Prepro for B&W / Classse System?

**sikoniko** · 24 October 2007, 19:36 Wednesday

classe ssp-600. You have classe amps, why not get the pre?

**Gump** · 24 October 2007, 21:08 Wednesday

I'd scrimp, save, and sell the fine china and get the new Classe SSP-800 when it comes out in March. Has all the new bells & whistles on it including HDMI 1.3.

Very cool and will match your system quite well. Price somewhere the 10 to 12k range.

**dmccombs** · 24 October 2007, 21:32 Wednesday

Edit: I guess I could run this with a 5.1 switch eh? Where is a good place to get a SSP-600? Do any ever come up on the used market?

Will I be able to use both high res sources with the SSP-600? It looks like it just has one set of 7.1 Analog inputs, and no HDMI.

Originally posted by sikoniko

classe ssp-600. You have classe amps, why not get the pre?

**dmccombs** · 24 October 2007, 21:35 Wednesday

This may be wise advise, but doesn't meet my "here and now" requirement. I've been listening to Halcro's "one more month" crap for over a year. I am not going to start over with Classe or anyone else.

Originally posted by Gump

I'd scrimp, save, and sell the fine china and get the new Classe SSP-800 when it comes out in March. Has all the new bells & whistles on it including HDMI 1.3.

Very cool and will match your system quite well. Price somewhere the 10 to 12k range.

**Glenee** · 24 October 2007, 22:26 Wednesday

I may be way off base here, but if I'm starting to understand. This only applies if you have sold or are planning to sell your Halcro.I had a outlaw 990 before I got a MacIntosh MX135. The outlaw did a fantastic job, not in your league but may get you by until whatever. They are also having one hell of a sale on them at Outlaw, right before their new Pre-Proccesor comes out. You could use it in the interm and then sell it for a loss of maybe a $100.00 on Audiogon. Not trying to insult you or your taste. Just giving option's.
Glenee

**dmccombs** · 24 October 2007, 22:50 Wednesday

Glenee,

Yes, the Halcro will be sold.

I would prefer to not get an interim solution. If it comes to that, I could keep the Halcro a while.

Thanks for the suggestion though Glenee.

Darrell

**gostan** · 25 October 2007, 06:26 Thursday

The Cary Cinema 11 Audio and Cinema 11 Video might be an interesting $6K msrp solution: http://www.caryaudio.com/products/cinema/cinema11.html

The Cinema 11A is audio only and has been available for about 6 months. The Cinema 11V is being released this month and mates with the audio only piece. Here are the specs of the video piece:
Specs on the new Cary Cinema 11v
(Thanks to AVSRichard for this data)

HIGHLIGHTS include:
1080p@120Hz WUXGA output
(yes it does 24fps)
HDMI 1.3 (6) in (2) out
digi-link system connector (2gig bandwidth) for combination with the C11 surround processor
RGB and Component video
Dual RS232 ports
Five assignable audio inputs, one analog, two toslink, two coaxial digital
Rear Panel IR input and output plus dual 12volt remote triggers
Eight each assignable S-Video and composite video inputs.

• Removable AC power cord
• Eight each assignable S-Video and Composite video inputs (17 video inputs total)
• Rear panel IR input and output plus dual 12 volt remote triggers
• Dual RS 232 ports for system control and update capabilities
• Cary Digi-link system connector for combination with the Cinema 11 Surround Sound Processor
• Two digital audio outputs, one coaxial, one Toslink
• Five assignable audio inputs, one analog, two Toslink, two coaxial digital
• Component video output
• RGB video output
• HDMI 1.3 generation inputs (6) and outputs (2)
• Integrated I2S Audio Delay to exact audio and video synchronization

VIDEO RESOLUTION SETTINGS:
1080p@120Hz WUXGA output
480p, 540p, 576p, 720p – 50, 720p – 60, 1080i – 50, 1080i – 60, 1080p – 24, 1080p – 25, 1080p – 50, 1080p – 60, 1080p – 120, 640 x 480, 800 x 600, 848 x 480, 852 x 480, 856 x 480, 960 x 540, 1024 x 576, 1024 x 1024 ALiS, 1280 x 720, 1280 x 768, 1280 x 1024, 1360 x 768, 1366 x 768, 1368 x 768, 1400 x 768, 1400 x 1050, 1440 x 864 ,1440 x 960, 1440 x 1152, 1920 x 1080, 1920 x 1200

OTHER FEATURES
• DCDi Edge® processing for the second channel window
• Side by side (PBP) window support
• Video PIP over video background

PICTURE-IN-PICTURE (PIP)
• ACM-3D ensures full dynamic range is used in video content flesh-tone compensation, blue stretch and other image enhancements

ADVANCED COLOR MANAGEMENT (ACM-3D)
• Removal of DVD Chroma Upsampling Error (CUE) introduced by some DVD sources
• Non-linear Chroma and Luma enhancement lters with Noise Coring

FAROUDJA TRUE LIFE VIDEO ENHANCER
• Adaptive 3D/TNR Noise Reduction lm processing
• Adaptive Media Display Processing for 3:2 and 2:2 video content
• Panoramic and Anamorphic non-linear scaling
• Format conversion up to WUXGA resolutions
• Per Pixel Motion Adaptive de-Interlacing (MADi) up to 1080i format
• Low Angle De-Interlacing processing

FAROUDJA DCDi CINEMA FORMAT CONVERSION
• Supports all broadcast TV standards- NTSC/PAL/SECAM worldwide nition) video input signals
• Two - 3D Adaptive Comb Filters for Luma-Chroma separation• Faroudja® IntelliComb Technology

INTEGRATED 3D VIDEO DECODER
• 10-bit Advanced Color Management (ACM-3D) and Adaptive Contrast Control (ACC)
• Faroudja True Life Video Enhancer
• Next Generation 10-bit Faroudja® DCDi CINEMA format conversion
• True 10-bit Processing

I love the idea of a separate audio and video box. HDMI 1.3A in the video piece. The only question with this solution still waiting to be answered is whether Cary has included built in Dolby TrueHD and DTS-MA decoders, or will this be limited to PCM conversion of the newer HD audio codecs from the external HD player?

**dmccombs** · 25 October 2007, 09:12 Thursday

Gostan,

The Video piece has the HDMI v1.3, so obviously you can run video through the HDMI. Does the HDMI also pass high res Audio (LPCM decoded by the player)?

Thanks,
Darrell

**gostan** · 25 October 2007, 09:56 Thursday

Originally posted by dmccombs

Gostan,

The Video piece has the HDMI v1.3, so obviously you can run video through the HDMI. Does the HDMI also pass high res Audio (LPCM decoded by the player)?

Thanks,
Darrell

Yes it does.
Here is the response I received from Cary when I asked a similar question:Hi Stan,

We are set to feed the HD signals to the back panel of the Cinema 11 in 8 channel PCM at data rates as high as 24 bit/96 kHz to accommodate the coming Dolby and DTS sound signals. This is the same as uncompressed audio with higher than CD sound quality. (It is equivalent to 8 channel DVD Audio.)

The HDMI 1.3 signal will be used for the video in the Cinema 11v and the digital sound signal will go to the Cinema 11 for audio decoding. Whenever a high data rate digital sound signal is recognized it will default to using the the digi-link input connector automatically.

Thanks!

GCD@CAD

**dmccombs** · 25 October 2007, 10:39 Thursday

Gostan,

Thanks for the info. It sounds like a promising unit.

This isn't out yet, and I have a feeling that it will be a few months before they are readily available. Have you heard anything about availablilty?

Thanks,
Darrell

**gostan** · 25 October 2007, 17:30 Thursday

Originally posted by dmccombs

Gostan,

Thanks for the info. It sounds like a promising unit.

This isn't out yet, and I have a feeling that it will be a few months before they are readily available. Have you heard anything about availablilty?

Thanks,
Darrell

Darrell: I was advised today that the video unit is likely delayed until December due to lack of hdmi hardware/connectors. So, I backed off as this is an entirely new unit that could face even further delays.

**dmccombs** · 25 October 2007, 17:38 Thursday

Thanks for the effort and info Gostan. I appreciate it.

So, maybe the Classe SSP-600 with a Zektor switch is a good solution. Is it possible to snag a used one somewhere?

**sikoniko** · 26 October 2007, 01:43 Friday

Originally posted by gostan

Yes it does.
Here is the response I received from Cary when I asked a similar question:Hi Stan,

We are set to feed the HD signals to the back panel of the Cinema 11 in 8 channel PCM at data rates as high as 24 bit/96 kHz to accommodate the coming Dolby and DTS sound signals. This is the same as uncompressed audio with higher than CD sound quality. (It is equivalent to 8 channel DVD Audio.)

The HDMI 1.3 signal will be used for the video in the Cinema 11v and the digital sound signal will go to the Cinema 11 for audio decoding. Whenever a high data rate digital sound signal is recognized it will default to using the the digi-link input connector automatically.

Thanks!

GCD@CAD

If I am following this gostan, this means that hdmi to the video switcher, and analog audio to the proc? If that is the case, its not a good solution. I quit using analog audio because of the -10lfe using this method. The best work-around is to also buy a velodyne SMS-1, and boost the LFE.

This would still be the case with the SSP-600. However, I challenge the SSP-600's optical to anyones analog. I a/b'd the two and found the difference wasn't worth the calibration tweaks to make it work.

**gostan** · 26 October 2007, 05:15 Friday

Originally posted by sikoniko

If I am following this gostan, this means that hdmi to the video switcher, and analog audio to the proc? If that is the case, its not a good solution. I quit using analog audio because of the -10lfe using this method. The best work-around is to also buy a velodyne SMS-1, and boost the LFE.

This would still be the case with the SSP-600. However, I challenge the SSP-600's optical to anyones analog. I a/b'd the two and found the difference wasn't worth the calibration tweaks to make it work.

Mr. Sikoniko, No, Cary is using a proprietary digital/computer connector between the video and audio pieces. I will find the tech/specs and post them.

**Kal Rubinson** · 26 October 2007, 12:34 Friday

Originally posted by sikoniko

If I am following this gostan, this means that hdmi to the video switcher, and analog audio to the proc?

Nope. He said: "...HD signals to the back panel of the Cinema 11 in 8 channel PCM." Thus, the digital audio is transmitted to the 11A as PCM-digital after it is separated from the video in the 11V.

Kal

**sikoniko** · 26 October 2007, 19:01 Friday

Originally posted by gostan

Mr. Sikoniko, No, Cary is using a proprietary digital/computer connector between the video and audio pieces. I will find the tech/specs and post them.

interesting.

I think what you're going to find is everybody has different tastes. At best, we can all tell you what our tastes are, and that might help to narrow down your search, but ultimately, you'll need to decide based on your own tastes.

**RebelMan** · 26 October 2007, 20:19 Friday

dmccombs, the synergy between your Classe' amps and a Classe' SSP would make for the ideal pairing. I purchased an SSP-300 about a year ago knowing full well what the direction processors were heading. I have had no regrets buying into an HDMI-less processor then nor would I today. Other than the cleaner look of fewer cables HDMI buy's very little at this point. If you have a deadine to meet then I suggest you look for a gently used SSP-600 at Audiogon to get you through otherwise I suggest you wait until next spring when Classe' releases their next generation HDMI equipped processor.

**dmccombs** · 27 October 2007, 12:40 Saturday

Rebelman,

Thanks for the suggestion. I have heard lots of positive comments about the SSP-600's sound quality since starting this search. They don't seem to come up on the used market often, but I will keep my eye out for one.

Thanks,
Darrell

Prepro for B&W / Classse System?

Prepro for B&W / Classse System?

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