and I knew I would never have an opportunity like I had at that time to go to a brand new amp with the factory warranty. My speakers are 4 ohm speakers which pull more power even though they nearly double the output of the amp. Something that I don't quite understand but it is what it is.

It is a brute of an amp and you really need two people to move it around and set it up unless you are a body builder or perform in the "World's Strongest Man" competition. That or you can bung one up if you try to do a lot with it yourself because of the weight and the dimensions both.

After hooking my new amp up, the first thing that I noticed was my bass response changed dramatically. I made no other changes at all, not even cables. I did not expect any sound difference. The only thing I though I was really going to accomplish was eliminating the chance of my amp clipping again when leaning on it pretty hard on something like Master and Commander.

I can say with no exaggeration that it seemed as though I had changed subwoofers when I went up to the CA-5200. It brought the best, beast, and bass out of my Sophia 2s. Imagine how blown away I was when I finally listened to a couple of my online buddies and added a JL Audio Fathom F113.

In summation, I can tell you that you can't go wrong with either amp. If you have fairly efficient speakers and a good subwoofer you might consider the CA-5100 and save some serious money. I have no regrets upgrading my amp but will speculate that if it wasn't for the reasonably upgrade cost and not having bought the F113 first I might still have a CA-5100. Classe amps totally rock!

[wettou]

Yes the Classé CA-5200 is a beast so heavy I almost broke my back

In regards to sound quality it makes my five 802 sing. Of course if the economy was better and I had a lot more disposable $$ I would love five Classé CA-M400 but the 5200 is very nice