business proposition of Classe for: source components???

[gerardhn]

Dear Classe Sales people..

I hope you read this.. The one and only Classe forum of your brand in the world.. your products when enoughly sold, justifying to get salary at the end of the month

Iám curious! You discontinued all source components.... Without any explanation, as far as I know. No source? No music!

So: how should we feed your preamps?????

What should we do??? What must we buy??? Only iphone??

What is your story???

Pls tell me! please tell us!


Gerard

[Skyblue]

Maybe they are preparing something else? Maybe they think that computers will take over as source? The new preamp would seem to point in that direction?

I guess as you know, that a well setup windows box actually is a fairly good and convenient source. perhaps not as good as a real good highend cd player, but maybe 80-90% for a fraction of the cost?

[Kal Rubinson]

I believe you can see something in their explanation of the decision to not produce a BluRay player. It is hard to justify the expense when the the quality of such players via digital output to a Classe preamp or prepro is above reproach. Mebbe they should make Classe faceplates for Oppo players in order to provide better shelf aesthetics.

[mjb]

Yes Gerard, we're supposed to be using iPods with a CP800 or a PS3 with an SSP800! The world of audio is shifting, and when a company can admit they can't improve on the quality of the source component (I presume for a justifiable price), they're wise to concentrate on improving it further down the chain.

[realalan]

Yes, I also agree. Look at Linn- at least they keep their analogue source.

When my Classe cdp breaks down and can't be fixed I'll be looking for a new upgrade by another manufacturer- DcS or NeoDio come to mind. Classe need to understand the mid-higher end market- can't be bothered to download etc...

I saw another comment that this forum on Classe is now very quite- yes, becaus all they offer now is amplifiers!

[gerardhn]

Hi,

Still crazy situation.!

No Classe announcement.

If computer/USB is their opinion, ok, than they should declare it and not disappear as deers in the forest.

If I was boss ... I would have managed this different. (which is not so difficult, because they did nothing).

But my wondering is than also, if normal guy like me, would have communicated, explained, said path forward, maybe even have sold Classe labelled audio notebooks.... and Classe engineers/marketing do nothing on this subject, just silently escaped!
Cannot be true. Either they are crazy or Iám.

[Skyblue]

Hi,

Still crazy situation.!

No Classe announcement.

If computer/USB is their opinion, ok, than they should declare it and not disappear as deers in the forest.

If I was boss ... I would have managed this different. (which is not so difficult, because they did nothing).

But my wondering is than also, if normal guy like me, would have communicated, explained, said path forward, maybe even have sold Classe labelled audio notebooks.... and Classe engineers/marketing do nothing on this subject, just silently escaped!
Cannot be true. Either they are crazy or Iám.

Not passing any judgement but I think the things that Dave Nauber wrote has made a lot of sense. He is certainly not crazy. If they get out of the source market I am sure its a well founded decision. On the other hand, they may have something up their sleeve? A music server ? Who knows?

I myself have been called crazy many a time. Quite often people had to eat their words, with extra ketchup.

[Kal Rubinson]

Not passing any judgement but I think the things that Dave Nauber wrote has made a lot of sense. He is certainly not crazy. If they get out of the source market I am sure its a well founded decision. On the other hand, they may have something up their sleeve? A music server ? Who knows?

I do not know but I understand that Alan Clark has moved to Ayre and that might influence Classé's plans.

[aarsoe]

Found it really strange that one of the leading UK magazines have a review of the CDP-102 in them this month. The product is gone and a review is published???
Maybe one hand doesn't know what the other is doing..

[slauten]

Classe does offer more than just amplifiers...they off Preamps and DSP too. While I agree that CD players may not be able to compete with iPods and USB; that did not stop me from buying a Classe CDP-502 recently. I feel having a quality source player is important. I don't always put my CD's on my iPod immediately or I may borrow a CD to listen to it before adding it to my collection. I also have a large collection of DVD's that are not Blue Ray, so I needed a good DVD player.

I use the Marantz UD-9004 as my BD player and have been very pleased with it's performance.

In summary I respect Dave Naubers honesty that Classe saw no reason to jump into the BD market, instead they went after a segment they can win, thus the CP-800 which Classe has claimed will make CD's obsolete, or least compete at the same level.

I commend Classe for developing a Preamp that re-defines what a Preamp could be, and finding ways to incorporate items such as an iPod, iPhone, and iPad that most of own and making music sound as good as a $10,000 CD player! Way to go Classe!

See Ya,
Steve

[mjb]

In summary I respect Dave Naubers honesty that Classe saw no reason to jump into the BD market, instead they went after a segment they can win, thus the CP-800 which Classe has claimed will make CD's obsolete, or least compete at the same level.

Basic BD players are under a long way under $100 now, I'm sure Classé could stick one in a nice box and find a market for it. OTOH, CD's have been obsolete since iTunes, my kids don't even know what a CD player is!

[bigburner]

I'm not a Classé owner but I like their direction. To me they appear to have identified where their opportunities are, they are building on their existing strengths, and they are now making leading edge products at a price point that is below their previous product range. These are the things they need to do in our modern cut-throat world.

Nigel.