Audio Video News

Canada's Classé Audio Inc. has long been known for building audiophile equipment. With the rise of home theater, the company expanded its offerings with multichannel amplifiers, DVD players, surround processors, and other product to enhance the experience of movie lovers everywhere.

A recent addition is Classé's SSP-30, a preamp/processor that allows separate routing of audio and video signals, so that one source can be heard in another room while a film is being watched in the home theater. Either "zone" can be controlled independently from the location where it is in use. "Each zone can have a different program, either audio/video, or audio alone," states a company press release. "You can control either zone from either zone." An SP/DIF optical digital output relays the audio signal appearing at any one of the seven digital inputs. The feed from this output can connect to a second processor or outboard DAC. The SSP-30 also has eight analog audio inputs for maximum versatility, with 10dB of gain possible.

The SSP-30 supports several audio formats: mono, stereo, Dolby Pro Logic, Dolby Digital, and dts. Digital inputs include coax, optical and AES/EBU.

Video inputs all have both S-Video and Composite Video circuits running in parallel traces. Supported formats include NTSC and PAL, which are software switchable. No provision has been made for digital video input. Classé claims the video performance of the SSP-30 compares to many processors costing many times more. Special attention has been devoted to making both the onscreen display/setup and remote controls as logical and intuitive to use as possible. The SSP-30 weighs 25 lbs. and measures 19" W x 4.4" H x 12.75" D.