Classé Custom Theater series components offer a beautiful and purpose-built solution for installing world-class audio components in professional equipment racks.
The special need to ventilate high-powered amplifiers in custom installations prompted Classé to develop the Custom Theater (CT) series. CT amplifiers employ a newly developed Intelligent Cooling Tunnel (ICTunnel™, pronounced Icy Tunnel) architecture to simplify installations and enhance both performance and reliability over the long term. The CT-SSP is designed to match this new range of amplifiers.
There is a growing consensus among home theater enthusiasts and critics that the Classé SSP-800 is the world’s ultimate surround sound processor. The CT-SSP uses exactly the same circuitry as the SSP-800 and is identical in features, performance and price. The units differ in their outward appearance and chassis design, with the CT-SSP intended especially for equipment racks.
Like the SSP-800, the CT-SSP is a ten-channel preamp/processor, offering both balanced and single-ended connections for all channels. Using HDMI 1.4 the CT-SSP offers internal decoding of Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio sources. Digital Signal Processing (DSP) is handled by two Texas Instruments processors, each capable of up to a remarkable 2800 MIPS (Million Instructions per Second). The DSPs operate in 64-bit double precision and use floating point arithmetic for all audio signal calculations to ensure the most accurate results possible. All bass management filters, level adjustments and parametric filters also benefit from the added precision.
Throughout the SSP-800/CT-SSP there are examples of HD technology executed at the highest quality level. It is the combination of advanced technology and genuine quality that sets them apart. And while technology and quality give the SSPs their intrinsic value, we measure their true worth first on the test bench and then in the sound room.
The wealth of knowledge applied to the SSP-800/CT-SSP design and the inspiration for its execution do not come from a textbook—they come from the passion and dedication of those who have spent their lives in the pursuit of higher performance. Classé offers the SSP-800 and CT-SSP for those who share our singular passion for performance.
Inputs and outputs |
![]() |
|
HDMI 1.4 | 5 in / 2 out | |
Component | 2 in / 1 out | |
Composite | 2 in | |
COAX | 4 in / 1 out | |
Optical | 4 in / 1 out | |
Analog XLR | 1 pair in / 5 pair out | |
Analog RCA | 1 set 7.1 in / 2 pair in / 5 pair out | |
DC trigger out | 2 | |
IR | 1 in / 1 out | |
CAN Bus | 1 in / 1 out | |
USB | 1 | |
RS-232 | 1 | |
Video measurements | ||
Input impedance | 75 ohms Composite / component | |
Output impedance | 75 ohms Component | |
HDMI |
Fully 1.4 compliant supporting ARC, HEC, 3D video up to 1080p @ 24 fps, 36-bit deep color and xvYCC |
|
Audio measurements | ||
Maximum output level |
8vrms Single ended 15vrms Balanced |
|
Maximum input level |
2vrms Single ended via DSP 6vrms Single ended via bypass 4vrms Balanced via DSP 12vrms Balanced via bypass |
|
Output impedance | 56 ohms | |
Input impedance | 100kohms | |
Total harmonic | 0.001% | |
distortion |
Digital source / Bypassed analog source 0.002% Processed analog source |
|
Frequency response |
20Hz – 200kHz <0.1dB Stereo analog bypass 20Hz – 20kHz <0.2dB All other sources |
|
Signal to noise ratio |
102dB Bypassed analog source 100dB Processed analog source 105dB Digital source |
|
Audio formats |
Dolby Digital Surround EX Dolby Digital 5.1 Dolby Digital Plus Dolby TrueHD DTS-ES discrete DTS 3/2/1 DTS 96/24 DTS-HD High Resolution Audio DTS-HD Master Audio 24bit/32-192kHz PCM |
|
Post processing modes |
Dolby pro logic IIx DTS-ES matrix DTS Neo:6 Mono Mono plus Stereo (downmix) Music plus Movie plus Party |
|
Video conversion |
Composite to component and HDMI Component (upto 720p-1080i) to component and HDMI HDMI to HDMI |
|
Dimensions | ||
Width | 19” (483mm) (including faceplate) | |
Width | 17” (432mm) (excluding faceplate) | |
Depth | 16.375” (416mm)(excluding connectors) | |
Height | 6.97” (177mm) | |
Gross weight | 49lb (22.3kg) | |
Net weight | 33lb (15kg) |