Originally Posted by o0OBillO0o

Hey Folks,

The Classe CP-800 just hit my "audio" radar.. It's a big blip and approaching fast.

Okay, here is the deal, its a preamp with USB, Digital in, Bass Management, and full Apple iDevice certification. Nothing mind blowing.

But it's fully balanced from in to out with lots of flexibility, yes, it has HT bypass too.

To think that if I wanted to play 24bit/96khz files, located on my iMac, via my iPad (plugged in the front Apple licensed port), i could! ..and control it all from the classe remote at my couch makes this appealing to me.

Additionally, one could use a Mac Mini plugged in via USB, with thousands of songs, and control it all from an iPad.. Very cool.

This is all for about $5,000 USD

Course this is also leading to other B&W group products too ;)

Sent from my iPad using A.Aficionado

Originally Posted by mbovaird (Post 378033)

Bill - I owned this for 3 months and sold it. Purchase price was $3800 (new). It sounded too mechanical to my liking. I liked the functionality, but not the sound. My two cents is a Mcintosh 2300 or c50. Both sound much better to my ear - especially the 2300. The Musical Fidelity M1 DAC plus a 2300 is a much better sound for about the same $5k. PM me if you need help computer audio stuff.

Mike

Originally Posted by o0OBillO0o

Mike, really appreciate your input. Mechanical to me sounds like "clicking", "grinding" and "spurious noise." I am a Mc-Fan so having an all McIntosh Audio system is important for integration and looks. I know of a place that has both Classe and McIntosh gear set-up, I will call ahead to make sure they have plenty of options to A/B.

I find that there is a great deal of conscious audiophiles sticking with analog pre-amps and swapping out (external) DACs as technology advances. It's a safe bet as the DAC segment and Computer Audio Segment is booming. Still with the majority of music available in CD format, I think, we need to catch our breath until there the infrastructure and music catalog catch up to support something better than "CD Quality."

As far as computer stuff.. I have an iMac and an AppleTV. The AppleTV plays most of my music and movies. I bought the MS300 to mainly do batch ripping, as when it's hooked up to my Sony CD changer it can import all 400 CD & tracks (with the right meta data and album art) with out any of my input. It's a god-send. I use FLAC and convert to ALAC.

I do play all things digital into the back of the MCD500 and then to my hometheater receiver. Which is where I want to make the improvement in 2 Channel. Pre amp to speakers improvement if required and that would start with new, to me, speakers, then amp..

Thanks,

Bill:music:

Originally Posted by mbovaird (Post 378052)

I use a Mac Mini with Audirvana and a WW Platinum USB cable going into a Musical Fidelity 192 VLink USB to SPDI/F. I come out of the MF VLink, and into e MCD1100 digital XLR input. Once the update on the MCD1100 is done in a week, I will come out of the Mac Mini direct into the MCD1100 USB input and enjoy 32/192 (the rumor is 32/192, but 24/192 is fine too). I then use my iPad (apple remote works beautifully) to sort and listen to all my music which has been tirelessly ripped to Apple Lossless. I buy FLAC tracks from HDTRACKS and convert using some freebie program to Apple Lossless.

Originally Posted by o0OBillO0o

Mike, I do hope McIntosh releases the MCD1100's USB "magic."

Ivan commented that you may have to send it back for a board upgrade.. look for his recent comments from RMAF 2012..

Originally Posted by enatai252

Bill

I think the CP-800 is worth a listen. I compared with many of the options out there and prefer it to almost all of them. I do use a ARC Ref DAC in my main system....that is better but less flexible and 3X more.. I do not hear anything mechanical or clinical in my system...where it front ends a Woo WES/Stax 009s...which are very revealing and demanding of font end gear. I use the USB from MAC, digital feed from Naim HDX, and balanced analog from ASR Basis Ex phono ( in bypass mode).

Highly recommended by me for the application you are considering...simple flexible and great sounding. But listen for yourself

Originally Posted by o0OBillO0o (Post 378267)

This is what I was thinking..

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