Amp/Pre overkill for 703 based system?

[KRC]

I am upgrading out of an AV receiver and would want to make a sizeable quality jump, I am considering Classe SSP 300 and CA 5100. I am currently running 703's L/R, LCR 60, 600 S3 for surround and ASW 600. A modest system but sounds very good in stereo, but I want the nth degree, however with HT there is so much to get. So would getting the Classe componets be to much of a quality jump for my speakers or is that possible. I realize I can upgrade those too "eventually" but I understand from the Classe board that the Prepro is the heart of the matter. I could always get the middle ground and go with Rotel. Not bad, in one post I hit all three discussion groups.

Kevin

[RebelMan]

KRC, what are you using for an AV receiver now? I use to have a Rotel RSX-1056 (considered a top AVR) and an RB-1080 that I used for a pair of 803S and company. The switch to the SSP-300 and CA-5100 was substantial.

For Home Theater the Rotel came acrossed as seeming more aggressive and lively but simultaneously more synthetic and cramped in presntation too. The Classe' system is more laidback but it pushed the walls down by doubling the percieved soundfeld. It also increased frontstage imaging and panning.

Multi-channel surround steering was raised to a level of natural and convincing envelopment unreached by the Rotel. The Rotel can become wearing after a time with longer movies. I have never experienced any fatigue with the Classe' except on the rare occassion that the source was terribly mastered. The Classe' doesn't mask sources to sound softer it just doesn't inject any sterility of its own into the source program. Finally, the Classe' was more intuitive to setup and configure if that matters to you.

Rotel is a respectable brand that I highly recommend but the Classe' sits on another plane. The Classe' will stretch the limits that your 700/600 Series system is capable of but it is nevertheless worthy of the transition.

[KRC]

Thanks Rebelman. Presently I am running an Arcam AVR 200 which is a very good product, especially when it replaced a low end Sony receiver. I think it reached its limits though when I added the 703's.

One thing I have learned is not to use the ASW 600 in stereo with the 703's, the 703's are so tight in the bottom end compared to adding the sub. I even added one of those dedicated sub interconnects, which made a huge difference when playing DVD's (music or movies) but not for CD or even sat. I listen to alot of jazz, blues and blue grass.

Your last para about set up, oh yea, the easier the better, I am out of the setting the blinking VCR level but running through set up menus is not my thing especially when I learned of their included microphone to set levels.

With the SSP 300 would I get more information in surround sound and through the centre. I am not sure which would be the next upgrade after the pre/pro and amp, go to the new 600 seies centre with the FST midrange or go to town and go for the HTM 3.

Stereo was so much easier, one pair of speakers, one pre and power amp and a source

KRC