CP-900 requests
 

Of course, I don't know what the new Classe preamp will be called, but I had to call it something....

Maybe it's too late to make feature requests, but here are my most desired ones:

1. DLNA with gapless support
2. OpenHome renderer mode
3. Level settings for sub(s)
4. Eliminate turnoff pulse in sub channels
5. Small indicator on home screen if balance has been set off-center
6. Absolute polarity swap with similar indicator
7. Have PEQ pushbuttons change color if enabled, so one doesn't have to enter each PEQ screen separately to see
8. More PEQ points per channel. Finer control (0.1 dB and 0.25 Q units)
9. Larger lettering on most touch pushbuttons

Others?

Since you are taking requests...

Distance or time delay settings for subs and mains.

A half rack (8") wide size option.

Titanium remote.

DSD support.

Assemble in Canada.

LOL :yes:

5.1 support :)

Oh, and one I forgot: EQ settings specific to each configuration. It makes absolutely no sense to have multiple configurations with only one set of EQ values.

Thank you for all the suggestions/requests!

Happy Holidays,

Patrick Butler
B&W Group North America

Is there anyone who knows when Classé will lunch a new pre amplifier?

Stereophile's update from CES: http://www.stereophile.com/content/c...elta-preampdac

Thanks! I wonder if the sound quality is improved or if it's "just" updated with new features?

Hi Lassej,

The Delta Pre is a new design. New analog circuit path, new power supply, new dac, etc. Details will be available in due course.

Regards,

Patrick
B&W Group North America

Nice! Thanks Patrick. I will order one as soon is available!

Br
Lasse

I am also in the market for a new preamp to replace my Sonic Frontiers, made in Canada, Line 3 + Phono 1 + Processor 3.

Hi Patrick: Another one I forgot is some shelving options for filters. The previous response for this was that they are not appropriate for room correction, but I would say, they can quite useful when integrating subs.

Would be nice to see a Classe Pre without DAC like the CP700 which was a keeper.

I don't understand that the creator of this thread mentions an issue with his SSP-800 and the subwoofer output creating a bump when turning off. I don't have any issues in that regards and have never heard others have it.
Could be that his sub if faulty. Normally there should be a capacitor that would prevent spikes but maybe his is getting old and loosing its value.
In any case I don't think the problem is with your SSP.

Nice for you that you don't experience this with your SSP-800 setup. However, my preamp is a CP-800, not an SSP-800. The thumps were not there with other equipment. So maybe there's room for improvement in the new Delta preamp.

Regarding improvements to sub circuitry, of more importance would be adding sub level controls and timing adjustments relative to the main speakers. It's puzzling that they aren't features of the CP-800.

I can understand that view, though I don't share it, as I use the features in the CP-800. They make sense to combine with a DAC: bass management is a big plus, and IMO that's best done digitally. Once you have digital processing, a DAC is necessity.

From a business point of view, it seems to me that the preamp category is in danger of extinction by the DAC category, except where price is no object. Most new DACs have volume controls and multiple inputs. Some have analog inputs, and the Mytek Brooklyn now has a phono stage. So if DACs are becoming preamps, how can a preamp compete without adding features?

As an example of the alternative: I also like Bryston gear, but consider the stack of stuff one would need to equal the functionality of the CP-800. A streamer, a DAC, a preamp, and a crossover. Cables. And one still wouldn't have the PEQ to reduce the effects of room nodes. Though I'm glad to hear the Delta preamp is being refreshed -- one hopes with a little more refinement in some areas -- I think Classé is combining compatible components into something that, though hardly cheap, gives a great deal of value in a practical sense.

Sorry, my mistake. I did mean the CP-800. In any case I have both without issues. However I do have quite extensive power filtration in front of the CP & SSP. One thing I really learned from experience and that regret that Classė removed on he CP and all newer Delta models is the ability to see if the unit is correctly phased meaning turned the correct way in the power socket.
If your sub is turned 180 then you will experience spikes for sure.

I do however think that output level on the CP is much much higher than compared to the "old" generation. So maybe an autonator dampening the signal say 7-10 db will also help. Or you could try to lower the output signal via the menu and see if it will have an effect.
Anyway just wanted to help.

Thanks for the clarification and new thoughts. Much appreciated.

Because all the gear has grounded, polarized outlets, I don't think anything is plugged in with reversed AC polarity. However, the CP-800 is going through a Furman power filter, while the subs are plugged into the wall directly.

I'll try turning the volume down or muting the unit before switching to standby. In any case, the thump really is only an annoyance, not a problem.

Patrick, it's probably too late for this suggestion, but it would be great to have either more PEQ points or be able to assign them to channels.

For example, one gets 5 EQ points for a sub, covering 16 Hz to 50 Hz (< 2 octaves) in my system; and 5 EQ points for a main speaker, covering 50 Hz to 20000 Hz (nearly 9 octaves) or more. In practice, I don't use all the points EQing the subs, but I would love one or two more for the mains.

Patrick and all,

While visiting a Classe dealer yesterday I was informed that the entire Delta 3 line has been cancelled, as in Classe will no longer compete in the high-end audio market?

Is this true? Can anyone comment?

I also heard that Classe is going through a big shake up or out of business very recently and could not believe it. The absence of any announcements on the expected new line increases the possibility of reality.

Hi Silvertone,

We have stopped development on the Delta Series to ensure that the products deliver the experience people have come to expect from Classé Audio and Bowers & Wilkins. We will continue to sell Sigma Series products, and our customer service and support have not been effected. Please let me know if you have any questions.

Regards,

Patrick
B&W Group North America


QUOTE=silvertone;856742]Patrick and all,

While visiting a Classe dealer yesterday I was informed that the entire Delta 3 line has been cancelled, as in Classe will no longer compete in the high-end audio market?

Is this true? Can anyone comment?[/QUOTE]

Patrick,

Thanks for the reply to this. Since you asked, I do have questions, the main one being: what does that statement mean, other than "don't hold your breath for new Delta products"?

Is development in haitus while the line is rethought? Is development permanently canceled? And "the experience people have come to expect"? Why wouldn't new products deliver that? Inadequate sound quality? wrong feature set? poor user interface?

The wording seems as bland and uninformative as possible. Could more light be shed on it in this forum? Or should we wait for a fuller public announcement from B&W Group?

Thanks,
Mike

Wow, this is very interesting. I am hugely disappointed to hear this. I guess since the acquisition they decided to put money into other product lines in the former B&W Group.

Hi Mike-48,

Clearly stated, I think it means that the kind of user experience created by products like the CP-800 needs to be reevaluated. Nobody has questioned the fidelity of the products that were in development, but that alone is no longer sufficient in the world we live in today.

Sorry to be vague about what "user experience means", but if you've had time with a CP-800, then the natural question is "is this the best we can do?" Are we offering all the right features, do we make the experience of interacting with the product pleasurable or frustrating? That sort of thing. Frankly, I'm happy that people are asking these kinds of questions.

What will we see in the future from Classé? I couldn't hazard a guess. That said, nothing great begins with asking the wrong questions. We'd like to ask the right ones.

Regards,

Patrick
B&W Group North America

Hi ylee,

I'm sorry that you are disappointed. Looking over the list of gear you currently own (very nice btw) I noticed that you don't currently run any of Classé's equipment. If you don't mind me asking, have you owned any in the past? Apologies if that comes across as snarky, but it is not intended that way.

Regards,

Patrick
B&W Group North America

If you thinking of new user experiences, I would love to see audiophile fidelity with mass market features and price :)

I have all classe products, sigma ssp and classe M600 amp (300 watt). I used to have the cp 800 and moved to sigma ssp for better integration with watching TV and other sources.

I didn't hear any difference between sigma ssp and cp800 so it was odd to me that sigma ssp sounded just as good, more functionality, and 1k cheaper. Maybe I just couldn't hear a difference but I wasn't the only one.

Why invest in a product that is marketed to a smaller range of folks when the sigma ssp sounds just as good and would reach more folks?

These are the things I would be asking if it was me....

I love the sigma ssp though :). Even if I do upgrade my dac to something that better integrates with roon I would still keep it.

Good luck...I do hope classe doesn't stop audio products and innovates in the future :)

I appreciate the answer. I have spent years with the CP-800 as my main preamp, so I'm familiar with the interface. The unit has the right feature set for me; in fact, I find it strange that, with so many audiophiles using subs, so few good components offer bass management. However, in comparison to even some older products with DSP and crossovers, some of those features in the CP-800 seemed less well realized in terms of user experience and flexibility. I would hope that, better realized, the features' value would be obvious to all audiophiles. But who can say? There is a great deal of superstition and received truth in audio-land, I'm afraid.

There is a lot more I could say about the CP-800, but I don't want to do that in a public forum. However, if Classé ever wants some serious feedback, I would be glad to write more, to participate in a focus group, or to be a beta-tester. My qualifications for this are 50 years as an audiophile, 5 years as a commercial broadcast engineer, 40 years as a scientist, considerable use of DSP audio products, and extensive musical, concert-going, and some recording experience. If Classé does make a new product to replace the CP-800, I strongly suggest getting feedback from potential users, rather than development in a vacuum. By the way, I doubt that most dealers, even Classé dealers, are qualified to give feedback about products with DSP -- their interests lie elsewhere.

Regards,
Mike

A short while ago I had the CP-800 feeding a CA-2200 amp which powered my existing Vandersteen Quatros as well as a pair of B&W 804s speakers. I sold the preamp and amp to one friend and the B&Ws to another early this year. I had the B&Ws for 11 years, the CA-2200 for 8, and the CP-800 for 5.

I'm in the market for a preamp since that is one component I don't have right now. My DAC has a class A output section with a 69 bit volume control, so I can listen to it. But I'd like to connect my CD player as well as my older Ayre QB-9 and that's not possible without a preamp.

p.s. - I've corresponded with Dave Nauber over email in past years. My last email to him was about a year ago asking when the Delta 3 series were going to come out.

[/QUOTE]

Hi Patrik,

Yes, I have questions.

Maybe my English is not good enough but frankly speaking I am not really sure what your statement really means. I have been talking with my dealer for a long time now that I wanted to order the new Delta pre and power amp. Will they not be released at all or are they just delayed because you want more feedback from the market of what they want from Classé? Or will Classé totally change strategy and start produce more cheaper/life style products for the big masses?

Is it possible that you can clarify a little bit more of what is going on?
Reading this makes me worried.

https://www.strata-gee.com/letter-de...us-mysterious/

Best regards
Lasse

Hi Lasse,

As you know, Classé was developing a new generation of Delta Series products. Classé is no longer developing that new generation of products.

What will we see in the future from Classé? I am not involved in those discussions, and do not have any information to share with you. What I do know is that developing cheaper lifestyle products is not in keeping with the Classé brand, and I would not expect that to ever happen. The brand only has value in the relatively rarefied market of high-end audio, and has zero visibility outside of this market.


Regards,

Patrick Butler
B&W Group North America

When an old-line audio company is bought by the former CFO of Facebook (Gideon Yu), I suppose that wrenching changes are inevitable.

Patrick,

I just would like to add this. Your responses here always have been helpful and professional. I hope that, given the restructuring that CVA apparently has in mind, things go well for you.

Mike

+1

Hi Patrick,

Ok, thank you very much for answering. It's clearer now even if I am sorry about this descision from the new owner.

Best regards
Lasse Johansson

Mike,

Thank you. For what it's worth, I'm very excited about what's coming down the pipeline in the future.

Regards,

Patrick
B&W Group North America

Instead of competing with all the other boutique brands out there for a small number of customers, the smart move for B&W/Classe would be to come out with a high quality all in one streamer phono stage and integrated amp with an amazing user interface. Most audiophiles would scoff at this, but there is a market out there for people who have used Sonos etc and want better sound. Pairing an all in one Classe unit with B&W speakers would make an amazing setup for that market, but it has to be easy to set up/use as the average customer is not going to fiddle around with Streamers with clunky interfaces, DACs, Preamp, Amp etc. Such a setup would likely have to be branded B&W as the brand has much more recognition.

+1

Personally I suspect the margins are huge for a lot of high end equipment bc of the low numbers of customers...

It's ripe for someone to come in and turn things on their head by making something just as good and upgradable for more than half the price & marketed to a broader customer base.