Classe SSP 600

Thumbs-Up Performance The SSP-600 has a quiet and assured character that makes it eerily similar to the CP-500 preamp. I noted the same pillowy cushion in the upper mids and lower treble that produced a slightly relaxed, non-showy presentation. On a song like “Misty” [One On One, Chesky] I enjoyed the rich, full upper-bass structure that seemed to darken piano in the octaves below middle C, and also the roundedness in the treble that tamed the most aggressive transients. Holly Cole’s seductive vocal on “Take Me Home” [Temptation, Alert] had a burnished, late-night quality that conjured up memories of barstools, Old- Fashioneds, and high heels. In spite of the shared DNA, an A/V multi-tasker like the SSP-600 can’t quite match the two-channel CP-500 for transparency or preternatural stillness of black, velvety backgrounds. Prime examples are solo voice and piano. During Norah Jones’ “The Nearness of You” [Come Away With Me, Blue Note], transients seemed slower off the mark, lacking the crisp response that bridges silence and song. The window into the layers of the chorus during the Rutter Requiem [Reference Recordings] was not quite as squeegee-clean as it is with my reference Plinius stereo electronics. Expensive AVRs however, beware: Few in my experience can match the channel separation, articulation, and low-level resolving power of the SSP- 600—traits that were exemplified in the murmured conversations following the graphic airport terminal shootout in the newly remastered Bullitt. As McQueen stands over the body of gangland embezzler Johnny Ross, a horrified and enthralled crowd forms around the scene, exchanging theories (“He’s a cop; that’s what he is.”) about what went down. From the tiny oxygen bubbles ascending to the ocean’s surface in Open Water to a shifting wind patterns across the bleak plains in The Missing, the SSP-600 extracted a wealth of weird and wonderful details that added weight and resonance to film-watching. The Classé Audio SSP-600 is a luxury controller that performs at the highest levels. It combines remarkable multichannel performance with a slinky, seductive user interface. There is, however, a downside to owning this touchscreen sexpot. It’s such a blast letting your fingers do the walking that you’re never going to want to take your hands off it.

Condition

Used (normal wear)