Classe Audio SSP-300 Owner's Manual
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Classe Audio SSP-300 Owner's Manual

Surround processor
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SSP-300
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  • Page 1 Owner’s Manual SSP-300 Surround Processor...
  • Page 2 WARNING:TO REDUCETHE RISK OF FIRE OR ELECTRIC SHOCK, DO NOT EXPOSE THIS APPLIANCE TO RAIN OR MOISTURE. CAUTION: TO REDUCE THE RISK OF ELECTRICAL SHOCK, DO NOT REMOVE COVER. NO USER-SERVICEABLE PARTS INSIDE. REFER SERVICING TO QUALIFIED PERSONNEL. The lightning flash with arrowhead symbol, within an equilateral triangle, is intended to alert the user to the presence of uninsulated dangerous voltage within the product’s enclosure that may be of sufficient magnitude to constitute a risk of electric shock to persons.

  • Page 3: Important Safety Instructions

    Important Safety Instructions Caution: Please read and observe all warnings and instructions in this owner’s manual and all those marked on the unit. Retain this owner’s manual for future reference. 1. Do not attempt to service this product yourself. Do not open the cover for any reason. There are no user-serviceable parts inside.

  • Page 4: Table Of Contents

    Understanding Surround Sound ...34 how many channels? ...34 matrix or discrete? ...34 multichannel formats ... 35 post-processing possibilities...35 multichannel formats ... 36 Using the SSP-300 ...38 source selection...38 mode selection ...38 video preview...39 controls ...39 system trims... 40 zone control ... 40...
  • Page 5 The Menu System ...42 system setup ...42 rotary... 43 input setup... 45 speaker setup... 48 triggers setup ... 50 max volume... 50 teach IR ...51 display setup...51 brightness ... 52 timeout ... 52 language... 52 OSD ... 52 temp. display ... 53 volume ...

  • Page 6: Welcome To The Classé Family

    Welcome to the Classé family Congratulations on your purchase of a Classé product. It is the result of many years of continuous refinement, and we are sure that you will enjoy it for many years to come. We value our relationship with our customers. Please allow us to stay in touch with you by returning your warranty card now, before you pack up the shipping carton of your new product and forget all about it.

  • Page 7: Unpacking And Placement

    As with any surround processor, it is best to place the SSP-300 centrally within your system, since it is the hub to which all other components are connected.

  • Page 8: Register Your Purchase

    register your purchase! Having found the serial number, now would be a good time to fill out the registration card. Please register your purchase so we can advise you of updates and other items of interest. It will take only a minute or so. Please complete the card now, before you forget. warm up/break-in period Your new Classé...

  • Page 9: Operating Voltage

    If the AC mains voltage indicated on your surround processor is incorrect, please contact your local, authorized Classé dealer or distributor. The SSP-300 can easily be powered by a normal 15-ampere AC mains line. If other devices are also powered from the same AC line, their additional power consumption should be taken into account.

  • Page 10: A Word About Installation

    A Word About Installation Every effort has been made to make the Classé SSP-300 simple and straightforward to install and use. Still, we have no way to evaluate other variables such as the size and shape of your room, its acoustics, and the associated equipment you have chosen to use with your surround processor.

  • Page 11: Special Design Features

    “down” as needed to ensure that all outputs are active, all the time, regardless of input signal. (Note, however, that the SSP-300 does not change frame rates or broadcast standards, e.g., we do not convert from 60 fps NTSC to 50 fps PAL or vice versa.)

  • Page 12: Re-Equalization

    THX engineers developed patented technologies to accurately translate the sound from the movie theatre environment into the home, correcting the tonal and spatial errors that occur. With your SSP-300, when the THX indicator is on, the following THX features are automatically added: Re-Equalization™...

  • Page 13: Advanced Surround Array

    (for movies) or highly localizable surround sound (for music), without having to reposition any loudspeakers. The Advanced Speaker Array™ places a pair of surround speakers to the sides of the listener, and another pair directly behind the listener (and as close to each other as practical).

  • Page 14: Thx Movie Mode

    For example, if you are not using one or more of the inputs on your SSP-300, you can delete the unnecessary buttons from the operational menu. Doing so prevents anyone from trying to select a nonexistent source component, with the resulting confusion stemming from the lack of any sound.

  • Page 15: Highly Refined Circuit Design

    The volume control system on your SSP-300 solves this problem by responding differently based on the specific circumstances (e.g. how quickly you are turning the knob and where in the volume range you are). After extensive testing, we feel we have created factory default settings that most people will find intuitive and a real pleasure to use.

  • Page 16: Extraordinary Longevity

    extraordinary longevity Another benefit of having worked with highly refined circuit designs so extensively over many years is that we have vast experience in what works well over the long term. By using only the highest quality parts to begin with, and then using them in an informed way as a result of both accelerated aging experiments and actual long- term experience, we are able to design and manufacture products which we are confident will stand the test of time.

  • Page 17: Initial Setup

    Your new SSP-300 is delivered with default factory settings which this section will use to make your initial task simpler. Please note that these default settings cannot deliver all the performance and functionality that the SSP-300 offers in your particular system.
  • Page 18 Once this period is complete the LED light will remain on while the LCD screen goes into standby mode. A simple touch of the LCD screen will wake up the SSP-300 from its standby mode. The LCD touchscreen will now display a blue screen titled “intializing”...
  • Page 19 For example: the default settings of the bass management system in the SSP-300 are to divert any bass below 80 Hz, in any channel, to the subwoofer output. This is a reasonably safe choice, since few loudspeakers that are likely to be used with equipment of the SSP-300’s caliber are going to be stressed by these settings.

  • Page 20: Front Panel

    ������� ���� ���� ������� Front Panel Standby button & LED indicator The front panel Standby button will toggle the surround processor between its fully operational status and a standby mode that leaves the surround processor off, yet ready to respond to system commands via any of the supported control options (e.g.

  • Page 21: Mute Button

    IR input and output and an infrared repeater system to solve the problem. For more information about using an infrared repeater system to route signals to the SSP-300, refer to the section Rear Panel later in this manual, or contact your local Classé dealer.

  • Page 22: Volume Knob

    Volume Knob The large knob on the right side of the front panel of the SSP-300 is used to control the volume of the system. The volume is raised or lowered in precise 1 dB increments throughout the range of the control most likely to be used while listening to music.

  • Page 23: Rear Panel

    Rear Panel The table below shows the three types of inputs of the SSP-300 and which outputs can be used. A ✔ indicates at signal is available, a ✘ indicates a signal is not available. For example, with a Component Input an S-Video signal is available from the Main output, but not from the Rec 1 or Rec 2 output.

  • Page 24: Composite Video Outputs

    Component video as needed for viewing on the MAIN output. Connect the S-video output of your source component to the appropriate S-video input of the SSP-300 using high quality S-video cable for the best results. Your Classé dealer can assist you in making an appropriate cable...
  • Page 25 (your home theater) to your main display, and will superimpose an On Screen Display as needed. This “OSD” provides the same information as the LCD screen on the SSP-300 itself, making operation of the system from anywhere in the room considerably easier.
  • Page 26 Audio Engineering Society and the European Broadcast Union. Refer to the operating manual of your digital source to verify that the pin assignments of its output connector corresponds to the SSP-300. If not, wire the cable so that the appropriate output pin connects to the equivalent input pin.
  • Page 27 The SSP-300 has two separate IR inputs, one for the MAIN system and one that addresses only the functions of the remote ZONE. IR commands routed to either input will be interpreted as intended to affect only that section of the SSP-300.

  • Page 28: Microphone Input

    Microphone Input The MIC input on the rear of the SSP-300 is used during auto-calibration of the system. For a quick setup, connect the supplied microphone to this input and follow the procedure outlined in the Initial Setup section of this manual.
  • Page 29 The Component OUTPUT makes the selected video signal available to your main display in a Component video format, regardless of the format in which it was received by the SSP-300. This includes both standard definition and high definition video signals.
  • Page 30 Danger! AC Mains Power Switch The main power switch for the SSP-300 is adjacent to the receptacle for the power cord. Switching the unit on puts it in standby mode. The surround processor should be in standby before being switched off.

  • Page 31: The Remote Control

    The Remote Control Your new surround processor comes with a versatile remote control which can control both the SSP-300 itself and several aspects of the rest of a Classé-based system. The buttons are arranged in logical groups according to their functions.

  • Page 32: Input Selection

    F1/F2/F3/F4 keys are available for controlling aspects of the SSP-300 not covered by the other buttons on the remote control. You are able to choose what the SSP-300 should do in response to receiving the infrared signal that a particular Fkey has been pressed. The list of possible functions is quite extensive, and is found in the menu system (see the section The Menu System, in this manual).
  • Page 33 The Trim key takes you directly to the system trims screen in the menu system. Using the touchscreen or the remote control navigation keys you can adjust the speaker(s) as desired. Adjust the relative balance of the system by using the Enter key on the remote to “press” the appropriate...

  • Page 34: Understanding Surround Sound

    how many channels? Today’s surround systems are called upon to reproduce soundtracks that matrix or discrete? When movie makers first wanted to expand beyond simple stereo (left and right Understanding Surround Sound Today’s sophisticated surround sound systems seem to spawn a bewildering array of technologies and acronyms.

  • Page 35: Multichannel Formats

    Once the SSP-300 has decoded the signal it is provided in the appropriate The disadvantage of matrix decoding is what you might expect – it is tough to completely and perfectly separate two things that have been mixed together.

  • Page 36: Multichannel Formats

    multichannel formats Having done so, however, it may make sense to provide further processing, after the fact. Hence the notion of post-processing. For example: movie soundtracks are created in highly-standardized environments, in order to offer excellent performance in large, commercial theaters.
  • Page 37 Note: The THX Ultra II modes require the presence of rear channels in addition to the side “surround” channels. These speakers take advantage of THX’s ASA technology to provide a higher- performance, particularly flexible and seamless surround soundfield.

  • Page 38: Using The Ssp-300

    Using the SSP-300 Your SSP-300 includes a versatile touchscreen LCD display which supports most of your day-to-day operations (as well as a flexible menu system for functions you use less often). While the use of this touchscreen is quite intuitive, it is also quite extensive.

  • Page 39: Video Preview

    When you see the surround mode you want, touch its name in the list. The SSP-300 will immediately change its processing to meet your request. You may then either touch the back button at the top left, or simply wait for the touchscreen to timeout and return to the Home Menu on its own.

  • Page 40: System Trims

    The System Trims menu controls several parameters of the SSP-300’s operation zone control The Zone Control menu allows you to turn the remote zone on and off, to select that may occasionally need adjustment to suit a particular recording.

  • Page 41: Position Select

    The SSP-300 supports four different families of settings for various listening positions you may use. The Position Select menu allows you to easily choose among your various listening positions. For example, you might use position 1 to optimize the sound for the seating...

  • Page 42: The Menu System

    This menu system provides access to many installation-specific features that let you customize how the SSP-300 works within the context of your particular system. They are described in detail below. system setup The first button on the main menu takes you to a series of submenus that...

  • Page 43: Rotary

    • configure and calibrate the system to take best advantage of your loudspeakers • program the behavior of the SSP-300’s DC triggers • establish a maximum volume setting for your system rotary The rotary knob on the front panel does not directly control the volume.
  • Page 44 Thus, if the SSP-300 sees the knob moving relatively quickly, it uses coarse steps to effectively accelerate the action of the circuitry.

  • Page 45: Input Setup

    • high speed: determines the responsiveness of the control when the knob is being turned slowly. A setting of 0 will cause the volume to change as slowly as possible at high knob speeds; a setting of 100 will cause the volume to change as quickly as allowed at high knob speeds.
  • Page 46 Home menu (home/controls/system trims/audio delay). The SSP-300 will automatically revert to this default setting when you change inputs, or if you touch the reset trims button. • favorite processing determines what surround mode the SSP-300 will use by default when it receives either a two channel (“stereo”)
  • Page 47 five S-video and three component video connections. • video on toggles on (highlighted) and off (not highlighted) as you touch the button. When on, the SSP-300 will replace the video signal from the component in question with an on-screen version of the menu system when you access the menu system.

  • Page 48: Speaker Setup

    The Speaker Setup menu (found via the following path: system setup/speakers) allows you to tell the SSP-300 about the speakers with which it is working, so it can provide the best and most appropriate signals to each speaker.
  • Page 49 (See below.) • ASA stands for Advanced Speaker Array, and engages a proprietary THX technology that provides outstanding flexibility and performance in your surround sound array. This...

  • Page 50: Triggers Setup

    Each of the SSP-300’s DC triggers may be programmed to either “logic” (12V) max volume • The name of each position can be specified in the same way that sources are. (See input setup earlier in this section.) •...

  • Page 51: Teach Ir

    The teach IR screen provides a scrolling list of all the available IR codes in the SSP-300. By scrolling to the command you need to learn into your macro- capable remote, and then pressing the send IR code button, the SSP-300 will send the appropriate command code out its front panel–where it can be learned...

  • Page 52: Brightness

    For example, if you reduce the timeout to its minimum setting, the backlighting will illuminate the display as soon as you interact with any of the SSP-300 controls, and stay on for only three seconds–just long enough for you to check on something.

  • Page 53: Temp. Display

    The temp. display button leads to a screen on which you may select how long the temporary on-screen display shown on your television lasts when you make a change to the SSP-300. Your choices are none (effectively turning off these small OSD messages on the television), and 2, 3, 4, or 5 seconds.

  • Page 54: Dolby Pro Logic Ii

    Dolby Pro Logic II. remote Fkeys The remote control supplied with the SSP-300 has four function keys (Fkeys) that allow you to have instant, easy access to specific system functions that might otherwise be buried in a menu somewhere.

  • Page 55: Cautionary Note On Fkey Use

    The status screen provides several items of information about the current operation status of the SSP-300, as well as access to information on the software used in and the internal sensors of the SSP-300. version info The version info button on the status screen takes you to the version information screen, which displays information on various pieces of software used by your SSP-300.

  • Page 56: Troubleshooting

    ✓ If the problem occurs with all inputs, check the cables between the surround processor and the power amplifier. If no fault is found there, check the speaker wires for secure connections. Check that the power amplifier is off before checking any connections between the surround processor and power amplifier, or between the power amplifier and the speakers.
  • Page 57 Only one speaker seems to be playing. ✓ Does the problem occur with all inputs? If so, check the interconnect cables between the preamp and the power amp. If no fault is found there, check the speaker wires for secure connections. Important! Be certain that the power amplifier is off before checking...

  • Page 58: Care & Maintenance

    Caution! There is a hum coming from the unit. ✓ This symptom suggests you have a lot of DC offset or other artifacts on your AC mains line. Try connecting to another AC circuit (not merely a different plug, but a different circuit). ✓...

  • Page 59: Specifications

    Specifications All specifications are accurate at the time of printing. Classé reserves the right to make improvements without notice. ■ Frequency response ■ Distortion (THD + noise) ■ Maximum input voltage (single-ended) ■ Maximum input voltage (balanced) ■ Maximum output voltage (single-ended) ■...

  • Page 60: Dimensions

    Dimensions �� � ��� � � ��...
  • Page 62 Classé Audio 5070 François Cusson Lachine, Quebec Canada H8T 1B3 +1 (514) 636-6384 +1 (514) 636-1428 (fax) http://www.classeaudio.com email: cservice@classeaudio.com Copyright © 2004 Classé Audio, Inc. Printed in Canada. V 1.5 112304...

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