Classe Audio SSP-300 User Manual

Owner’s Manual

SSP-300

Surround Processor

WARNING: TO REDUCE THE RISK OF FIRE OR ELECTRIC SHOCK, DO
NOT EXPOSE THIS APPLIANCE TO RAIN OR MOISTURE.

CAUTION

RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK

DO NOT OPEN

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.

The exclamation point within an equilateral triangle is intended to alert the user to the presence of

important operating and maintenance (servicing) instructions in the literature accompanying the
appliance.

Marking by the “CE” symbol (shown left) indicates compliance of this device with the EMC (Elec-

tromagnetic Compatibility) and LVD (Low Voltage Directive) standards of the European Com­munity.

NOTICE

All of us at Classé take extreme care to ensure that your purchase will remain a prized investment. We are proud to inform you
that all Classé components have been officially approved for the European Community (CE) mark under CE Certificate Number
C401CLA1.MGS

This means that your Classé product was subjected to the most rigorous manufacturing and safety tests in the world. The CE mark
certifies that your purchase meets or exceeds all European Community requirements for unit-to-unit consistency and consumer
safety.

This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC
Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a residential installation. This
equipment generates, uses and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the instructions,
may cause harmful interference to radio communications. However, there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a par
ticular installation. If this equipment does cause interference to radio or television reception, which can be determined by turning
the equipment on and off, the user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of the following measures:

• Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna;

• Increase the separation between the equipment and the receiver;

• Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the receiver is connected;

• Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help.

granted on 18 July 1996.

-

CAUTION: Changes or modifications to this equipment not expressly approved by the manufacturer could void the user’s authority
to operate the equipment.

The information contained in the manual is subject to change without notice. The most current version of this manual will be
posted on our web site at http://www.classeaudio.com.

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. An open unit, particularly if it is still connected to an AC source, presents
a potentially lethal shock hazard. Refer all questions to authorized service personnel only.

2. To prevent fire or shock hazard, do not expose the unit to water or moisture. If a liquid does enter
your component, immediately disconnect it from the AC mains and take it to your Classé dealer for a
thorough checkup.

3. Do not place your component near any heat-producing device such as a radiator, stove, etc. Keep it
away from direct sunlight.

4. Connect your component only to an AC source of the proper voltage. The shipping container and
the rear panel serial number tag will indicate the proper voltage. Use of any other voltage may damage
the unit and void the warranty.

5. AC cords should be routed so that they are not likely to be walked on or pinched by items placed
upon or against them. Do not stress the AC cord by stretching it to a plug. If damage does occur to
the AC cord, take it to your Classé dealer for a thorough checkup and proper repair or replacement.

6. If your component will be out of use for an extended period of time (vacation, etc.), you may wish
to unplug the power cord from the AC source to prevent any chance of problems from a voltage surge
or lightning strike.

7. NEVER wet the inside of this product with any liquid.

8. NEVER pour or spill liquids directly onto this unit.

9. NEVER block air flow through ventilation slots or heatsinks.

10. NEVER bypass any fuse.

11. NEVER replace any fuse with a value or type other than that specified.

12. NEVER attempt to repair this product. If a problem occurs, contact your Classé dealer.

13. NEVER expose this product to extremely high or low temperatures.

14. NEVER operate this product in an explosive atmosphere.

15. ALWAYS unplug sensitive electronic equipment during lightning storms.

Please record the serial number for your new Classé component here for future reference.

Serial #: __________________

Contents

Welcome to the Classé family ..........................................................................6

Unpacking and Placement ...............................................................................7

unpacking your surround processor .......................................................................7

placement ..............................................................................................................7

ventilation .............................................................................................................

custom installations ...............................................................................................7

serial number .........................................................................................................7

register your purchase! ...........................................................................................

warm up/break-in period .......................................................................................

please read this manual… ......................................................................................8

Operating Voltage ............................................................................................9

A Word About Installation ..............................................................................10

Special Design Features .................................................................................11

high-bandwidth video circuitry ............................................................................11

transcoding ...................................................................................... 11

THX Ultra™ .........................................................................................................11

Re-Equalization™ ............................................................................ 12

Timbre Matching™ .......................................................................... 12

Adaptive Decorrelation™ ................................................................ 12

Advanced Surround Array™ ............................................................. 13

THX Music Mode ............................................................................ 13

THX Movie Mode ............................................................................ 14

Boundary Gain Compensation ......................................................... 14

flexible GUI .........................................................................................................14

customizable volume control ...............................................................................14

highly refined circuit design .................................................................................

extensive listening tests ........................................................................................

extraordinary longevity ........................................................................................

Initial Setup ...................................................................................................17

Front Panel .....................................................................................................20

Rear Panel .....................................................................................................23

The Remote Control .......................................................................................31

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

position select .................................................................................. 41

15
15
16

7

8
8

4

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 ............................................................................................ 53

Dolby/DTS setup .................................................................................................53

Dolby Pro Logic II ........................................................................... 54

DTS Neo:6 ....................................................................................... 54

remote Fkeys .......................................................................................................54

cautionary note on Fkey use ............................................................ 55

status ...................................................................................................................55

version info ...................................................................................... 55

sensors ............................................................................................. 55

Troubleshooting .............................................................................................56

Care & Maintenance ......................................................................................58

Specifications ................................................................................................59

Dimensions ...................................................................................................60

5

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. Doing so will enable us to
let you know about any possible future upgrades or updates that might become
available for your Classé component.

Sending in your warranty card also registers your product with us so that
warranty service can be obtained easily and quickly, even if you have mislaid
your original sales slip.

You will find the warranty registration card at the end of the separate warranty
policy booklet, enclosed.

Please take a few minutes to fill out the warranty registration

card and drop it in the mail.

6

Unpacking and Placement

unpacking your

surround processor

Important! Keep all packing materials for future transport of your Classé

placement As with any surround processor, it is best to place the SSP-300 centrally within

Carefully unpack your surround processor according to the supplied
instructions, and remove all accessories from the carton.

product. Shipping your new component in anything other
than its purpose-designed packing material may result in
damage that is not covered by the warranty.

your system, since it is the hub to which all other components are connected.
It should also be located at a convenient height for both visibility and use,
since you generally interact with your surround processor more than any other
component (changing inputs, adjusting volume, etc.).

Note that adequate clearance for the AC cord and connecting cables
must be left behind the SSP-300. We suggest leaving eight inches (20
cm) of free space behind your surround processor to allow all cables
sufficient room to bend without crimping or undue strain.

Classé recommends that the unit not be placed directly on the top surface of a
power amplifier (or any other heat source).

ventilation Your Classé surround processor generates a certain amount of heat in the course

of normal operation. Be sure to allow three inches of clearance above it and
three inches to each side to allow heat dissipation through air circulation. Avoid
placement on soft surfaces that would restrict airflow (such as plush carpeting).

custom installations Drawings are included in this manual to facilitate special installations and

custom cabinetry (see the section
rack mount kit is available for this product. Contact your Classé dealer for more
information.

serial number The serial number for your surround processor is found on the rear of the

unit. Please note and record this number on the page entitled Important Safety

Instructions for your future reference.

Dimensions). An optional, purpose-designed

7

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 surround processor will deliver outstanding performance

immediately. However, you should expect to hear it improve somewhat as
it reaches its normal operating temperatures and its various components
“break-in.” It has been our experience that the greatest changes occur within the
first 300 hours, as the surround processor reaches thermal equilibrium and the
capacitors fully form. After this initial break-in period, the performance of your
new product should remain quite consistent for years to come.

The only exception to this rule is if the unit is unplugged for an extended period
of time, allowing it to cool down. Depending on the degree of cooling involved,
you should expect a brief warm-up period before the surround processor’s
sound quality is at its best. Unless your surround processor was allowed to
become quite chilled, subsequent thermal re-stabilization should not take long.
Fortunately, you should never have to repeat the initial 300 hour break-in
period.

please read this manual… Please take a few minutes to review this manual, and to familiarize yourself

with your new surround processor. We understand that you are anxious to plug
everything in and get started. However, reading this manual and following the
advice it gives will ensure that you get all the benefits you deserve from having
purchased such a fine piece of equipment.

8

Operating Voltage

The SSP-300 surround processor is set at the factory (internally) for 100V,
120V, 230V, or 240V AC mains operation, as appropriate for the country in
which it is to be sold. (230V only in European Union countries, in compliance
with CE regulations.) The voltage setting may not be changed by the user.

Make sure that the label on the rear panel of your surround processor indicates
the correct AC operating voltage for your location. Attempting to operate your
surround processor at an incorrect voltage may damage the unit.

Warning: The voltage setting of your surround processor may not be

changed by the user. There are no user-serviceable parts
within the unit. Please refer any problems to an authorized
Classé service center.

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.

The SSP-300 includes protection circuitry that will prevent the surround
processor from operating at dangerously high or low voltages.

• At startup: the AC mains voltage must be within a range of
approximately -15% to +10% of its nominal value at startup, or
the surround processor will not turn on. For example, a 120V unit
requires the AC mains to be between approximately 95V–135V in
order to turn on.

• Overvoltage during operation: if the AC mains voltage surges by
roughly 10% or more during operation, the surround processor
will enter protection mode and shut down. The standby LED
(Light-Emitting Diode) will flash to indicate the protection mode
has been engaged. An error message will be displayed on the LCD
touchscreen.

• Under-voltage during operation: if the AC mains voltage sags
by 15% or more, the surround processor will continue to play
(since this does not present a particular danger to the surround
processor), but note that it may not be able to achieve its usual
standard of performance under these compromised conditions.
The standby LED will flash to indicate the condition.

9

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. All of these factors influence the ultimate
performance of your system.

For this reason, we strongly encourage you to have your

system installed and calibrated by your dealer, whose
experience, training, and specialized equipment can make a
profound difference in the final performance of the system.

10

Special Design Features

high-bandwidth

video circuitry

transcoding The SSP-300 will receive standard, interlaced composite, S-video, and

Modern high definition video sources provide truly stunning picture quality.
However, the technical requirements of passing these remarkable signals along to
the display are quite challenging.

In recognition of the degradations that normally occur when passing these
pristine signals through circuitry that is often not up to task, many videophiles
connect all their video sources directly to their video displays. Unfortunately,
doing so means switching inputs separately on the audio and the video gear,
which is tedious to say the least.

Your new Classé surround processor incorporates professional-quality video
circuitry that has both the extraordinary bandwidth and the requisite dynamic
range to handle even the most demanding video signals in the HDTV standard.
This preserves simple everyday operation of the system, since now all video and
audio signals are routed through a single controller. Just as importantly, it does
so without any compromise in picture quality – whether you are watching 480i,
or 1080p, or anything in between.

component signals and transcode (convert) them to provide all of those formats
simultaneously to its various video outputs. It will convert signals “up” or
“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.)

THX Ultra

Also, progressive input signals cannot be routed to the remote zone, since the
remote zone receives a composite signal. (There is no such thing as a progressive
composite signal.) If you have a progressive source, we suggest connecting both
its progressive output (for use in the main zone, without any further signal
processing) and its S-video or composite output (for use in the remote zone).

®

THX® is an exclusive set of standards and technologies established by the world­renowned film production company, Lucasfilm Ltd. THX grew from George
Lucas’ personal desire to make your experience of the film soundtrack, in both
movie theaters and in your home theater, as faithful as possible to what the
director intended.

Movie soundtracks are mixed in special movie theaters called dubbing stages,
and are designed to be played back in movie theaters with similar equipment and
conditions. This same soundtrack is usually then transferred directly onto DVD
and other distribution formats, and is not changed for playback in a small home
theater environment.

11

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™ The tonal balance of a standard film soundtrack will be excessively bright and

harsh when played back over high quality audio equipment in the home because
film soundtracks were designed to be played back in large movie theatres using
very different professional equipment. Re-Equalization restores the correct tonal
balance for watching a movie soundtrack in a small, home environment.

Timbre Matching™ The human ear alters our perception of a sound based on the direction from

which the sound is coming. Thus two identical sounds arriving from different
directions sound somewhat different to us (based on the assymetrical shape of
our ears). In film soundtracks, this can introduce discontinuity as sounds pan
from the front to the rear of the room, even if the speakers themselves are quite
well-matched.

The Timbre Matching feature filters the information going to the surround
speakers so that they more closely match the tonal characteristics of the sound
coming from the front speakers. This ensures seamless panning between the
front and surround speakers.

Adaptive Decorrelation™ In a movie theater, there is an array of perhaps a dozen surround speakers so

that the surround information is literally all around you. This creates a diffuse
surround soundfield that envelopes you,drawing you into the action on the
screen rather than distracting you from it.

By contrast, in a home theater you often use only two speakers, located to the
sides and somewhat behind you. Even in more elaborate “7.1 channel” systems,
you still have only two speakers to the sides and two speakers to the rear – quite
different than the surround array for which the soundtrack was mixed. This
difference can make the surround speakers sound like headphones, lacking
spaciousness and envelopment. The surround soundfield also tends to collapse
into the closest speaker as you move away from the middle seating position.

™

Adaptive Decorrelation

– another THX technology – slightly changes each
surround channel’s time and phase relationship with respect to the other
surround channels. This expands the listening position and helps create – even
with only two surround speakers – the same spacious surround experience as in a
movie theater.

12

Advanced Surround Array™ The people at THX have also found a solution to a problem that dogged high

performance multichannel systems for years: the apparent conflict between
optimal music and movie setups.

You see, movies are mixed in highly standardized environments,with even
spaced surround speakers in an array designed to provide a diffuse, enveloping
soundfield. Their goal is to draw you into the movie on the screen. If the
surround sound tempts you to look over your shoulder, the system has failed:
it has reminded you that you are safe in your living room rather than “in” the
movie you are watching.

By contrast, most multichannel music is mixed with a single pair of surround
speakers aimed directly at the listener from behind. Many music mixers
deliberately place particular instruments or musicians in these locations, and
want you to feel as though you are “in the middle of the band.” Thus, a diffuse,
non-localizable soundfield is not what you might like for the most accurate
reproduction of the musical producer’s intent.

THX Ultra solves this apparent dilemma by the innovative use of a special
surround array that can provide either highly diffuse surround sound (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). Through the use of
sophisticated digital signal processing (DSP), this array can create the audible
illusion of either many speakers surrounding you on all sides, or only a single
pair of speakers behind you and spread apart as you might normally expect.

THX Music Mode By using the technology in ASA (described above), the THX Music mode

optimizes the performance of the speakers in the system for multichannel
music – whether found on a concert video DVD, a DVD-Audio disc, or a
multichannel SACD disc.

When in THX Music mode, ASA creates the illusion of a single pair of
surround speakers located at ±30° from directly behind the primary listening
position. This simulates the most common configuration found in multichannel
music recording studios, and provides the best-possible recreation of the
experience the music producer had when mixing the recording.

There are other changes as well (for example, the Re-Equalization circuit
is not employed, since the music was not mixed with large movie theaters
in mind) – but the bottom line is that the THX Music mode does a terrific
job of optimizing the performance of your system for multichannel music
reproduction, with the touch of a button.

13

THX Movie Mode As you might expect, the THX Movie mode does a similarly terrific job of

optimizing the system for accurate reproduction of movie soundtracks.

When in THX Movie mode, ASA creates a diffuse soundfield that emulates the
much larger array of surround speakers found in a state of the art commercial
theater. Of course, Re-EQ, Adaptive Decorrelation, and Timbre-Matching are
all employed to compensate for the differences between an excellent commercial
theater and your room at home. Once again, a single selection can fully optimize
your system for a significantly different task: reproducing movies as they were
intended to be experienced.

Boundary Gain

Compensation

flexible GUI The LCD touchscreen on the front panel of your new component supports an

Most speakers are designed to sound their best when placed out well away
from the walls. This placement usually offers the best imaging and overall
performance.

However, this placement is often not practical in multi-purpose rooms that are
used for home entertainment. Speakers end up pushed back close to the walls
so as to make more room for the people who live in the house. Unfortunately,
this change in placement reinforces frequencies from the mid-bass down to
the deepest bass. While few people would object to having a little extra deep
bass, the boosted mid-bass makes male vocals sound “chesty,” “congested” or
“boomy.”

extremely flexible and versatile graphical user interface (GUI) while maintaining
a clean, uncluttered appearance. The SSP-300 provides a range of controls
that might otherwise require dozens of buttons and knobs on the front panel.
Despite this power and flexibility, it remains simple to operate in day-to-day use.

In fact, in some ways it is even simpler to operate than a more conventional
design might be. 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.

(Of course, you can easily restore the button if you subsequently add another source
component and need that input.)

14

customizable

volume control

The volume control on your new Classé surround processor is controlled by
sophisticated software that allows you to fine-tune its response to suit your
preferences.

Ideally, a volume control would allow you to reach the volume you desire
quickly, and would also provide extremely fine control once you are close to the
“perfect” volume. Of course, these characteristics are in conflict with each other:
one requires the volume to change by quite a lot for a given amount of turning
of the knob, while the other requires small, incremental changes for the same
turn of the knob.

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. However, if you feel you would like to fine-tune its
performance further in order to suit your particular preference, you may easily
do so.

All Classé analog amplification stages are based on circuits that have been
extensively optimized over many years of continuous development.

By starting with excellent circuit designs and working with them over the years,
we are able to discover the many small refinements that add up to superlative
performance, in a variety of applications. Altering a voltage here, or using a
slightly different part there, may make all the difference between solid and
absolutely outstanding performance.

This level of refinement only comes with a great deal of experience, and is
not available to those who flit from one trendy notion to the next. It accounts
in no small measure for both the consistency of sonic performance among
Classé products (as they are all based on similar analog gain stages), and for the
consistently excellent reviews these products receive from owners and reviewers
alike.

extensive listening tests Excellent measured performance is to be expected in world-class products, and

Classé products deliver that performance. However, experience has shown that
technical excellence alone is insufficient to guarantee subjectively musical results.

For this reason, all Classé products are laboriously fine-tuned during the
development process by carefully controlled listening tests. Our ears are still
some of the finest laboratory test instruments available, and nicely complement
more traditional engineering test equipment. In the course of optimizing the
circuitry for a product, hundreds of decisions are made based on the subjective
impression given by substituting one high quality part for another.

As an example, we may listen to half a dozen 0.1% tolerance film resistor
components of the same value, from several different companies. Standard tests
may show them all to provide identical results in terms of noise, distortion, and
so forth. Yet, almost invariably, one selection yields some small improvement in
the subjective reaction to the performance of the product under development.
Less often, even a single such change can result in a surprisingly large
improvement.

Multiply those various improvements by the dozens or even hundreds of such
decisions that must be made before the product can be finalized for production,
and you have a remarkable improvement, indeed – all based on careful listening
tests, which we view as a necessary complement to the solid engineering you
might rightly expect from Classé.

15

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 long­term experience, we are able to design and manufacture products which we are
confident will stand the test of time.

We are confident that your new Classé surround processor will give you many
years of trouble-free reliability and musical enjoyment, just as previous Classé
products have given their owners.

16

Initial Setup

We understand that you may be anxious to begin enjoying your new surround
processor. Our best advice: take advantage of the considerable experience your
Classé dealer offers to make sure you get all the performance you deserve.

However, if you want to set up your new system yourself, this section is
designed to get the system up and running quickly. Following the steps outlined
below will not fully optimize your system, since doing so involves optimizing
everything in the system – not merely your surround processor. But we can get
you off to a good start, assuming that the rest of the system is approximately as it
should be.

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. For a full understanding of the capabilities of your new
surround sound preamplifier/processor, you should still read the rest of this
manual – particularly the section describing the menu system.

1 Plug everything into the AC mains, but make sure everything is off

or in standby.

By plugging everything into the wall, you ensure that every component is
grounded and lessen the chances of a static discharge damaging delicate
electronics. However, it is important that everything be turned off before
you begin, especially the power amplifiers. You do not want a transient
from making a connection to be amplified by your power amplifiers and
sent to the speakers.

2 Connect your source components to the SSP-300.

By default, the
audio connection. INPUT2 button with LINE2, INPUT3 button with
LINE3, etc.Analog audio sources such as tuners should be connected to
any available
your various sources.

3 Connect your SSP-300 to your power amplifier(s).

Connect the Main Outputs of the SSP-300 to the corresponding inputs
on your various amplifier channels, being careful not to mix them up.
In particular, make sure the
subwoofer – the extremely low frequencies often sent from the
could damage a small speaker that was not designed for those frequencies.

4 After making sure that the amplifiers are off or in standby,

connect them to the appropriate loudspeakers.

Pay close attention to the phase of the speaker connections. Always
connect red (+) terminals to red (+) terminals, and black (–) terminals to
black (–) terminals.

INPUT1 button is associated with the LINE1 analog

LINE connectors. Make a note of where you are connecting

SUB output is sent only to an appropriate

SUB output

17

5 Now you are ready to power up your new SSP-300 and its

associated amplifiers.

Note that the initial power up takes approximately 90 seconds, during
which time the blue LED on the standby button will flash.

After approximately 45 seconds the LCD screen will display “initializing,
please wait….” 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” for a further 15 seconds.

6 Connect the supplied calibration microphone to the MIC input on

the rear of the SSP-300, and use the auto-calibrate function of the
SSP-300 to finish your initial setup.

The auto-calibrate function of the SSP-300 can be found by touching the
following on-screen “buttons” in the LCD display, in this order:

• Path: MENU/system setup/speakers/position 1/autocalibration

• touch auto levels (and wait for the autocalibration to finish)

• touch auto delays

Hold the microphone upright at arm’s length so that it is approximately
where your head would be when seated at your preferred listening position,
and pointed at the ceiling.

Pink noise (at a low level) will automatically begin from the left front
speaker and rise slowly in volume. The SSP-300 generates this noise, listens
through the microphone, then increases the signal level gradually until the
Sound Pressure Level at the listening position is 75 dB. The SSP-300 will
test every speaker in the same sequence as described above and set their
levels to 75 dB.

SPECIAL NOTE FOR SUBWOOFER

We have observed that, depending on the acoustics of your listening space,
the subwoofer distance auto-calibration may fail or return unreasonable
results. If this happens try one of the following solutions: If the subwoofer
level was very soft during the first pass of the auto-calibration process,
increase it a bit to make the signal more audible. Try raising the crossover
frequency of the subwoofer (in the Audio Setup menu) or turning the
subwoofer filter off (which will make the selected crossover frequency
irrelevant). If all these measures fail, you will have to enter the subwoofer
distance manually through the Distance Setup menu.

18

7 Sit back and enjoy some music or a movie while reading the rest

of this manual.

It is important that you become familiar with the full capabilities of your
new surround processor if you are to get maximum value from your
purchase. (Alternatively, you may prefer to have your dealer perform a
comprehensive installation of the system, leaving the technical details to
the professionals.)

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.

However, these setting may not be optimal for your particular loudspeaker
systems. Your dealer can assist you in determining the best configuration of
the bass management system for your specific situation.

19



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

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Front Panel

1 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. IR input, DC trigger, CAN Bus, or
RS-232).

The current state of the surround processor is indicated by the LED on the
standby button on the front panel. When the unit is powered and switched
on, this LED indicates the following:

• On = standby

• Flashing (on power-up) =

• Off = operate

• Flashing (after power-up) = AC mains voltage out of range

If you are planning not to use the surround processor for an extended
period of time, e.g. vacation or other travel, we suggest you disconnect
it from the AC mains. Please be certain that the surround processor is in

standby prior to disconnecting it from the AC mains.

initialization

20

Also, it is a good practice to physically disconnect any and all valuable
electronics from the AC mains during electrical storms, as a lightning
strike anywhere near your home can put a tremendous surge on the AC
mains that will easily jump across a simple power switch. The resulting
surge (which may be many thousands of volts) can damage any piece
of electronics, no matter how well designed and protected. The best
protection in the case of severe electrical storms is simply to remove the
electronics from any connection with the power grid.

2 Menu button

Pressing the front panel Menu
replacing the normal status display in the LCD touchscreen of the SSP-

300.

3 LCD touchscreen

Much of your interaction with the SSP-300 will be with the LCD
touchscreen (and the SSP-300’s supplied remote control). It will usually
display the various input selection buttons you would use in day-to-day
operation, along with access to the tape monitor button.

By pressing the Menu button, you can also call up the menu system of
the SSP-300, which gives you control over many of the operational details
of the surround processor, including system setup options, various
options (including the language in which the menu system itself displays),
and several custom-installation capabilities that allow superior integration
of the SSP-300 into complex systems.

button will call up the menu system,

display

For more information, see the section The Menu System
manual.

4 Mute button

The front panel Mute button reduces the volume of the surround
processor to zero at the touch of a button. Pressing the button a second
time restores the volume to its previous setting.

However, if you increase the volume manually (using either the volume
knob or the remote control) while the Mute button is engaged, the mute
control will disengage and the volume will be reset to zero. This approach
is a safety measure, to avoid situations in which the volume might be
adjusted up while muted, only to then have the system un-muted to an
unexpectedly high volume.

5 IR window

The infrared (IR) receiver and transmitter are located behind this window.
Ordinarily, your Classé SSP-300 must be able to “see” the remote control
from this window in order to respond to remote control commands.

If your surround processor will be located behind closed doors, or for any
other reason will not be able to “see” the remote control during normal
operation, you may use the rear panel 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.

later in this

In addition to receiving IR commands, the SSP-300 can also transmit IR
commands so they may be learned by third-party learning remote controls.
The SSP-300 includes a comprehensive list of discrete IR commands to
facilitate the creation of reliable macros. Specifically, there are discrete
codes for all commands that normally operate as “toggle” functions
(e.g. separate operate and standby commands in addition to the normal
command that toggles between the two).

21

6 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.

At extremely low volumes, the step size is increased somewhat to make it
easier to move quickly between extremely low and normal listening levels.

22

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. See
the following information on the various inputs and outputs for more detailed
information.

⏐ ⏐ Component ⏐ S-Video ⏐ Composite ⏐
⏐ ⏐ Input ⏐ Input ⏐ Input ⏐
⏐S-Video Out ⏐ ⏐ ⏐ ⏐
⏐Main ⏐ ✔ ⏐ ✔ ⏐ ✔ ⏐
⏐Rec 1 ⏐ ✘ ⏐ ✔ ⏐ ✘ ⏐
⏐Rec 2 ⏐ ✘ ⏐ ✔ ⏐ ✘ ⏐
⏐ ⏐ ⏐ ⏐ ⏐
⏐Composite Out ⏐ ⏐ ⏐ ⏐
⏐Main ⏐ ✔ ⏐ ✔ ⏐ ✔ ⏐
⏐Zone ⏐ ✘ ⏐ ✔ ⏐ ✔ ⏐
⏐Rec 1 ⏐ ✘ ⏐ ✔ ⏐ ✔ ⏐
⏐Rec 2 ⏐ ✘ ⏐ ✔ ⏐ ✔ ⏐
⏐ ⏐ ⏐ ⏐ ⏐
⏐Component Out ⏐ ⏐ ⏐ ⏐
⏐Output ⏐ ✔ ⏐ ✔ ⏐ ✔ ⏐
⏐Bypass ⏐ ✔ ⏐ N/A ⏐ N/A ⏐

1 Composite Video Inputs

The SSP-300 supports up to four composite video input signals. These
connections are labeled COMPOSITE INPUT 1, 2, 3,
inputs are converted to both S-video and Component video as needed for
viewing on the

MAIN output.

and 4. All these

⏐

Connect the composite video output of your source component to the
appropriate composite video input of the SSP-300 using high quality 75
video cable for the best results. Your Classé dealer can assist you in making
an appropriate cable selection.

Ω

23

Note that the three analog video standards offer varying degrees of
performance:

• Component video offers the highest picture quality

• S-Video is second-highest in picture quality

• Composite video offers the lowest picture quality

For this reason, you are advised to use component video connections
whenever possible, and S-video connections when component is not
available. Composite video connections should be used when the other
options are not available, or on less critical sources (e.g., a VHS video
cassette recorder, or perhaps a video game).

2 Composite Video Outputs

The SSP-300 provides multiple composite video outputs to support
different purposes.

• The

• ZONE supplies the selected video signal to a remote zone within

• MAIN provides the selected video signal for the primary zone

REC 1 and REC 2 outputs are used to send the selected
video signal to a video recorder such as a VCR or a Digital
Video Recorder (DVR) for recording. For your convenience, all
incoming S-video signals are converted to composite for possible
recording via this output. Since the presumption is that you are
recording some program for your personal video library, no OSD
is ever superimposed on the video signal on either REC output.

your home, allowing the system to feed two separate areas of
your home with independent home entertainment signals from
the single, main system. (If this idea interests you, we suggest
you speak with your authorized Classé dealer about multi-zone
systems for your home.) For your convenience, all S-video signals
are converted to composite for possible distribution via this
output.

(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. For your convenience, all Component video and s-video
signals are converted to composite video for possible display via
this output.

24

3 S-Video Inputs

The SSP-300 supports up to five S-video input signals, labeled
INPUTS 1-5. All these inputs are converted to both Composite video and
Component video as needed for viewing on the

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
selection.

MAIN output.

S-VIDEO

Note that the three analog video standards offer varying degrees of
performance:

• Component video offers the highest picture quality

• S-Video is second-highest in picture quality

• Composite video offers the lowest picture quality

For this reason, you are advised to use component video connections
whever possible, and S-video connections when component is not
available. Composite video connections should be used when the other
options are not available, or on less critical sources (e.g., a VHS video
cassette recorder or perhaps a video game).

4 S-Video Outputs

The SSP-300 provides multiple S-video outputs to support different
purposes.

• REC 1 and REC 2 are used to send the selected video signal

to a video recorder such as a VCR or a Digital Video Recorder
(DVR) for recording. Since the presumption is that you are
recording some program for your personal video library, no OSD
is ever superimposed on the video signal on either

REC output.

• MAIN provides the selected video signal for the primary zone

(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. For your convenience, all Composite video signals are
converted to S-video for possible recording via this output.

5 Optical Digital Audio Output

This optical digital output allows you to distribute a digital source in
its original, unprocessed digital form. For example, if you had another
multichannel system elsewhere in the home, you could forward a Dolby
Digital bitstream to the other system from this one—running a
digital cable instead of five or six analog cables for surround sound
applications.

Alternatively, you could use this digital output to make digital recordings.
Note that this output simply passes whatever signal has been selected – you
should only make copies of recordings for which you have legal rights to
do so. It is your responsibility to comply with copyright law.

6 Coaxial Digital Inputs

These four inputs accept digital audio signals conforming to the 75Ω

S/PDIF digital interface standard (via 75Ω cables equipped with RCA-type

connectors) from a digital satellite receiver, compact disc, DVD player or
other digital source component. Connect the 75

Ω S/PDIF output of your

source component to any of these inputs, using high quality 75
Your Classé dealer can assist you in making an appropriate cable selection.

single

Ω cable.

25

7 Optical Digital Inputs

These connectors accept digital audio signals in the EIAJ optical
(sometimes called “Toslink™”) digital interface standard from a digital
satellite receiver, compact disc, DVD player or other digital source
component. Connect the optical digital output of your source component
to either of the EIAJ optical inputs using a high quality EIAJ optical cable.
Your Classé dealer can assist you in making an appropriate cable selection.

8 AES/EBU Digital Input

This input accepts digital audio in the professional 110

Ω AES/EBU digital

interface standard (via a cable equipped with XLR-type connectors)
from a digital satellite receiver, compact disc, DVD or other digital
source component. Connect the

AES/EBU digital output of your source

component to the AES/EBU input of the SSP-300 using a high quality
110Ω AES/EBU cable. Your Classé dealer can assist you in making an
appropriate cable selection.

The pin assignments of these AES/EBU XLR-type female input connectors
are:

Pin 1: Shield
Pin 2: Digital + (non-inverting)
Pin 3: Digital – (inverting)
Connector ground lug: chassis ground

These pin assignments are consistent with the standards adopted by the
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.

9 Classé CAN Bus Control Ports

These RJ-45 connectors are reserved for future control and communication
applications using Classé Audio’s implementation of the Controller Area
Network (CAN) Bus specification.

10 RS-232 Control Port

This port has two purposes:

• downloading new operating software into your surround
processor (should new features ever be added).

• external control of your surround processor by systems such as
i-Command™, AMX® and Crestron

™

For more information, please contact your dealer and ask about home
automation systems.

26

11 IR Input: Main and Zone

Your Classé surround processor includes two 1/8th-inch

mono mini-

jacks to support the infrared (IR) remote controls that are ubiquitous

today. Infrared commands exist (for example) for
processor between operate

and standby, in addition to discrete command

toggling the surround

codes for either operate or standby. These codes may be used in “macros”
for sophisticated remote control systems, facilitating the control of the
surround processor in the larger context of a complete system.

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.

For example, if you send a commnand to change the input to the DVD
player, routing it to the ZONE IR IN, only the remote ZONE
to the DVD input. The

MAIN system will be unaffected.

The list of commands available is quite extensive, enabling even complex
macros (chains of commands strung together) to operate flawlessly. If this
capability is of interest to you, we strongly recommend discussing it with
your authorized Classé dealer.

will change

The surround processor is designed to respond to IR commands of 5 V
with the tip of the mini-plugs defined to be positive relative to the shank of
the plug.

12 DC Trigger Outputs

Many audio/video components can supply a DC control voltage to
associated equipment in order to induce desired behavior. Your Classé
surround processor can take advantage of these capabilities in order to be
switched between operate

and standby automatically.

The 1/8th-inch mono mini-jack Trigger In provides for remote-controlled
turn-on (that is, toggling between operate

and standby) of the surround

processor.

1

Two

/8th-inch mono mini-jacks provide individually controllable DC

trigger outputs which can be used for any of a number of purposes, as
described in The Menu System. For example, your dealer can program

Trigger Out1 to toggle your Classé power amplifier between operate
standby with your SSP-300.

dc,

and

The remote trigger input will respond to the presence of 12V

dc, with tip

polarity as shown below:

Similarly, the trigger outputs will create a 12Vdc signal that can support up
to 100mA of current.

27

13 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.

For more details, please refer to The Menu System

14 Analog Audio Inputs

These RCA jacks accept right-channel and left-channel (single-ended)
inputs from line-level source equipment such as tuners, CD players,
and tape decks. Any of these inputs may be selected by touching the
corresponding button on the main operational screen of the front panel
touchscreen.

To achieve the best possible results, we suggest that you use only high­quality shielded interconnect cables. Please consult with your local Classé
dealer for advice on the best cables for use in your system.

15 Analog Audio Outputs (stereo)

Four pairs of stereo analog outputs are provided on the SSP-300.

REC1, REC2 and REC3 support various recording devices (both the
audio portion of an A/V recorder such as a VCR or a DVR, as well as
audio-only recorders such as CD-R burners).

The ZONE output supplies an independently selectable audio signal to a
remote zone within your home, regardless of what is being listened to in
the main system. If you find this idea interesting, we suggest you speak
with you authorized Classé dealer about multi-zone system designs for
your home.

, later in this manual.

16 7.1 Channel Analog Audio Input

A 7.1 channel analog input is provided for use with a multichannel SACD
and/or DVD-Audio player. For reasons of copy protection, most such
players do not provide a high-resolution digital output. Instead, they use
high quality analog outputs.

In the SSP-300, these signals are passed through to the speakers with no
further processing, in order to preserve the purity of the signal. When this
input is selected, the SSP-300 provides only volume control (including the
volume offsets used to balance all your loudspeakers to one another).

17 7.1 Channel Main Outputs

Single-ended cables using RCA connectors are the most common form
of analog connection used in consumer electronics. When implemented
carefully and used with high quality interconnect cables, this standard can
provide excellent performance. Classé has gone to extraordinary effort to
ensure that the single-ended (RCA) outputs of your surround processor are
unsurpassed.

Connect these single-ended outputs to your power amplifiers using high
quality RCA-terminated cables. Your Classé dealer can advise you on the
selection of cables suitable for your system.

28

18 Component Video Inputs and Output

The SSP-300 provides three Component video inputs. These are labeled

COMPONENT INPUT 1

Connect the Component video output of your source component to the
appropriate Component video input of the SSP-300 using high quality
75Ω video cable for the best results.

Note: Progressive and High Definition video sources must be

connected via Component video, since Composite and S­video support only standard definition, interlaced video
(480i in NTSC countries, 525i in PAL and SECAM countries).

High Definition component video signals are not
“downconverted” by the SSP-300 for output on composite or
S-video.

Take care to connect each of the three cables to its corresponding
connector at both ends:

• Y is the luminance (the black and white portion of the signal)

and is usually denoted by a green color code on the plugs and
connectors.

• Pr is the red difference signal (R-Y), and is sometimes called

Cr. It is usually denoted by a red color code on the plugs and
connectors.

• Pb is the blue difference signal (B-Y), and is sometiumes called

Cb. It is usually denoted by a blue color code on the plugs and
connectors.

, 2, and 3.

Your Classé dealer can assist you in making an appropriate cable selection.

Note that the three analog video standards offer varying degrees of
performance:

• Component video offers the highest picture quality

• S-Video is second-highest in picture quality

• Composite video offers the lowest picture quality

For this reason, you are advised to use component video connections
whenever possible, and S-video connections when component is not
available. Composite video connections should be used when the other
options are not available, or on less critical sources (e.g., a VHS video
cassette recorder, or perhaps a video game).

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.

For your convenience, all standard definition Component video signals are
converted to S-video and composite video for display via this output.

BYPASS MODE: In order to preserve the highest-possible signal integrity
on the Component video path, no On Screen Display is available.

29

19 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.

Danger! Potentially dangerous voltages and current capabilities exist

within your surround processor, even when disconnected
from AC mains. Do not attempt to open any portion of the
surround processor’s cabinet. There are no user-serviceable
parts inside your surround processor. All service of this
product must be referred to a qualified authorized Classé
dealer or distributor.

20 AC Mains Input

An IEC standard power cord (supplied) is used with the SSP-300. Plug the
cord into the IEC receptacle provided, and the other end into a suitable
wall outlet.

30

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.

1 Basic Functions

This section along the top of the remote control groups four functions that
control your basic interactions with the SSP-300.

• Light switches the backlighting of the remote control on, for
better visibility under low-light conditions. After a few moments
of inactivity, the backlight switches off automatically.

• Info takes you directly to the status screen in the LCD menu
system, displaying several items of information about the SSP­300 and its current operational status.

• Disp (for Display) cycles through the three brightness settings of
the screen display.

• Standby toggles the SSP-300 between standby

2 Audio Processing Keys

The next row of three buttons control how the SSP-300 processes the
audio signal.

and operate.

• THX cycles through the available THX processing modes (e.g.,
THX Movie, THX Music, and THX off; the specifics depend
on the input signal). This is a quick and easy way to get from
whatever processing mode you may be in to the THX mode
you’d like to have.

• Night engages and disengages the Late Night mode for Dolby
Digital soundtracks, allowing you to enjoy movies with less
chance of disturbing others.

• Mode brings up the mode select menu on-screen so you can
choose from among any of the supported surround modes of the
SSP-300 quickly and easily. Use the arrow keys to move up and
down the list, and press

3 Navigation Keys

The central section of the remote control contains the navigation keys.
This array of buttons is similar to what you may have seen on remote
controls for DVD players, and is used for navigation of the menu system
of the SSP-300.

enter to make your selection.

31

• Home returns you to the start-up screen and offers four buttons
(source, video preview, modes, and control). This provides a
quick way to get back to normal operation, regardless of how
deep you might be in the menu system.

• Menu enables you to adjust a number of settings within the SSP­300 to your own preference.

• Up/Down/Left/Right keys allow you to move within a
particular menu screen, changing the highlighted item up/down/
left/right as you like, from the comfort of your listening position.

• The Enter key allows you to select the highlighted item, having
the same effect as if you had pressed the button on the LCD
touchscreen.

• The Zone key brings up the Zone Control menu on the on­screen display, allowing you to make changes to the status, source
or the volume of the remote zone.

• The Tape monitor key is not a navigation key, per se, but allows
you to easily toggle between listening to the selected source and
listening to the output of your recording device. If you have
a recording device (such as a three-head tape deck) which can
play back a recording while it is being made, you will be able
to compare the original signal to the recording while you are
making it.

4 Input Selection

These Up and Down arrow keys will cycle through the active inputs on
your SSP-300.

If you have inputs you are not using, we suggest deactivating them in order
to provide faster, easier access to the inputs you are actually using. (See the
section The Menu System for information on how to do this.)

5 F1/F2/F3/F4 keys

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

Menu System

Note: The Fkeys on all Classé remote controls issue the same

infrared commands. This saves you from having to be sure
you have grabbed the proper remote, since all your Classé
remotes will perform the same function for each Fkey.

, in this manual).

The

32

6 Volume Keys

Volume Up, Volume Down,

to do.

7 Trim Key

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
button on the display.

and Mute do what you would expect them

33

Understanding Surround Sound

Today’s sophisticated surround sound systems seem to spawn a bewildering array
of technologies and acronyms. In this section, we will attempt to give you a
basic understanding of what all that jargon means. As a result, you will be better
equipped to take advantage of the best that home entertainment has to offer.

how many channels? Today’s surround systems are called upon to reproduce soundtracks that

were designed to include anything from one to seven separate channels of
information. Some examples might include:

• watching Casablanca

having only a single channel of audio information in the
soundtrack)

• listening to a CD in stereo (only two channels of audio)

• watching the original Star Wars in the original Dolby Surround

Pro Logic (four channels of information derived from two
channels)

• watching a modern movie, with a “5.1” soundtrack (meaning five
different full-range signals for the front and surround speakers,
plus a special “.1” signal of special Low Frequency Effects; for this
reason, the “.1” channel is sometimes called the “LFE channel.”)

Your new processor handles all these tasks with ease, switching to an appropriate
processing mode automatically upon sensing the nature of the incoming signal.

However, sometimes it may be up to you to select from among the various
signals available. For example, DVDs often contain multiple soundtracks, with
varying numbers of channels or even different languages. You must choose the
one you would like to hear, using the menu of the DVD itself. For that reason,
it helps to have a better understanding of the jargon that is likely to be presented
to you in those menus.

We’ll cover the most common possibilities for you.

or The Wizard of Oz (both mono movies,

34

matrix or discrete? When movie makers first wanted to expand beyond simple stereo (left and right

audio channels only), they had a problem: the entire infrastructure on which
they depended was stereo.

A company named Dolby Laboratories saved the day by creating a system
called Dolby Surround that embedded two extra channels of sound in the
existing stereo pair, in such a way that specialized circuitry could retrieve the
extra information with reasonable accuracy. This technique, whereby channels
are mixed together with the intention of separating them later, is called
decoding.

matrix

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.
Once you have baked a cake, it is difficult to get back to the eggs and flour.

By contrast, modern soundtracks use discrete channels of information. That is,
each speaker has a distinct signal that is completely independent of every other
channel. This approach is clearly more desirable, since it gives the movie makers
more creative control over the quality of your experience. Musicians also prefer
discrete formats, since it allows them to place their instruments and voices with
greater precision, to create the musical effects they desire.

There is a host of various multichannel formats available. Here is a summary
grid to help you sort out the possibilities.

multichannel formats

Name # Chs Discrete? Notes

analog stereo 2 yes as found on almost all sources,
including tape decks & CD players
multichannel in 6-8 yes a multichannel analog input used
mostly for SACD & DVD-Audio
Dolby Surround 4 matrix the original matrix decoding system
Pro Logic designed to squeeze four channels
into two and then retrieve them
Dolby Digital 1.0-5.1 yes the most common modern digital
(AC-3) source, used in HDTV, DVD, etc.
Dolby Digital EX 6.1 mostly yes the center rear channel is a matrixed
channel hidden in the left and right
surround channels; all others are
discrete
DTS 1.0–5.1 yes similar to Dolby Digital in practice,
though it uses a different technology
DTS-ES Matrix 6.1 mostly yes the center rear channel is a matrixed
channel hidden in the left and right
surround channels; all others are
discrete
DTS-ES Discrete 6.1 yes all 6.1 channels are discrete

post-processing possibilities Once the SSP-300 has decoded the signal it is provided in the appropriate

manner, you still have some options as to whether you would like additional
processing of the signal.

This point is sometimes confusing. The first thing any surround processor must
do is to recover the various channels that were intended to be delivered into
your home. This might be a single mono signal, or a Dolby Digital Surround
EX soundtrack with 6.1 channels, or anything in between; it may have been
delivered to your home via a satellite receiver, a cable set top box, or a simple
DVD disc. Regardless, the first task is to recover as many channels as are being
delivered, with great accuracy and fidelity.

35

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. Acoustically, your home is a radically different environment than that
for which the movie soundtracks were optimized. Therefore it makes sense
that you might want to compensate for the differences between the
environment (a commercial theater) and your

actual environment (a domestic

intended

living room or family room).

This compensation is provided by engaging the THX Ultra2 Movie mode. It
works in combination with any of the multichannel formats described in the
previous section: Dolby Surround, Dolby Digital, DTS, etc. You should consider
using it when watching any movie that was originally created for theaterical
release, whether on DVD, broadcast television, or any other medium.

Here is a list of post-processing options provided by your surround processor.

multichannel formats

Name Description

Dolby Pro Logic II An improved version of the original Pro Logic

matrix, which provides better perceived separation
between channels and compatibility with both
Dolby Surround encoded movies and unencoded
music.
Try listening to some of your CDs with DPL II
– you may be surprised how well it creates a
multichannel experience from a two-channel
recording.

DTS Neo:6 Conceptually, DTS Neo:6 is similar to DPL II.

However, the subjective differences are noticeable.
People often prefer one to the other, though in
our experience it is worth trying both on most
recordings. Each seems to work better with some
recordings than with others. Pick whichever you
prefer.
Experiment with Neo:6 when listening to regular
CDs and other stereo music sources.

THX Ultra II Movie THX essentially created the standards for high-

performance home theater back in 1991. THX Ultra
II Move is the latest incarnation of their technology,
designed to maximize your movie experience while
minimizing the hassles.
Use this for any movies originally created for
theatrical release, and even for prime-time
television that seems a little “bright” sounding – it
was likely produced in a movie-standards mixing
studio.

THX Ultra II Music The needs of optimal multichannel music

reproduction are somewhat different than those of
movie reproduction. This post-processing option
addresses those needs and is a great place to start
when listening to almost any music source.

36

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 higher­performance, particularly flexible and seamless surround
soundfield.

37

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. This section of the owner’s manual outlines the use of this
touchscreen in day-to-day operation of the system.

The main, home menu provides easy access to the most basic functions of the
surround processor: source selection and mode selection. It also gives you the
ability to “preview” a source prior to actually sending it to the main display of
your home theater, and quick access to some controls you may use regularly.
Finally, it provides both a numeric and a graphic depiction of the current volume
setting.

source selection Pressing any of the source buttons on the touchscreen will activate the

corresponding input. Note that the more
up a second page of sources, for a total of twelve.

If you do not have this many sources in your system, you can elect to deactivate
any unused inputs. Doing so removes their associated buttons from the
touchscreen, reducing confusion for occasional users of the system. If you have
six or fewer sources, the second page (accessed by the more button mentioned
above) will not appear. See The Menu System for details on deactivating unused
inputs.

button in the top right corner brings

38

mode selection While you can specify default surround processing modes for each individual

input, you may occasionally wish to choose something other than the default
for a particular recording. For example, when watching a classic movie from the
1940’s, you may prefer to hear it in the original mono mode (using only the
center channel speaker).

Touching the mode button brings up a scrolling list of the available surround
modes.

Touching either of the arrows will cause this list to scroll in the direction you
indicated. 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
touchscreen to timeout and return to the Home Menu on its own.

video preview

controls The Controls Menu offers user adjustments for a variety of processor functions,

The video preview button on the Home Menu allows you to select a source
that will be previewed on the LCD screen itself. This allows you to “cue up” a
particular scene, or to get past the copyright warnings on DVDs, without your
audience seeing anything other than what you would like them to see.

To use the video preview feature, touch video preview on the Home Menu, and
then select the video source you wish to preview. When you are ready for the rest
of the audience to see the source on the main display, simply select it as usual, in
the Main Source Select menu.

Please note that the video preview feature does not support progressive video
such as 480p and 525p, nor HD video standards such as 720p and 1080i.

such as various system trims (audio levels, delays, etc.), control over the remote
zone, and selection of your primary listening position.

back button at the top left, or simply wait for the

You should think of these as temporary adjustments, similar to adjusting
the volume control; if you want to recalibrate the audio levels because of an
equipment change, you should do so in the Speaker Setup Menu, not here.

39

system trims The System Trims menu controls several parameters of the SSP-300’s operation

that may occasionally need adjustment to suit a particular recording.

• level trims are provided for L/R balance, center, surround, rear
speakers, and subwoofer. As an example, you might bump up
the center channel speaker by 2-3 dB if the dialog in a particular
movie is difficult to understand.

• audio delay provides an overall (“lipsync”) delay in cases where
the video signal seems to be trailing the audio by a bit. (Note that
the sensitivity of different people to this potential synchronization
problem varies widely.) You may occasionally run into a DVD
with this problem, due to inattentive mastering of the disc itself.
If you perceive this problem most of the time, you should make
the adjustment in the delay setting for that particular input, in the
System Setup menu; if it seems related to a particular disc, make
the adjustment here.

• Dolby late night mode offers intelligent moderation of the
dynamic range in Dolby Digital recordings. This is especially
useful when you want to watch a movie in the evening, but are
concerned about disturbing either the neighbors or others in the
household who might prefer to be sleeping during your action
movie. This feature is specific to Dolby Digital soundtracks, and is
grayed out (not available) when listening to other formats.

• reset trims allows you to reset everything to the defaults settings,
as determined by the settings found in the System Setup menu.
(Note that the defaults settings are also restored automatically
whenever you change sources.)

40

zone control The Zone Control menu allows you to turn the remote zone on and off, to select

the source you wish to enjoy in the remote zone, and to adjust the volume of
that source.

Touching the decrease or increase buttons will adjust the volume accordingly.
(The volume knob will not adjust the volume of the remote zone.)

The on button toggles the remote zone between active (highlighted) and inactive
(not highlighted). Finally, source selection is done through the familiar source
selection screens, by touching the source

button.

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
arrangement you use when watching a movie, but have a different set of levels
and delays (position 2) for when you are off to one side, sitting on a couch and
listening to music while reading a good book.

These positions are configured in the Speaker Setup menu, described in the next
section of this manual. The Position Select menu described here provides an easy
way to take advantage of these different configurations.

41

The Menu System

Pressing the front panel Menu button to the left of the LCD touchscreen brings
up a comprehensive menu system, that is divided into a further six sections as
shown below.

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

collectively provide a great deal of control over your system setup.

42

Here, you can:

• customize the behavior of your volume control

• tailor your inputs to your particular source components

• 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.

Instead, it controls circuitry that does so with greater fidelity and precision than
traditional volume potentiometers could ever achieve.

Since the volume control circuitry is under software control, it is possible to
customize its behavior under various conditions. To better understand why this
is so valuable, consider two scenarios:

Person A places a high value on precision in achieving exactly the
volume setting that makes the music most realistic; being able to
easily change volume setting by a fraction of a decibel is critical to his
enjoyment of the system.

Person B just wants to jump easily from low volumes to a reasonable
listening level, and is less concerned with the finer points of precision
than with getting what he wants with a quick twist of the knob.

You can see the problem in these scenarios: Person A wants extremely fine
gradations on the volume control, which will require many rotations to go from
extremely low setting to normal listening levels; Person B wants to get from one
to the other with a “quick twist” of the knob, requiring coarse gradations in
order to cover so much range in so little space. What happens when Persons A
and B live in the same house? Or if Person C wants to have both, depending on
their mood at the moment? (In fact, most of us are probably like Person C.)

Classé solves this dilemma by altering the response of the volume control, based
on several factors.

Since it is rare to listen at extremely low (barely audible) volumes, the low range
adjustment of the volume control allows for faster response to knob input when
the volume setting values are low. When activated, you will get from extremely
low to middle volume control settings a bit faster than you would otherwise.
This effect can be subtle, and may not even be desirable when the speakers used
have extremely high sensitivity (since this results in using the lowest part of the
range more than you would otherwise). As a result, the factory default setting for
low range is

off (set to zero).

43

The most significant factor in the perceived responsiveness of the volume control
is the speed at which the knob is being turned. We all naturally tend to move
volume knobs more quickly when we need to make a bigger change, and we
tend to slow down as we approach our desired volume. Thus, if the SSP-300 sees
the knob moving relatively quickly, it uses coarse steps to effectively accelerate
the action of the circuitry. As the knob begins to turn more slowly, the SSP-300
will actually increase the resolution of the steps, which slows down the action
of the volume control and yields greater precision in choosing an appropriate
setting.

Of course, it is possible to bump into the knob by accident, which might
result in its spinning very quickly indeed. Rather than increasing the volume
uncontrollably under these conditions, the SSP-300 actually slows everything
down again as a safety measure against accidentally blowing up your speakers.
In fact, if you like you may establish a
simply be ignored.

The factory default settings for these behaviors are generally found to be
intuitive and a pleasure to use. However, if you prefer to alter these behaviors,
you may do so in the rotary menu, shown below.

speed limit beyond which the knob will

44

All of the rotary setup settings are interactive. You can set the value, and then
adjust the volume to see whether the effect is what you desired.

• low range: determines the degree to which the responsiveness of
the volume control is
order to get through them more quickly. A setting of 0 disengages
the effect, while a setting of 100 maximizes it.

• low 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 low knob speeds; a setting of
100 will cause the volume to change as quickly as allowed at low
knob speeds. (The menu is the same as the one above except for the

indication that it is for the “low speed” adjustment.)

• medium speed: determines the responsiveness of the control
when the knob is being turned at a moderate speed. A setting of
0 will cause the volume to change as slowly as possible at medium
speeds; a setting of 100 will cause the volume to change as quickly
as allowed at medium knob speeds.

one above except for the indication that it is for the “medium speed”
adjustment.)

boosted at low volume control settings, in

(The menu is the same as the

• 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. (The menu is the same as the one above except for the

indication that it is for the “high speed” adjustment.)

• speed limit: establishes a maximum rotary speed, beyond which

there will be no change in volume whatsoever; the knob’s input
will be ignored completely until it slows down below the speed
limit.

• reset defaults: if after experimenting with various settings you

decide you prefer it the way it operated as it came from the
factory, pressing this button will restore the factory default
settings. So feel free to experiment – you can always return to the
original settings.

input setup Each input on your surround processor can be customized in several ways to

enhance either the performance or the ease of use of the system. A quick look at
the input menu and submenus gives you an overview of what is possible:

The name button provides a way to customize the names of the inputs as
displayed on the input selection screens. For example, you might want to name
an input “CDP-100” for the Classé CD player you might have connected there.
To do so, use the four buttons along the bottom of the Input Name menu to
change the default name of any given input to something more specific to your
system, as follows:

• The

• The

left button acts like the backspace key on a computer
keyboard, moving the cursor to the left and eliminating any
characters along the way.

right button moves the cursor to the right, adding characters
along the way. (Change each character to what you want as you go
along, using the + and – buttons.)

45

• The + and – buttons change the current character through the

available characters. They include all upper and lower case letters
of the alphabet, the numbers 0-9, and a variety of punctuation.
When done, your main display might look like this (note the
change in the top right button):

Touching the audio button gives you control over a wide variety of settings
which affect how the audio from this source will be handled.

• offset is used to ensure that all analog sources are played back at
comparable levels. There can be significant differences in output
levels among analog sources (this is not a problem with digital
sources); this can lead to unexpected changes in volume when
switching among them. The SSP-300 provides an adjustment
range of from -5 to +10 dB.

• delay establishes an overall delay (added to all channels) for the
audio so as to match it more closely with a delayed video signal.
This addresses the “lip sync” problems often found with modern
digital televisions, whose sophisticated video processing introduces
a delay in the picture you see. If you see a consistent problem in
this regard, this is the place to address it. If you see a problem
that seems specific to a particular disc, it is better addressed in
the 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

• favorite processing determines what surround mode the SSP-300
will use by default when it receives either a two channel (“stereo”)
or a multichannel signal from this source. For example, you
may want to use Dolby Pro Logic II Music as the default mode
for stereo signals from your CD player, while preferring plain
two-channel reproduction for the signal from your FM tuner.
Touching either the
bring up a list of the available surround processing modes for the
chosen signal type, from which you may select your preferred
default setting for this source.

• the

digital button takes you to a screen where you can specify
which digital connection you wish to use with this source. The
SSP-300 has four coaxial digital inputs, two optical Toslink™
inputs, and one balanced digital AES/EBU input, all of which are
assignable to any source button you choose.

2-channel or the multichannel buttons will

button.

46

The position button allows you to assign a default position setting (a collection
of level and delay settings) to a particular input. (This default setting can be
temporarily overridden at any time in the Home menu.)

The video button takes you to a menu in which you can specify what type of
video signal (if any) the source being set up will supply.

• SDTV (“standard definition television”) takes you to a scrolling

list of the available video connections appropriate for standard
definition (480/60i or 525/50i), so you can specify which
connection you will use with this source. These include four
composite, 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. If
you prefer to use only the touchscreen LCD display for this user
interface, leave the video off on this (and any other) input.

• bypass is used with the component video connections only, and is

used with high definition (HDTV) sources for the purest possible
signal path, with the widest possible bandwidth (in order to
preserve all the detail these broadcasts have to offer). If you have
a HD source such as HD satellite or cable, connect it via one of
your component inputs and select bypass to ensure that the signal
is passed along to your display without any alteration.

• audio only toggles on (highlighted) and off (not highlighted) as

you touch the button. When on, this setting indicates that the
source is an audio-only source such as a CD player, and disengages
all video circuitry while this source is selected.

If you assign both SDTV
the bypass connection will be used for the main output of your system, and the
SDTV signal will be used for all composite and S-video outputs.

For example, many progressively-scanned DVD players support both a
progressive component output and interlaced composite/S-video outputs at the
same time. By defining both connections and wiring the system accordingly, you
can enjoy the high quality progressive output on your main display while also
being able to route the standard definition version of the same signal to a remote
zone or other component.

The next input button simply moves you along to the next input, so as to allow
you to perform the initial setup of your processor more efficiently.

and bypass video connections for a particular input,

47

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.

• speaker config allows you to customize your speaker
configuration and set up the bass management within the SSP-

300. Each group of speakers (other than the subwoofer) can be
specified as

that might exist in that channel’s signal”)
be overloaded by loud, low frequency information that might exist
in that channel’s signal)
these speakers”). If you set the surround speakers

speakers button will not be available.

• subwoofer configuration, available from the Speaker Config

menu, is where you determine whether you have a subwoofer
in the system. If you engage
Frequency Effects) information in many movie soundtracks will
be routed to it, along with any bass information from speakers
you designated as “small.” If you do not have a subwoofer,
all such bass information will be routed to any speakers you
designated as “large.” If you prefer to send all such deep bass
information to all speakers that are designated as “large” as
well as the subwoofer, engage both
(“enhanced bass”).

• system crossover determines the frequency below which signals

will be re-routed away from any speaker designated as “small.”
The default THX setting for this crossover (which should be
used if you are using THX-certified loudspeakers) is 80 Hz.
You may choose any frequency from 40-140 Hz, in 10 Hz
increments. There is also a crossover on/off toggle in the system
crossover screen. Be sure it is on (highlighted) if you have any
“small” speakers in your system.

large (meaning “capable of handling any low frequency

, small (meaning “might

, or none (meaning “my system does not use

to none, the rear

sub enabled, the LFE (Low

sub enabled and e-bass

48

• THX setup sends you to a screen in which you can configure

some THX-specific features.

Specifically:

• THX2 ultra sub should be engaged if you are using a
subwoofer that is certified by the THX Ultra2 standard. Such
subwoofers are essentially flat to 20 Hz under what might be
considered worst-case acoustic conditions for bass, and have
prodigious output capability. If you select the
sub button, you will also notice that the otherwise grayed-out
boundary gain compensation button becomes available. (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
button will take you to a submenu in which you specify that
your rear speakers are
(between 1-4 feet apart), or apart (more than 4 feet apart). In
an ASA surround system, the ideal situation is one in which
the rear speakers are almost touching each other, and you have
selected together. This allows the ASA processing to create the
most seamless and versatile surround sound field.

• boundary gain compensation will adjust for the fact that
most of us do not suffer from the worst-case acoustic scenario
that THX Ultra2 subwoofers can handle. If you have such a
subwoofer, and it is placed within 3-4 feet of at least one wall,
engage the boundary gain compensation. It will correct
for the acoustic reinforcement your room is providing to the
subwoofer in order to yield the flattest, most accurate bass.

• positions 1-4 are the menus in which you can create and
recall families of speaker level and distance measurements for
later use. You might have one position defined for the seating
arrangement used for standard movie viewing, and another for
when you are sitting by the window reading a good book.

together (less than 1 foot apart), close

THX2 ultra

Positions can be enabled or disabled as required by going to the

system setup/speakers/position menu. If the position in question
is highlighted, it is available for use. If it is not highlighted, it has
been disabled to prevent accidental use.

49

• The name of each position can be specified in the same way that
sources are. (See

• autocalibration uses the provided microphone to calibrate the
system automatically for optimal performance in each of these
four positions.

Simply plug in the microphone to the mic input on the rear panel,

place the microphone at the desired position, and then press

and auto delays in turn, allowing the SSP-300 to run its

levels

tests and establish the correct settings for you.

• manual levels adjusts the speakers levels manually as you might
have done with other surround processors. A noise sequencer is
available to provide a reference signal for adjustment purposes.
Holding a dB SPL meter at the listening position, at arm’s length,
and pointing straight up at the ceiling, adjust the level of each
speaker in turn until it reads 75 dB SPL when the meter is set to
“C” weighting and Slow response.

• manual distance adjusts the distances settings manually as you
might have done with other surround processors. Simple measure
the distance with a tape measure or equivalent, and enter the
distance into the menu. The SSP-300 will automatically convert
this distance to the appropriate delay.

input setup earlier in this section.)

auto

triggers setup Each of the SSP-300’s DC triggers may be programmed to either “logic” (12V)

or “inverse logic” (0V) settings. The ability to change the way the trigger
operates can solve installation-specific problems that otherwise require external
devices that add to both the cost and complexity of your system.

For more information on the use of DC triggers, we recommend you speak with
your authorized Classé dealer.

max volume

The maximum volume screen allows you to establish a maximum volume setting
for your system. This scale runs from 0 to 100, with 100 indicating that you
do not want any artificial limit placed on the maximum gain your surround
processor can provide.

50

This setting is interactive. You can set the value to something less than 100, and
then adjust the volume to see whether it is appropriate. (The volume knob itself

does not set the maximum volume; you must do so in the menu itself.)

teach IR

The SSP-300 provides discrete infrared (IR) command codes for all its functions,
a list that extends far beyond what is required by normal remote controls.
However, many of these functions are critical if you plan to create a customized
remote control with macros that take command of your entire system. Without
these discrete codes, many of the macros you might want to create will simply
not work reliably.

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 macro­capable remote, and then pressing the
send the appropriate command code out its front panel–where it can be learned
by your third-party remote control.

For more information on such control systems, we recommend you speak with
your authorized Classé dealer.

send IR code button, the SSP-300 will

display setup

This button brings up the display setup menu. It allows you to configure the
SSP-300’s LCD screen
in the touchscreen and menu system. It also determines the format of your
OSD (on-screen display), how long the temporary display lasts on your main
television (e.g., the message that appears on your television when you change
inputs or volume), and how volume settings are displayed on your system.

brightness, the display timeout, and the language used

51

brightness The brightness setting of the SSP-300 has three possible values: low, medium,

and high. Select the appropriate setting based on the level of ambient light
typically found in your listening room while using the system. A
setting usually works best in brightly-lit rooms; you may find that a lower setting
is less visually intrusive under more subdued lighting conditions.

timeout If you prefer listening to music in a dimly-lit or darkened room, you may find

even the low brightness setting of the display somewhat distracting. If so, you
can vary the
period of inactivity you select.

In this context, activity refers to any use of the user interface. This includes hard
buttons, the LCD touchscreen, and the remote control.

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. If you continue to use any of the controls (at least once every
three seconds), the display will remain lit. It will then extinguish itself after three
seconds of inactivity on your part.

If you prefer the display of the SSP-300 to remain on whenever not in

standby

designed for harsh automotive environments and will give you many years of
reliable operation. If you plan to leave the unit on continuously, however, we
recommend that you keep the timeout delay set to less than one minute. (Note

that setting the brightness to a lower setting does not increase the life of the lamp.)

timeout of the backlighting so as to turn it off entirely after a

, choose the never timeout setting. The lamp in the LCD display was

high brightness

language The language menu offers you any of six different languages supported by the

SSP-300. Classé has provided our international distributors with a software tool
that makes it possible for them to customize the translations to suit their local
customs and terminology, in an effort to ensure that the SSP-300’s operation is
as intuitive to use in every country as it is in our home country of Canada.

OSD Touching the OSD button takes you to a screen on which you can select the

video system used in your country, so that the SSP-300 can create a compatible
on-screen display. The four choices are NTSC, PAL-B, PAL-M, and PAL-N.
Your local Classé dealer can assist you with selecting the appropriate setting if
you have any doubt.

Important Note! While choosing an incorrect OSD format will not damage

any equipment, it may disrupt your television’s ability to
display a picture for the duration of the OSD’s operation
(typically a few seconds). You can easily reset the OSD
format to the correct setting by using the LCD touchscreen
display on the SSP-300, which will always operate correctly.

52

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.

volume There are two common ways of displaying the volume information in a

multichannel system.

The absolute system refers to the notion that most people thinking of the
number 0 as meaning nothing, e.g., no sound at all. In this system, 0 means
“sound off” and larger numbers indicate high volumes. While this is intuitive,
the only way you have any idea how loud a particular setting is would be
through experience.

In the relative (THX) system, there is a calibrated, reference volume at which
movies are played in theaters, which is duplicated in your environment and
referred to as “0 dB.” Regardless of how large or how small the theater, a setting
of “0 dB” is always the same, known volume. Changes from that volume level
are shown as either positive (louder) or negative (quieter). People who have spent
any time making recordings will recognize that this is similar to the notion of “0
dB” on a record level meter.

In any event, you may choose either system depending on which one makes the
most sense to you personally.

Dolby/DTS setup The SSP-300 incorporates both Dolby Pro Logic II and DTS Neo:6

technologies for converting a two-channel signal into an enjoyable multichannel
listening experience.

While they differ in the details of their implementation and in the subjective
result, on a conceptual level they do the same thing: they analyze the
information embedded in two-channel recordings, looking for clues that
can indicate how the sound in those recordings might best be redistributed
to the various speakers in a multichannel system, so as to simulate a discrete
multichannel recording. Each has one or more adjustments available to let
you customize the performance of the processing to best suit your personal
preferences.

53

Dolby Pro Logic II Dolby Pro Logic II has three user-adjustable parameters.

Panorama is a simple on/off toggle (highlighted means “on”) that will present
a wider and deeper front soundstage. This effect is somewhat signal-dependant,
meaning that it is more pronounced with some recordings and less so with
others. With a good recording, however, the effect an be quite dramatic.

Center Width determines how much of the center-channel information is
allowed to remain in the left and right speakers. A low setting places all the
information that would create a phantom center image in a normal stereo
system in the center channel speaker instead. (This is sometimes referred to as a
“hard” center channel.) A high setting leaves this information in the left and right
speakers, fading out the center channel speaker. Intermediate settings provide a
great compromise between the seamless spaciousness of a great stereo system and
the wide listening area of a multichannel system (where you don’t need to be in
the “sweet spot” to hear a center image).

Dimension shifts the degree to which the overall balance of the processing is
biased toward the back of the room. In very “dry” recordings that lack much
recorded ambience, a higher dimension setting will restore a sense of space to
the reproduced sound. In extremely “wet” recordings with lots of ambience, you
may want to reduce the dimension setting so as to avoid excessive or distracting
spaciousness.

DTS Neo:6 By contrast, the DTS Neo:6 setting couldn’t be simpler. The only user-adjustable

parameter for DTS Neo:6 is a center width control, which functions much as
the center width controls does on Dolby Pro Logic II.

remote Fkeys

54

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.

For example, if you use the balance control frequently, you may want to consider
programming one of the Fkeys to take you straight to that screen. Doing so will
save you having to access the control menu, followed by pressing the
button (which might be hard to see from across the room).

The remote Fkey menu has four buttons, one each for the four Fkeys on your
remote control. Pressing any of these buttons on the LCD touchscreen takes you
to a subordinate, scrolling list of possible functions for that particular Fkey

Selecting the one you want is as simple as scrolling through the list (by touching
either the up or down arrows on the right), and then touching the specific
function in the list that you want that Fkey to perform.

cautionary note on Fkey use Note that all Classé remote controls provide these same four Fkeys, so that you

need not worry about which remote you happen to pick up. Thus
surround processor’s remote control sends the same infrared signal as
CD player’s remote control.

While this is intended to minimize confusion amongst different remotes (since
this aspect of them will all perform identically), you should take care when
assigning different functions on different components to the same Fkey. Doing
so would result in two components doing two different things at once, in
response to a single press of a button on the remote control. This can sometimes
be useful. As an example, F1 could set the surround processor to the CD input,
and also set the CD player to Play, both from the press of a single Fkey

balance

.

F1 on the

F1 on the

.

status

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

sensors The sensors button on the status screen takes you to the sensors screen, which

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. If you ever have occasion to call our technical support
people to ask a question not covered in this manual, they may want to know
precisely what version of software your unit is running. Having this information
available will help enable them to give you the best possible service.

displays information about several internal sensors within the SSP-300. It is
unlikely you might need the sensor information, unless directed to do so by a
customer service representative at Classé in order to help troubleshoot some
unexpected problem.

55

Troubleshooting

In general, you should refer any service problems to your Classé dealer. Before
contacting your dealer, check to see if the problem is listed here. If it is, try the
suggested solutions. If none of these solves the problem, contact your Classé
dealer.

1 Everything appears to be on, but there is no sound.

✓ Adjust the volume control to a moderate level (one that should

be audible but is not excessive).

✓ Make sure the source component for which the input has been

selected is switched on and is out of its standby mode.

✓ Make sure the proper input has been selected for the source

being used.

✓ Check that the surround processor is not in mute mode.
✓ Ensure that the power amplifier is powered up and out of

standby mode.

✓ Check if the tape monitor is enabled. If it is engaged and the

recorder is off, you will not hear the selected source. Disengage
the tape monitor unless you wish to monitor the recording.

✓ If the problem occurs only with a particular input, check the

interconnect cables between that source and the surround
processor.

✓ 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.

Important! 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.

2 There is no sound and the Standby LED is not lit.

✓ Ensure the surround processor is plugged into the AC mains and

switched on, and that the AC mains are operating normally. The
unit will automatically attempt to protect itself from improper
AC mains voltages by not powering up. Make sure your power
amplifier is off (if the amplifier is already connected to the
preamp) before plugging your surround processor into the AC
mains and powering it up.

✓ If your surround processor was plugged in properly, try the

following: put it in standby, switch off the main power switch on
the back, and unplug the unit for at least thirty seconds before
trying to power it up again. (Sometimes a brownout of short­term loss of power might require a restart.)

Important! Make sure to power down your power amplifier BEFORE

doing the restart.

56

✓ Check the manual levels setting within the associated position, at

system setup/speakers/(applicable position)/manual levels/(select
the channel) and then use the increase or decrease buttons to
adjust the channel in question

✓ If none of these solutions work, please consult your Classé dealer

for assistance. Never attempt to replace an internal fuse. There
are no user-serviceable parts inside your unit.

3. 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

any connections between the surround processor and power
amplifier, or between the speakers and the power amplifier.

✓ If the problem occurs only with a particular input, check the input

balance control setting of that particular input:

menu a system setup a input a input name a balance

input name is the particular input in question.

where

✓ If the input balance appears to be correct, check the interconnect

cables between the corresponding source component and the
SSP-300.

4. The IR remote control seems not to function.

✓ Ensure that there are no obstacles between the IR remote and the

IR sensor (located to the right of the Mute button).

✓ If the batteries are weak, replace them with fresh ones.

5. There is a hum coming out of the speakers.

✓ If you are running single-ended interconnects, make sure they

are not running alongside any AC power cords.

✓ If you are running single-ended interconnects, make sure they

are not too long. Long runs of single-ended interconnects have a
natural tendency to pick up noise even if they are shielded.

✓ If any source components connected to your surround processor

has a cable TV hooked up to it, try disconnecting the cable
television line from the source. If the hum goes away, you will
need an isolation device between your cable and that particular
source. Refer to your Classé dealer for one of these inexpensive
devices.

✓ If the hum exists only on the phono input, make sure

the turntable/tonearm assembly is not too close to other
components. There should be at least 12 inches (30cm) clearance
from the other components. The more clearance you provide, the
better (as long as the tonearm cable is not stretching).

✓ Make sure the tonearm cable is not touching or running

alongside an AC cable.

✓ Make sure you have the proper loading for your phono cartridge.

If you are in doubt, consult your authorized Classé dealer.

57

6. 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).

✓ Check to see if you have any halogen lighting or dimmers on the

same circuit as the surround processor, as they can be the cause
of hum in power supply transformers.

Care & Maintenance

To remove dust from the cabinet of your surround processor, use a feather
duster or a lint-free soft cloth. To remove dirt and fingerprints, we recommend
isopropyl alcohol and a soft cloth. Dampen the cloth with alcohol first and then
lightly clean the surface of the surround processor with the cloth. Do not use
excessive amounts of alcohol that might drip off the cloth and into the surround
processor.

Caution! At no time should liquid cleaners be applied directly to the

surround processor, as direct application of liquids may
result in damage to electronic components within the unit.

58

Specifications

All specifications are accurate at the time of printing. Classé reserves the right to
make improvements without notice.

■ Frequency response DC – 200kHz ± 0.1dB

■ Distortion (THD + noise) 0.003%

■ Maximum input voltage (single-ended) 5Vrms

■ Maximum input voltage (balanced) 10Vrms

■ Maximum output voltage (single-ended) 10Vrms

■ Maximum output voltage (balanced) 20Vrms

■ Gain range -100dB to +14dB

■ Input Impedance 100kΩ

■ Output Impedance (main output) 100Ω

■ Signal-to-noise ratio (ref. 10Vrms input) 100dB

■ Channel separation better than 100dB

■ Crosstalk (any input to any output) better than -120dB @ 1kHz

■ Rated power consumption 30W

■ Idle power consumption 29W

■ Mains voltage determined by the needs of country for which

the unit was manufactured; cannot be reset by dealer or user

■ Overall dimensions Width: 17.5” (445mm)

Depth: 16.5” (419mm)
Height: 4.75” (121mm)

■ Net weight 26 lbs (11.8 kg)

■ Shipping weight 33 lbs (15 kg)

For more information, see your Classé dealer, or contact:

Classé Audio

5070 François Cusson
Lachine, Quebec
Canada H8T 1B3
Telephone [phone]
FAX [phone]
Internet: http://www.classeaudio.com
email: [e-mail]

Classé and the Classé logo are trademarks of Classé Audio Inc. of Lachine,
Canada. All rights reserved.
i-Command™ is a trademark of Equity International, Inc. All rights reserved.
AMX® is a registered trademark of AMX Corporation of Richardson, TX. All
rights reserved.
Crestron
rights reserved.
Dolby, Pro Logic, Surround EX and the double-D symbol are trademarks of
Dolby Laboratories.
DTS and Neo:6 are trademarks of Digital Theater Systems, Inc.

™

is a trademark of Crestron Electronics, Inc. of Rockleigh, NJ. All

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Dimensions

60

Classé Audio

5070 François Cusson

Lachine, Quebec

Canada H8T 1B3

[phone]

[phone] (fax)

http://www.classeaudio.com

email: [e-mail]

Copyright © 2004 Classé Audio, Inc. Printed in Canada.

V 1.5 112304