CEDIA 2010 Coverage

September 27, 2010

Classe

Classe’s well received SSP-800 surround sound processor ($9,500) was center stage. However, when I was there, they were displaying the real panel. It looks extremely well laid out, with plenty of inputs, though not overboard as you see on so many mid-fi audio/video receivers. The interior shows that there is plenty of room to spare in the massive chassis. The news is it will receive an HDMI 1.4 refresh by December. Upgrade kits will sell for $1,500, which is the price differential between the old and new units.

You can also order Classe components in utilitarian gray if you want to put them in a rack. Shown top to bottom are CT-SSP surround sound processor ($9,000), CT-M300 300 watt monoblock amplifier ($5,000), CT-M600 600 watt monoblock amplifier ($6,500), CT-2300 300/watts per channel stereo amplifier ($6,500), and CT-5300 300 watts/channel five channel amplifier ($9,000).

The interior of a CA-M600.

If you’d like the CT-5300 in the fancy box, order the CA-5300 ($9,500). The $500 uptick in price seems reasonable.

Perched on top is the CDP-300 DVD player ($6,500) which seems like a lot to pay for a DVD player in the Blu-ray age. In the middle is the SSP-800 surround sound processor ($9,500), and holding the stand down on the bottom is the CA-M300 300 watt monoblock ($5,500).