Classe-audio SSP-300 User Manual

Owner’s ManualSSP-300 Surround Processor

10A Word About InstallationEvery effort has been made to make the Classé SSP-300 simple and straightforward to install and use.Still, we have no way t

11Special Design Featureshigh-bandwidth video circuitryModern high definition video sources provide truly stunning picture quality. However, the techn

12THX engineers developed patented technologies to accurately translate the sound from the movie theatre environment into the home, correcting the ton

13Advanced Surround Array™ The people at THX have also found a solution to a problem that dogged high performance multichannel systems for years: the

14THX Movie Mode As you might expect, the THX Movie mode does a similarly terrific job of optimizing the system for accurate reproduction of movie soun

15The volume control system on your SSP-300 solves this problem by responding differently based on the specific circumstances (e.g. how quickly you are

16extraordinary longevity Another benefit of having worked with highly refined circuit designs so extensively over many years is that we have vast exper

17Initial SetupWe understand that you may be anxious to begin enjoying your new surround processor. Our best advice: take advantage of the considerabl

185 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

197 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 capabilitie

NOTICEAll 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 c

20Front Panel1 Standby button & LED indicatorThe front panel Standby button will toggle the surround processor between its

212 Menu buttonPressing the front panel Menu button will call up the menu system, replacing the normal status display in the LCD touchscreen of the S

226 Volume KnobThe 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

23Rear PanelThe 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 ✘ in

24Note that the three analog video standards offer varying degrees of performance:• Component video offers the highest picture quality • S-Video is

25Note that the three analog video standards offer varying degrees of performance:• Component video offers the highest picture quality • S-Video is

267 Optical Digital InputsThese connectors accept digital audio signals in the EIAJ optical (sometimes called “Toslink™”) digital interface standard

2711 IR Input: Main and ZoneYour Classé surround processor includes two 1/8th-inch mono mini-jacks to support the infrared (IR) remote controls that

2813 Microphone InputThe MIC input on the rear of the SSP-300 is used during auto-calibration of the system. For a quick setup, connect the supplied

2918 Component Video Inputs and OutputThe SSP-300 provides three Component video inputs. These are labeled COMPONENT INPUT 1, 2, and 3.Connect the Co

Important Safety InstructionsCaution: Please read and observe all warnings and instructions in this owner’s manual and all those marked on the unit.

3019 AC Mains Power SwitchThe main power switch for the SSP-300 is adjacent to the receptacle for the power cord. Switching the unit on puts it in st

31The Remote ControlYour new surround processor comes with a versatile remote control which can control both the SSP-300 itself and several aspects of

32• 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 bac

336 Volume KeysVolume Up, Volume Down, and Mute do what you would expect them to do.7 Trim KeyThe Trim key takes you directly to the system trims sc

34Understanding Surround SoundToday’s sophisticated surround sound systems seem to spawn a bewildering array of technologies and acronyms. In this sec

35The disadvantage of matrix decoding is what you might expect – it is tough to completely and perfectly separate two things that have been mixed toge

36Having done so, however, it may make sense to provide further processing, after the fact. Hence the notion of post-processing.For example: movie sou

37 Note: The THX Ultra II modes require the presence of rear channels in addition to the side “surround” channels. These speakers take advantage of

38Using the SSP-300Your SSP-300 includes a versatile touchscreen LCD display which supports most of your day-to-day operations (as well as a flexible m

39Touching 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

4ContentsWelcome to the Classé family ...6Unpacking and Placement ...

40system trims The System Trims menu controls several parameters of the SSP-300’s operation that may occasionally need adjustment to suit a particular

41position select The SSP-300 supports four different families of settings for various listening positions you may use. The Position Select menu allow

42The Menu SystemPressing the front panel Menu button to the left of the LCD touchscreen brings up a comprehensive menu system, that is divided into a

43Here, you can:• customize the behavior of your volume control• tailor your inputs to your particular source components• configure and calibrate th

44The most significant factor in the perceived responsiveness of the volume control is the speed at which the knob is being turned. We all naturally te

45• 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

46• The + and – buttons change the current character through the available characters. They include all upper and lower case letters of the alphabet,

47The position button allows you to assign a default position setting (a collection of level and delay settings) to a particular input. (This default

48speaker setup The Speaker Setup menu (found via the following path: system setup/speakers) allows you to tell the SSP-300 about the speakers with wh

49• 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 ar

5The Menu System ...42system setup ...

50• The name of each position can be specified in the same way that sources are. (See input setup earlier in this section.) • autocalibration uses th

51teach IRThe SSP-300 provides discrete infrared (IR) command codes for all its functions, a list that extends far beyond what is required by normal r

52brightness The brightness setting of the SSP-300 has three possible values: low, medium, and high. Select the appropriate setting based on the level

53temp. 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 l

54Dolby Pro Logic II Dolby Pro Logic II has three user-adjustable parameters.Panorama is a simple on/off toggle (highlighted means “on”) that will pr

55For 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. D

56TroubleshootingIn general, you should refer any service problems to your Classé dealer. Before contacting your dealer, check to see if the problem i

57✓ Check the manual levels setting within the associated position, at system setup/speakers/(applicable position)/manual levels/(select the channel)

586. 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

59SpecificationsAll specifications are accurate at the time of printing. Classé reserves the right to make improvements without notice. Frequency resp

6Welcome to the Classé familyCongratulations on your purchase of a Classé product. It is the result of many years of continuous refinement, and we are

60Dimensions

Classé Audio 5070 François Cusson Lachine, Quebec Canada H8T 1B3+1 (514) 636-6384 +1 (514) 636-1428 (fax)http://www.classeaudio.comemail: cservice@cl

7Unpacking and Placementunpacking your surround processorCarefully unpack your surround processor according to the supplied instructions, and remove

8register your purchase! Having found the serial number, now would be a good time to fill out the registration card. Please register your purchase so w

9Operating VoltageThe SSP-300 surround processor is set at the factory (internally) for 100V, 120V, 230V, or 240V AC mains operation, as appropriate f