New Toys!!!!!! Classe and Vandersteen. (1 Viewer)

[JoshS]

Hi everyone,
I just bought some new toys: A Classe cap151 integrated amp and a pair of Vandersteen 1c loudspeakers. This system replaced my ht system. In short, my basement theater is now our bedroom, our three children now have their own rooms.
I sold all the gear execept the 50"tv, dvd player, and the sub. To make up for the sacrifice, my wife said I could buy a nice stereo system .
I bought both peices from Audiolab, which is in Fairless Hills, just above Philly, Pa. These guys were great! They let me play whatever I liked without time limits or pressure. They also worked with me on the $$ end also.
I am using this system with a sony 333es sacd player, CATcables silvercats, and Kimber speaker cable. I am trying to blend my Mirage bps400 sub, this is tricky.
The sound is......AWESOME. Diana Krall's voice now gives me goose bumps. Jazz has never sounded so good to my ears. Pink Floyd's new cd sounds great, open and alive.
I think this combo works, I am bummed about losing the ht system but this makes the situation bearable . When we buy a new house in a couple of years the ht will be back, but I will also have a great 2 channel system!!!
Thanks for looking,
Josh

 

[Allen Longcor]

A tough sacrifice to make, but now you'll just have to listen to more music! Sounds like a great system.

 

[JoshS]

Thanks Allen,

Yes, my music collection is growing by the day. I just wish there were more sacd titles.

Josh

 

[RicP]

What did you pay for the Vandersteens?
That sounds like a GREAT music system...you must be happy with your "sacrifice"

 

[EarlR]

Hi Josh

I think the Classe integrated amp is the best bang for the buck out there right now. I have heard this combination and for the money it is fantastic. Good luck enjoying your music and think of all the movies you will have saved up for the new H/T.

 

[Mark C.]

Congrats, Josh.

I have the little brother Classe, the CAP-101, that I use to power my B&W Nautilus 804s. I knew when I bought the Nautilus speakers that I had to get a quality amp to power them. My source is a CAL audio Icon Mk II (plain old CD, I'm afraid). I'm very happy with the Classe.

Your system sounds great. My best friend has a pair of 10-year-old Vandies as the front mains in his home theater. Their impressive. If only he can keep the cats off them. They look like big scratching posts.

Happy listening.

 

[JoshS]

Hey guys,
Ric,
I paid $750 for the 1cs, they were the floor models. They have the standard oak end caps and the dealer wanted to get the cherry ones. I think the list was $895.00.
Mark,
I listened to the cap101 and really liked it. It drove the vandys and a pair of 1.6 Maggies with no problem, but when I put the 151 on the Vandys the soundstage and the image got much wider and deeper, every thing seemed more real. The owner really wanted me to buy the 101 because he said the 1cs could never see the potential of the 151. I agreed and was ready to get the 101 since there was a large price diffence.
THEN... he told me about their upgrade policy: Within one year of purchase, I could bring back the Vandys in their original boxes and get 100% of what I paid for them towards lets say.. the 2ce sigs . So then we talked a little and settled on what I thought was a fair price: $2500 out the door including taxes for the Classe cap151 and the Vandys. I am a very happy camper.
Thanks,
Josh

 

[mctague]

I remember a guy coming into a hi-fi store that I was shopping at, and he said he accidently crossed his speaker cables while everything was powered up.
After checking the fuses, they plugged it in. And the poor think SMOKED, and had a nice burnt smell coming out. We're talking a CA400 amp here, big bucks!
So enjoy your new integrated! But be careful with your speaker cables!

 

[JoshS]

That is a horrifing story. If that happened to me I would probably cry. TURN everything off before you play with it!!!

This system sounds better every day. Still playing with the speaker positioning and the sub.

Thanks,

Josh