Audio Video News

Classé has announced the availability of its new Sigma Series, featuring the Sigma SSP 7.1-channel surround sound preamp/processor ($5,000) and a pair of amplifiers, the AMP2 ($3,000) and AMP5 ($5,000), rated at 2 x 200 watts and 5 x 200 watts into 8 ohms, respectively.

Shipping in October, the line is intended to bridge the gap between mass-market and high-end audio components.

The Sigma SSP processor has been optimized as a high-performance stereo preamp/processor with video switching, multichannel processing, and bass management. Connections include USB, Ethernet, HDMI, coax and optical digital inputs, and both balanced and single-ended analog inputs. A phono stage is optional.

According to the company, both amplifiers are derived from Classé’s Delta series CA-D200, which is based on Class D topology said to address the problem of “dead-band-time”—the time when both halves of the amplifier are off—once thought to be the Achilles’ heel of Class D designs. The result is an “astonishingly low 3 nanosecond dead-band-time, dramatically lowering distortion and enabling numerous other design advantages.” The amplifiers also generate less heat and are said to be more eco-friendly than conventional amplifier designs.