Surround Processor Reviews

Analog frequency response in Bypass mode:
–0.03 dB at 10 Hz
–0.00 dB at 20 Hz
–0.00 dB at 20 kHz
–0.01 dB at 50 kHz

Analog frequency response with signal processing:
–0.06 dB at 10 Hz
–0.03 dB at 20 Hz
–0.17 dB at 20 kHz
–18.51 dB at 50 kHz

The chart below shows the frequency response of the left (aqua), center (green), LFE (blue), and left surround (red) channels at the preamp outputs of the Dolby Digital decoder. The left channel measures –0.02 decibels at 20 hertz and –0.14 dB at 20 kilohertz. The center channel measures –0.02 dB at 20 Hz and –0.20 dB at 20 kHz, and the left surround channel measures –0.02 dB at 20 Hz and –0.32 dB at 20 kHz. The LFE channel, normalized to the level at 40 Hz, is +0.25 dB at 20 Hz, reaches the upper –3-dB point at 83 Hz, and reaches the upper –6-dB point at 104 Hz.

Response from the multichannel input to the main output measures –0.60 dB at 10 Hz, –0.15 dB at 20 Hz, –0.00 dB at 20 kHz, and –0.01 dB at 50 kHz. The analog THD+N is less than 0.007 percent at 1 kHz with a 100-millivolt input and the volume control set to 86. Crosstalk with a 100-mV input was –102.32 dB left to right and –102.93 dB right to left. The signal-to-noise ratio with “A” weighting was –122.13 dBrA.—MJP

Video Test Bench
The Classé performs no video deinterlacing or upconversion, so most of the entries in our usual Video Test Bench chart are not applicable. It passes video sources straight through, although it will convert a component input to an HDMI output at the same resolution.

Of the tests remaining, the Digital tests were performed 1080p HDMI in and 1080p HDMI out, while the Analog tests were 1080i component in and 1080i HDMI out. The single failure was the Analog horizontal Chroma resolution test. HDMI passthrough was pristine.—TJN