CES 2013 News

[RebelMan]

Originally Posted by HedgeHog

Thx for the reply, RebelMan (btw, seems like a few HTG users have migrated here).

Sure. The move could be do to the recent restrictions imposed by the owner.

Shame they are not adding CP800 features to the SSP. I had hoped that the SSP-800 being their flagship product that they would keep it up to current technology.

On features I would agree, on sound quality not as much. The CP borrowed heavily from the SSP so sounds will be more similar than not. I stayed away from the CP simply because the features that I needed were not yet in there. Sound quality wise the SSP is still very high and tops in the A/V world.

I have requested a CP on loan so that I may do a direct A/B in a far more controlled environment than I have heard it in the past. It will be interesting to see how much better it is. Still it's that darn IOS app that has me reeling. If the SSP could get that then I would be a happy camper with the status-quo but that will not happen with this version because it doesn't support IP and it isn't going to.

[jeffkrag]

Originally Posted by RebelMan

Sure. The move could be do to the recent restrictions imposed by the owner.

On features I would agree, on sound quality not as much. The CP borrowed heavily from the SSP so sounds will be more similar than not. I stayed away from the CP simply because the features that I needed were not yet in there. Sound quality wise the SSP is still very high and tops in the A/V world.

I have requested a CP on loan so that I may do a direct A/B in a far more controlled environment than I have heard it in the past. It will be interesting to see how much better it is. Still it's that darn IOS app that has me reeling. If the SSP could get that then I would be a happy camper with the status-quo but that will not happen with this version because it doesn't support IP and it isn't going to.

RebelMan, did you ever get the CP800 and compare with SSP-800?

[dca]

Originally Posted by RebelMan

The CP-800 is going to be getting an all new digital board to replace the existing one. Originally Classe' was planning to release an upgradeable daughter card to support Airplay over WiFi and Ethernet. This is no longer the case. The new board will still support Airplay over Ethernet but it will not have WiFi built-in. The new board will also get the new 192kHz USB chipset and processors that will handle all hires sampled content, improve sound quality and lower noise by a further 10dB! In addition to the new hardware comes an all new IOS application that allows full graphical control of the CP-800 in the palm of your hands! The new board will be priced at $1000, is estimated to debut in April and will be field upgradeable. The price of the updated CP-800 will rise to $6000. Later in the year around summer time a $500 phono board will be made available as well.

We are in April now and no official statement on Classé web site yet :-(
Are there any other details available about that upgrade ?

[bbarrett]

I checked withe Classe a few weeks ago before I purchased my CP-800. At that time, they did not have a firm date or price for the new digital board. The only assurance they did provide was that the CP-800 would see a price increase equivalent to the price they eventually set for the new board.

[ChrisG]

Originally Posted by RebelMan

Classe' is going to release for the first time in company history a Class-D amplifier called the CA-D200. It will produce 200 wpc into 8 ohms, 400 wpc into 4 ohms and is stable down to 2 ohms. It features a 1000 watt amplifier module and a switched-mode power supply with power factor correction, similar to the CP-800. It is expected to debut around April and will carry a $4000 price tag.

BTW, I was able to hear the CA-D200's at Definitive Audio's Music Matters event in February. They had 4 prototypes set up to drive B&W Nautilus speakers and I guess they had just gotten these put together in time for the show (preamp/DAC was the CP-800). Dave Nauber was very low-key about the amps and really didn't say much about them, not even that they were Class D, he did say, however, that they were just built and he "hoped they didn't catch on fire!" we all assumed he was joking...

Overall, the system sounded great...granted we weren't in the room for long, but I couldn't tell that they were Class D amps. very interesting.

[RebelMan]

Originally Posted by jeffkad

RebelMan, did you ever get the CP800 and compare with SSP-800?

Yes, I spent about six weeks with it.

[RebelMan]

Originally Posted by dca

We are in April now and no official statement on Classé web site yet :-(
Are there any other details available about that upgrade ?

What are you looking for? Other than availability nothing else has changed.

[RebelMan]

Originally Posted by ChrisG

BTW, I was able to hear the CA-D200's at Definitive Audio's Music Matters event in February. They had 4 prototypes set up to drive B&W Nautilus speakers and I guess they had just gotten these put together in time for the show (preamp/DAC was the CP-800). Dave Nauber was very low-key about the amps and really didn't say much about them, not even that they were Class D, he did say, however, that they were just built and he "hoped they didn't catch on fire!" we all assumed he was joking...

Overall, the system sounded great...granted we weren't in the room for long, but I couldn't tell that they were Class D amps. very interesting.

Definitive Audio has been the go to place for new product demos and pre-releases for some time so this does not surprise me. As for the CA-D200, it's not expected to debut for a while, perhaps in time for Cedia 2013 but that's an optimistic projection. Enough time to extinguish any flames methinks.

[dca]

Originally Posted by RebelMan

What are you looking for? Other than availability nothing else has changed.

I was not looking for something specific, I was just asking if someone had more details about the upgrade as we get closer to the release date.

For instance we know that the Ethernet port will be used but we don't know how exactly, what services will be offered on that connection.

Anyway, hopefully we won't have to wait too long now (finger crossed).

[RebelMan]

As previously stated the Ethernet port will support Airplay. I'll see about getting official press release for any additional details.