Upgrade from Classe SSP 800 processor


Hey there,
I’ve been using the Classe SSP 800 in my dedicated home theater room for a while now and while its sound quality is spectacular I think it’s time for me to explore a new current processor that can decode new surround sound formats eg Dolby Atmos, DTS-X, Auro 3D, etc.
Any suggestions?

My SSP 800 has been used strictly for surround sound (home theater) as I do have a separate dedicated stereo setup and system in a separate two-channel listening room. So that said, the new processor will also be used strictly for home theater (surrounds).

My current home theater gears are the following :
* Oppo UDP 205.
* Sony 4k OLED tv (85").
* Classe SSP 800.
* Classe Delta CAM-600 monoblock amps to power my front LR speakers.
* Classe Delta CAM-300 monoblock amp (single) to power my center speaker.
* Classe Delta CA-2300 five-channel amp to power my surrounds.
* B&W 800 D3 front speakers.
* B&W 800 HTML1 D3 center speaker.
* B&W 804 D3 & 805 D3 for surrounds.
*JL Audio Gotham subwoofer.
* 2 of Audioquest Niagara 7000 power product.

I am going to start working on remodeling my dedicated HT room in order to accommodate additional overhead speakers for Atmos setup. And when I get a new processor I will also need to get additional multi-channel amps to power additional speakers necessary.
I might get rid of my B&W 804 D3 & 805 D3 surround speakers and get the B&W 800 D3 in-wall or on-wall speakers for surrounds instead. 

Any ideas as to what new av preamp processor to get? The one that’s capable of decoding Dolby Atmos & DTS-X. But I'm keeping all the Classe Delta series power amps and will need additional multi-channel amps to power additional overhead speakers etc possibly another Classe amps. 

Thanks in advance guys.

caphill
@rshad0000

How’s your Lyngdorf MP 50 so far?
I’m still in the process of breaking it in. I’ve had Room Perfect properly set up and calibrated and all and got 4 overhead height ceiling speakers for Atmos setup, so my current setup is now 7.2.4. Have added additional power amps to power those overhead ceiling speakers for Atmos setup. I purchased two Classe Sigma Amp2 stereo power amps for that duty since they are compact. Figured it’s only for powering those overhead ceiling speakers for Atmos setup anyway. But all my other amps are Classe AB from Classe Delta series paired with all B&W 800 series D3 speaker system.


I really like it and the room calibration was very easy and works really well(99% calibrated).  
A couple of comments though...

First, I find that the Classe is more configurable overall than the MP-50.    A lot more different settings and configuration options in the menus.   Not that I needed all of them, but they were there if I did.

Second, initially I found the detail and soundfield of the mp-50 to be crazy good, but after a while noticed that some of the body that the classe had was not there; plus was a bit fatiguing.   Wasn’t sure if it was the result of the room correction or just the house sound of the lyngdorf.  I changed the powercord out to a Audioquest Hurricane that I had been using on my renderer and all of a sudden it was there again.   The body and fullness I had before plus the hi def soundfield.

Overall I am very happy with it as a home theater processor.    

BTW- I did compare the two channel capabilities of the Lyngdorf and internal Dac to my Gryphon Diablo 300 and Chord Dave DAC to see what would happen.   The gryphon with the chord was a lot better, but I would have been amazed if it had not been.

How about you?   Thoughts?
@rshad0000

I’m still running my Lyngdorf MP-50 in in order to get it properly and fully broken in. I still haven’t really sit down to make thorough observation yet from a sonic standpoint until it’s fully broken in. I will report back once it’s fully broken in. But so far I’ve been pretty happy with its surround performance with Room Perfect properly calibrated. I’m sure it will only get better over time.
I’ve been using the Shunyata Sigma power cord with my AV processor.
Yes, I agree with you regarding the settings and configurations of the Classe SSP 800 which I found better than the Lyngdorf MP-50. And my gut tells me that basic sound quality alone for two channels without any room correction engaged I think the SSP 800 might be a bit better but things change when the RP is engaged and properly calibrated for surround sound performance (home theater).

It isn’t a fair comparison when you compare the two channel capabilities of the Lyngdorf MP-50 with its internal DAC of course (since the MP-50 does not have analog audio inputs) to that of your Chord Dave DAC and Gryphon Diablo 300 as they are totally different animals and at different price points too. Your Chord Dave DAC alone retails for the same price as the Lyngdorf MP-50 processor which is at $10k. Of course the Chord Dave DAC and the Gryphon Diablo 300 will crush the Lyngdorf MP-50 by large margin. Btw, I’ve heard the Chord Dave DAC in all Naim setup paired with some higher end PMC speakers and they sounded fabulous.

I haven’t got around to compare my new Lyngdorf MP-50 two-channel capability either its internal DAC to that of my dedicated two channel setup that I have in a separate dedicated stereo listening room. Cause my Lyngdorf MP-50 is used strictly for home theater (surrounds) and I have nothing to compare it with in my dedicated home theater room as I don’t have a stereo preamp and a standalone stereo DAC in my home theater room to begin with.
And my dedicated stereo gears that I have in a separate two channel listening room are of high bars. My digital front end consists of the following : DCS Vivaldi full four stacks (Vivaldi master clock, Vivaldi upsampler, Vivaldi DAC, Vivaldi CD/SACD transport). And I am using the Naim Statement NAC S1 linestage analog stereo preamp and the Naim Statement NAP S1 monoblock power amps. These are all cost-no-object design gears and of course and I have no doubt that these will crush my Lyngdorf MP-50 two channel performance with its internal DAC. Not fair comparison to begin with. They are totally different animals and aren't in the same league at all. The Lyngdorf MP-50 is a great performing AV surround processor equipped with spectacular RP (Room Perfect) room correction and it does great job for surround (home theater) duties. That’s what the MP-50 is supposed to do and it does it so well.

Thanks

I agree with you completely on your comments of comparing the two channel performance of the gryphon/Chord vs the lyngdorf internal DAC.   I just did it because I was curious how they would compare.

I’ll be curious how you feel about the MP-50 once it is broken in.   I, honestly, don’t think mine is broken in yet either.

Great two channel system, by the way.  I’ve always been a fan of Naim and I bet their statement amps sound fantastic!
Naim Statement gears, which consists of Naim NAC S1 linestage preamp and Naim NAP S1 monoblock amps, are extraordinary and these are statement products/cost-no-object design gears.
Most Naim dealers wouldn't have these Naim Statement gears on display for demo due to the costs of these babies.

I purchased these Naim Statement gears earlier this year. Prior to that I was using 2 pairs of Dan D’Agostino Momentum M400 monoblock amps with the Audio Research Reference 10 linestage preamp, and the Naim Statement gears took everything to the whole new levels of performances. I guess it is expected considering the big price differences.

rshad0000, how long have you had your MP-50? Did you notice that the MP-50 has only XLR balanced analog audio outs? It’s not like I needed the rca single-ended outs or anything. The Classe SSP 800 has both XLR & RCA analog outs. When I was buying additional power amps to power my new overhead height ceiling speakers for Atmos setup I had to purchase two Classe Sigma Amp2 stereo power amps cause the Sigma Amp5 five-channel amp has XLR inputs for only front L/R channels and with the remaining channels only available in single-ended. So I couldn’t get the Sigma Amp5 five-channel amp. Instead I had to get two Sigma Amp2 stereo power amps since the Sigma Amp2 stereo amp has XLR inputs. Cause I now have 4 overhead ceiling speakers for Atmos setup. But the rest of my Classe Delta series class AB amps all have XLR inputs on them.