Official Classe SSP-800 thread. - Page 179

What are you buying.

Bryston SP3

Really, do you like it better than Classé SSP-800!

Edited by wse - 3/11/13 at 12:04pm

Yes please expound on what you like about the SP3 over the Classe?

And Scott shoot me a PM with your price on the SSP-800. I am in the market and am trying to narrow down my processor choices.

Question for all... I assume the Classe does not pass 4k video signals? I would like to be able to route HTPC 4k video through the processor.

EDIT: Never mind... I found the answer in the FAQ..

Can the HDMI 1.4 version of the SSP-800 handle 4K video?
No. 4K video (sometimes called 4K2K) will involve a similar leap in technology as occurred in the transition from DVD to Blu-ray. It will involve a completely different type of media because Blu-ray Discs don't have the capacity to store the data required for full length movies with 4K video. A 50GB Blu-ray Disc could store approximately 30 minutes of 2D video at the 4K resolution. New recordings, players and displays are all required before the SSP will ever be asked to pass 4K video.

I "assume" 4k passthrough could be added like HDMI 1.4 was added when and if its mainstream enough for Classe to warrant the upgrade.
Edited by hifiaudio2 - 3/12/13 at 9:41am

Not sure I would make the leap that the SSP will only require a software upgrade to handle 4K 3D. I saw plenty of previous generation AVPs that promised upgradability due to their card based architectures and software based control system fail to make the leap from DVD to BluRay because things like hardware standards changed from component video and coax/optical audio for DVD to HDMI for BLuRay. Their card architecture or DSPs just couldn't handle that big of a change. I suspect the same will be true for the next gen of audio/video standards.

I've gotten to a point where I look at processors, DACs, and transports as the short term, replaceable parts of my system and amps, speakers, and analog sources as the more permanent parts of the system. This helps me in allocating where I should make what size of investment. Very similar to the photography world where I don't mind making an investment in a good lens that will last a lifetime but consider a body to have a 2-4 year life cycle, at best.

Karl

I just hooked up the SP3 a little while ago. I can report back in a few days with deeper thoughts, but I was curious to check out the Bryston after reading the stellar reviews praising the audio quality, especially for music. That's my #1 priority, so I figured I'd check it out

On first listen, I feel like the SP3 is more detailed, though I should probably move this to the Bryston thread to avoid hijacking the Classe thread

Please let us know as Classé owners want to know if they have been surpassed!

SSP-800 definitely seems warmer in comparison to the SP3 (or I could say the SP3 seems more detailed and transparent). I still haven't done nearly enough listening yet, but these are first impressions.

The SSP-800 menus and interface are far superior, though. The 4 line LED display works, but seems like a big step down coming from the Classe's touch screen and on-screen display

I put my SSP-800 on Audiogon

 

It would be hard for me to loose the SSP-800 touch screen and interface, I think one of these days it will all be on iPad but for some reason all these firms have a tough time migrating to wireless controlled aps.

 

- Onkyo, Marantz, Denon, Yamaha, Pioneer all have free aps to control their AV!

Scott, Amplifier/s and associated equipment please? How much more detailed?

It will never be on ipad since the SSP doesn't have an ethernet/network input. Next version of the SSP will I'm sure.

The Bryston is significantly more detailed IMO. A little boring in terms of features but great sounding processor. I

Yes I know unless they created a dongle, how about the CP-800 ?

Arggh. Made big mistake before movie nite last night and updated the firmware. Now all I have is a blinking blue light and it won't stop blinking to turn on. I think I was on 2.0 and updating to the latest 3.02... This is my first time trying it with USB instead of RS 232 and am using my wife's laptop.

Not sure what happened. Any ideas on how to revert to old or load the new firmware? I have tried this 4x with USB and still nothing but a blinking blue light even after 1/2 hour +

Really would love to catch F1 today!

If you were on 2.0x, then you cannot use 3.0x firmware -- that is for the newer HDMI 1.4 hardware. Go back to Classe website, download latest (2.0.6) and install that.

Just to confirm:
If unit supports 4 HDMI and S-video inputs, use 2.06.
If unit supports 5 HDMI and no S-video inputs, use 3.02.

Roger

Thanks my man, yes I did figure out that was it. User freakin' error. Mistakenly thought because I had dual dsp's that it was 1.4 until one of the posts I saw in the thread earlier mentioned having 1.3 and dual dsp.

Have it updating now and looks like she'll take this time. Unfortunately I lost all my settings and calibrations Jeff Meier did for me Time to reprogram everything again.

Owen

I heard Kal say on this thread that the Bryston was more detailed than Classe but the Classe had a warmer tone. I have my Classe in a Cabinet so the fact that the Bryston does not have on screen display was a deal breaker for me. But I bet it does sound nice, especially with two-Channel music.

Takes time to reload, but at least they were not lost.

After you get it all back to normal, connect the downloader and make a backup file for future ref.

Does it sound better than the CP-800?

I feel like Oppo's USB DAC input from Mac Mini fed into SSP-800 via XLR gives better definition and depth compared to the same material played from CD at Oppo.

I also suspect that I like this setup better than sending HDMI input from Mac Mini to SSP-800 thus using SSP's DAC, but I need to do more listening.

I'd be interested in others' experiences.

Re the first option, has anyone tried an external USB galvanic isolator for the USB DAC input? The Classé CP-800 description refers to the same, I wonder if Oppo or SSP-800 has it at all, or needs one.

USB galvanic isolator!

No, my settings were lost

I am trying to duplicate them but the unit for sure is not sounding as good as it did pre the latest firmware

Seems like the mids are more electronic sounding, and there is less weight. Was getting a huge 3d soundstage in stereo that was blowing my mind and now it seems to be isolated (mostly) between and around the speakers. Not as much warmth in the mids.

There is definitely more detail/highs but not sure the tradeoff is worth it.

Or could what I'm hearing be something else? I didn't have any of my eq engaged. The only thing that may be different is the amount of gain on the mains

All comments are for 2 channel exclusively. Does anyone else have the same opinion re the latest dsp update?

TIA

Never mind. The magic seems to be back. Found Jeff Meier Accucal's settings in the calibration report he left behind and it was the mains. L & R should be pegged at +13dB each.

This unit never ceases to amaze me for an SSP. I've had some of the top preamps on the planet including Shindo, CJ, ARC, VTL, Lamm etc etc and this SSP for music never disappoints. I'm now on a mission to get the most 3D out of it possible and trying out Synergistic cabling and should have one of their fuses in the 800 soon to see what goodness that can bring in. The stage is so immersive and wraparound in 2 channel now it sounds like I'm running surround and I don't even feel a need to run actual surround anymore.

You have your mains set at +13db? What are you running for amps/speakers?

That's a bit loud DON'T YOU THINK!

Yah, it seems high to me too, but just turning the main volume down works

I'm using McIntosh 207 mC amp and Wilson Sasha Speakers

Had to turn the main volume down a bit when I changed the settings back.

I reckon perhaps there is some kind of digital derezzing happening at the lower volume settings? I had it at 7db and when I found his settings pushed it back up and it seems to be more natural sounding as well as the larger soundstage.

7db or +7db?

Do you have an SPL meter? If so, run the internal test tones and measure the output with the meter. Should be ~75db

I have an old rat shack meter somewhere if I can find it. What frequency should I use to check it? Jeff's notation was 75db as reference as well. I did have Sophia2's back then though. I think the Sasha is more efficient by around 2 or 3 dB. At what level would the main volume be for this test?

Main volume is bypassed when you play the internal tone test. So I wouldn't worry about. Every speaker should be around 75db when playing the internal tone test.

Nope. The gain trims and master volume are all done in the same single volume control element. If the trim is at +10 and the volume is at -20, it's electrically identical to setting the trim to 0 and the volume to -10.