Official CP-800 (Revision 2) Thread

[ultrasonus]

They have put instructions on all their upgrade kits on their website in the last week or so

Thanks for pointing this out Tom, I've been looking for this on the website under the CP-800 documentation (silly me).

I placed an order for a new CP-800 with the phono module about 10 days ago. Although it's not yet announced to the public, it has been announced to dealers. They will enable dealers to install the phono board (as the new documentation implies). This was in doubt for a while. Although they balked at first, they also said it was OK for end users to modify the loading and gain settings on the phono module via switches on the board if the customer is very careful. As with past Classé preamps, this can only be done by opening the case, and now it apparently requires removing the board to get at the dip switches. Not attractive if you are a tweaker running multiple arms with different cartridges, but OK if you only need to do this rarely (as is my situation).

They promise that the sound quality will be great. Historically, Classés $500 phono modules compete with external phono stages costing thousands. I'm hoping this unit continues that tradition. It's a safe bet that the CP-800 + phono will run circles around my ancient CP-60, so I'm psyched.

[gerardhn]

I ordered the board recently. Card is built in now. I get cp 800 back soon. Of course iam curious what it brings in term of SQ comared to what i had and will use as reference : logitech touch usb out -> cp, against the new possibility of using cp 800 ethernet feature directly. Iam a bit afraid that software of logitech with ipeng is better than this upnp with nas connection. Lets see.

[cossie0]

Have you had your CP800 returned yet gerardhn? If so then I would be interested to hear your thoughts.

[windshear]

I bought the upgrade board and installed it myself. I have not had a chance to make a meaningful comparison thus far other than testing functionality. Everything seems to be working fine.

[leo2498]

Finally I received for my dealer the CP800 with full Ethernet compatibility and airplay, WAO what a great product it is and the app for IOS is wonderful.

I not test every thing but for now the airplay is good, very good.

I´m posting some picture if need information to how install this board let me know but with the instructive that classe send with the board is very easy:

[gerardhn]

Dear Cossie0

Thank you for interest in the SQ of the nwe board! SQ thats what is all about.!

The SQ hugely improved! 3D and bass much better.

How do I achive that?

1. Logitech Touch/Ipeng with EDO app usb out connection. OR
2 . Win 8.1 / Jplay with (of course) usb connection.

Route 2 is really sensation, believe me.

(CA 2300/802Di)

That is the good site of it. Worth the money???
I would think so. Improvement is shocking. Dont ask me why. It is like changing to super Esoteric transport DAC combination. In that light is worth the money.

So I talk about about streaming either Logitech Touch or PC. I found coax route over my old CDP 100 not so sensational as 1 or 2.

Disadvantage.

Yes. That is the ethernet implementation itself. I call it a bit a shame for Classe, a disaster. They put all their time in in this Apple Airplay which not my thing. I doubt whether that is even high end. So what then??? They give you DNLA which is rubbish compared to Logitech touch/Ipeng. Classe is wisely silent about other options in using the ethernet for streaming as this Apple thing. I dont know the downsides of the Pioneer, Marantz or Cambridge streamers, but Iám sure that ethernet streaming is not so badly implemented as with this board.
I hope I see this wrong and somebody explains how to stream music comfortably, state of the art, from, NAS->router->CP 800 with IPad as control, without intermediate as 1 and 2 from above.

My story. Will play now Red Hot Chili Peppers over route 2.


That is my story.

Gerard

[wildtangent]

Dear Cossie0

I hope I see this wrong and somebody explains how to stream music comfortably, state of the art, from, NAS->router->CP 800 with IPad as control, without intermediate as 1 and 2 from above.

I don’t know about Apple but I comfortably stream from my NAS or PC using either JRiver + JRivers Gizmo App (Android) to the CP800 via DLNA. Also from the NAS without JRiver using BubbleUPnP (also Android) from my Android tablet or phone. Can also control the volume on the CP800 using the tablets volume buttons. Very nice modern and fast with native streaming of WAV and FLAC all the way up to 192KHz.

[gerardhn]

Wildtangent,

I understand you for 80 %.

1. You stream from PC using Jriver. I understand that. I expect your music is on NAS, or local HD. You control on sofa via Gizmo. I expect you transport digital signal to CP via spif or usb. So I dont understand DNLA here. This is an alternative to my option 2.

2. Bubble UPnP is not available for IOS, so I cannot Judge or use on my IPad or IPhone. Nevertheless is not clear where and what type and where your server is running.

What I would expect is that Classe would have written a clear story how to use a NAS (in my case Synology, could be QNAP or other brand) as server and how to control the server via IOS or Android app.
Although Iám far from being digital stupid..... I dont see it!!

[cossie0]

Thank you for your feedback Gerard regarding the sound quality. I have decided to go for it now.
I would also like to thank Wildtangent for his post which shows it is not only apple devices that can be used.

I currently use a Liv zen (votexbox) with my Classe CP800 fed via USB and controlled from my android pad using squeezbox app. I assume if I get the upgrade I can then just plug the zen into the othernet port (via a switch) and then set the input on the Classe to Ethernet and it will control the same as it does now. Well heres hoping anyway.

[TomScrut]

My interest in the streaming capabilities is as an alternative to my Linn DS. By the looks of it based on what is said here they have a LONG way to go on the control side of things. Might have to get one with the old board and not sell my majik ds and use it as a transport

[wildtangent]

Wildtangent,

I understand you for 80 %.

1. You stream from PC using Jriver. I understand that. I expect your music is on NAS, or local HD. You control on sofa via Gizmo. I expect you transport digital signal to CP via spif or usb. So I dont understand DNLA here. This is an alternative to my option 2.

2. Bubble UPnP is not available for IOS, so I cannot Judge or use on my IPad or IPhone. Nevertheless is not clear where and what type and where your server is running.

What I would expect is that Classe would have written a clear story how to use a NAS (in my case Synology, could be QNAP or other brand) as server and how to control the server via IOS or Android app.

Although Iám far from being digital stupid..... I dont see it!!

My music is currently on a D-Link NAS with some other content on a USB external hard disk attached to a Windows 7 PC. JRiver is on the PC as well.
I have an Android tablet (Google Nexus 7)
The CP800 is connected by Ethernet to the LAN, USB is not connected.
JRiver is setup to share its library on the network with DLNA see the screen shot.
There is a screen shot of the BubbleUPnP apps 'devices page' showing all of the renderers and libraries available. Simply pick the renderer you want the music to come out of and the library you want the music to come from. In this case the local renderer is the tablet, RK1 is the PC, or The Main CP800. The Libraries are the Local Library on the tablet, PC - RK1 or the Natasha the NAS drive.

Go to the library tab and pick your music, press play.
There are two screen shots of the CP800 showing DLNA playback at 96K with a FLAC file and 192K with a WAV. Sounds as good as the USB connection.

There are DLNA apps for the iThings, you need to search the store. By the way, not that I'm pushing Android but the Nexus 7 32GB is C$269.00 about half what an iPad would cost.

[gerardhn]

Wildtangent,

Looks good. This week Iám on bussiness trip so I had no time to continue on DNLA.
Seems good idea to me to start new thread/topic with: CP 800 DNLA streaming over ethernet port.
As their are many NAS brands each with own OS, many apps (IOS, Android), possiblity to use an PC for control (i dont mean using the usb of the PC and CP )...., and this is not an easy straightforward connection as usb is, ...... it might be good to share experiences. Learn what works good, what works not good, etc.

[mjb]

Lets discuss streaming in a new thread: CP-800-DLNA-streaming

[ultrasonus]

Great idea about the new thread, but let's change DNLA to DLNA (Digital Living Network Alliance). I'll make one more post to this thread about experience with new phono module soon.

[mjb]

Great idea about the new thread, but let's change DNLA to DLNA (Digital Living Network Alliance). I'll make one more post to this thread about experience with new phono module soon.

Fixed. Thanks.

[TomScrut]

Yesterday I was at a show and for me the best sounding system was a CP-800, CA-D200 and 802 Diamonds and I was very impressed. It certainly confirms my desires to have a pair of 802s and a CP800. The CP was a brand new one so I presume it had the upgrade board inside. They system sounded, in my humble opinion, better than the Naim/Focal combo next door that was (IIRC) the following: NDS/555 PSU, NAC282/Supercap, NAP300 and Scala Utopias. Over £40000 worth I think compared to about £21000 for the B&W/Classe system. So well done Classe! And of course B&W, but I already knew the 802 Diamonds are amazing!

[leo2498]

Yesterday I was at a show and for me the best sounding system was a CP-800, CA-D200 and 802 Diamonds and I was very impressed. It certainly confirms my desires to have a pair of 802s and a CP800. The CP was a brand new one so I presume it had the upgrade board inside. They system sounded, in my humble opinion, better than the Naim/Focal combo next door that was (IIRC) the following: NDS/555 PSU, NAC282/Supercap, NAP300 and Scala Utopias. Over £40000 worth I think compared to about £21000 for the B&W/Classe system. So well done Classe! And of course B&W, but I already knew the 802 Diamonds are amazing!

how was the class D experience of the new classe amp and how you can compare it with your AB amplifier?

[TomScrut]

I can't really say how it compares with the 5200 as there was too many other variables vs my system but I will say that it sounded very good as a whole and it didn't seem low on power. We were listening at -2dB on the CP800 (not sure if the connection was balanced or not) and it certainly didn't seem like it was struggling. No sound of distortion and it was very comfortable to listen to at that volume. I also don't know if there was any volume control on the source laptop but it certainly seemed loud! As a comparison I think it sounded better than a klimax ds with a nac 282 and nap 300 with 802s although I suspect it's the naim side of things that was weak point there rather than the DS. The nap 300 is pretty wimpy power wise vs the Classé and of course the 802s are hungry

[joshua]

lNAS (QNAP H210) and Classe CP-800

My music is currently on a D-Link NAS with some other content on a USB external hard disk attached to a Windows 7 PC. JRiver is on the PC as well.
I have an Android tablet (Google Nexus 7)
The CP800 is connected by Ethernet to the LAN, USB is not connected.
JRiver is setup to share its library on the network with DLNA see the screen shot.
There is a screen shot of the BubbleUPnP apps 'devices page' showing all of the renderers and libraries available. Simply pick the renderer you want the music to come out of and the library you want the music to come from. In this case the local renderer is the tablet, RK1 is the PC, or The Main CP800. The Libraries are the Local Library on the tablet, PC - RK1 or the Natasha the NAS drive.

Go to the library tab and pick your music, press play.
There are two screen shots of the CP800 showing DLNA playback at 96K with a FLAC file and 192K with a WAV. Sounds as good as the USB connection.

There are DLNA apps for the iThings, you need to search the store. By the way, not that I'm pushing Android but the Nexus 7 32GB is C$269.00 about half what an iPad would cost.

I have followed this thread with interest since while awaiting revision 2, I got a NAS -QNAP H210- to serve all my music and I am unable to play via JRiver from the NAS...
As you did, I share JRiver library on the network and I can see it and control it via i-pad Jcontrol. Am I missing something?
Also, do I need BubbleUpnP?. Is it not sufficient the DLNA from JRiver and that of the NAS?
Obviously I do not understand well what transpire behind all this and perhaps I got into a more complicated issue that I can handle but something as simple as playing my music from the NAS to the Classe using as a controller the JRemote with ipad while waiting to hook the NAS directly to the Classe and bypass the PC altogether should be fairly simple.

Any suggestions or sites where I can get informed?. Before requesting your help I googled multiple sites, read the NAS manual, called them - waste of time- etc, etc but nothing really helped. Thanks

[gerardhn]

This nas, iPad, android, etc discussions, (experiences) we continued on another thread.


Verzonden vanaf mijn iPhone met behulp van Tapatalk

[mjb]

Joshua, please check the thread CP-800-DLNA-streaming for some help with your questions.

[Snoopy]

Hi,

What is the best way to identify if a CP-800 is the MK2.

Thanks,

[aarsoe]

Check what firmware is installed and based on the version number you can see what you have.

[aarsoe]

Also the Ethernet jack is only connected in the Mk2

[aarsoe]

This thread have had no postings from a loooong time but will try anyway.
Have recently discovered that Apple Music actually seems to be the better offering based on their catalogue now being predominantly high res and at an affordable price.
So supposedly the best way to extract the 24/192 files to the CP-800 is to use the Apple camera adapter (Lightning to USB) and then via the USB front or rear interface,
However I am getting nothing. No sound at all, not even when trying to use it with Spotify or anything else.
Now I haven't used the USB input except in the beginning when I got the CP-800 but that was really just to test it. However at that time I found it lacking in sound quality.
If I connect my Audioquest Dragon I do get a signal (I mean a digital out signal 5 so I am a bit confused. Any ideas?