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  #1  
Old 10-13-2012, 08:06 AM
o0OBillO0o o0OBillO0o is offline
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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

Last edited by o0OBillO0o; 10-13-2012 at 08:10 AM.
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  #2  
Old 10-13-2012, 08:22 AM
mbovaird mbovaird is offline
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Quote:
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
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
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  #3  
Old 10-13-2012, 08:51 AM
o0OBillO0o o0OBillO0o is offline
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Originally Posted by mbovaird View Post
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

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
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  #4  
Old 10-13-2012, 08:58 AM
mbovaird mbovaird is offline
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Quote:
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
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.

Last edited by mbovaird; 10-13-2012 at 09:01 AM.
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  #5  
Old 10-13-2012, 09:06 AM
o0OBillO0o o0OBillO0o is offline
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Originally Posted by mbovaird View Post
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.
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..
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  #6  
Old 10-13-2012, 02:00 PM
o0OBillO0o o0OBillO0o is offline
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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..
One more thing, I'm alluded to the McIntosh C500's fully balanced design, hence the interest in the CP-800 with extremely flexible features.

Sent from my iPad using A.Aficionado
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  #7  
Old 10-13-2012, 02:26 PM
enatai252 enatai252 is offline
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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
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  #8  
Old 10-13-2012, 04:19 PM
o0OBillO0o o0OBillO0o is offline
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Quote:
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
This is what I was thinking..

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  #9  
Old 10-13-2012, 05:50 PM
mbovaird mbovaird is offline
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Bill - what amps are you using? If I was going down this route, I would look at the ModWright KWI200 with the optional DAC (and Phono) card. The MOSFETS in the KWI200 should give you a nice tube like sound.

Do you need bass management with your F113's? You could look at the ModWright KWI200 with a Velodyne SMS-1.

Another option is the McIntosh C50.

Admittedly, the CP-800 certainly gives you a lot of candy for money. Hard to beat...and everything worked flawlessly when I had it. I just couldn't get use to the sound. Sorry...but that was just me. You may love it in your room.

That being said, a Classe' setup is on my list to explore for my Family Room setup.

Your MS300 going into the Classe' CP-800 could give you a world class digital performer. I would put a Bryston BDP-2 upstairs and move my Mac Mini downstairs. I would also add a sub (or two) to my Bookshelf speakers and the CP-800 bass management would handle the crossover. OK, damn it, it does have a lot of features for the money!

Make sure you check out some of the new NAD stuff as well.

What about PS Audio Perfect Wave DAC II and Memory Player? The PS Audio Perfect Wave DAC II can be used as a preamp.

Lots of great options.

Mike
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  #10  
Old 10-13-2012, 05:51 PM
mbovaird mbovaird is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by o0OBillO0o View Post
This is what I was thinking..

Sent from my iPad using A.Aficionado
The future of audio? Who knows - but ripping all your music to lossless and sitting your butt on the sofa/chair and controlling everything via an iPad is quite magical.
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