Finally joined the Club!!!!

[PewterTA]

Well yesterday I had the good fortune of picking up a Classe CP-800 for about half the price of new with the upgrades done to the unit and only about ~5 hours on the unit.

I was initially worried that it wouldn't be worth putting into my system as I was using the balanaced output of my NAD M51 as my Pre-Amp for music.

Boy was I wrong. Everything sounds the way it should be and everything has been enhanced to the next level for my system. So far (about 24 hours in) I'm very happy with it!!!

Unfortunately, I don't have the money at the moment, but I'm able to get a very good deal on the CA-M600s from the same dealer I picked this up from...which I am thinking I might do in the future... It's tough because I was very blown away by Devialet, but there's a little bit of a price difference between that and a full Classe setup...

Plus I'd like to look at a Total DAC as well at some point down the road. Why does all the cool stuff have to be so expensive!

[Alaric]

It's that much of an improvement over the NAD ? Wow. Ditto on the expensive lament. Of course , you can now use WAF in your favor-"But , Dear , see how the styles are different now ? Wouldn't it fit your tasteful décor better if we matched everything?" LOL
Very nice addition. Congrats!

[bigburner]

So what do you use the NAD M51 for now?

Nigel.

[TomScrut]

So are you using the M51 as a DAC and CP as pre or just the CP?

[PewterTA]

NAD is purely used as the DAC. I did try out the DAC in the CP-800 and for the moment there's just a better overall sound coming from the M51. I should just take a week or so and run in the board on the CP-800 and get a really good comparison...but the M51 with the little test I did presented a less "digital" sound. They were pretty close to be honest...but there's just something about the M51 that I like better (for now).

The weird thing, as the CP-800 is breaking in... is that when the M51 went straight to the amp... or the CP-800 straight to the amp (no M51)... they sound similar.... however, when the M51 is the DAC with balanced out to the CP-800... something happens and the sound changes enough that it's noticeable for the better. There's a realism that just happens that I don't get when listening to either one without the other. I can't figure that out AT ALL.... well I think I might have figured it out somewhat...

I'm thinking that when the M51 is the DAC and the CP-800 is the pre, I set the M51 to either 0dB or -1dB or -2dB (there's talk about the M51 in a fixed output that sounds better just slightly under 0dB... and I'm liking it better, but not sure why). So I leave it at -1dB most times... but I'm thinking that with it set at that level and allowing the CP-800 to do the volume adjustment, I'm getting more realistic details and presentation as the NAD M51 isn't really using it's pre section... or well something to that effect. That's my wild crazy guess at least.

Anyways, with about maybe 20 to 25 hours on the unit, I'm definitely liking it a LOT!!! I have a Hi-Fi tuning fuse on the way for it, so I'll see what that does (I've added it to most of the things I have as I do hear a difference). Should improve it even more.

[r100gs]

I'm always amazed sometimes what a new preamp can do to an existing system.

[leo2498]

so how was your feedback after more hours with the CP800? I still prefer its DAC over my Oppo and AV8801, it's not night to day but it has something more accurate in the sound presentation. are you using the usb B input?