Upgrade from Classe SSP 800 processor

@btw22 
@rshad0000 

I don't usually listen to 2ch music in my dedicated HT room as I do have a separate 2ch setup and system in a separate 2ch listening room. 
So I'm using my HT processor strictly for surround sound movies (4K UHD bluray & Blu-ray Disc playbacks) and some bluray concert bluray and 4K UHD & bluray musical films. But I have tried the SSP 800 for stereo music playbacks before and it performed very well for an AV preamp processor. Yes, the Lyngdorf MP-50 does not have any analog inputs. I recently tried the MP-50 stereo performance for music using its built-in DAC of course. I hate to say that the Classe SSP 800 still sounded better. Even when used for surround movies the SSP 800 is still superior in my setup and system. The SSP 800 has more body and volume and just sounded right and had the right amount of bites. In my very own setup / system the Lyngdorf MP-50 sounded lean, thin, brighter and somewhat fatiguing at times and lacking body and volume in comparison to the SSP 800. But with the Room Perfect properly calibrated the clarity, details and resolution on the Lyngdorf is excellent when used for surround sound movies, and so is the SSP 800. But IMO the Lyngdorf slightly edges out the SSP 800 in clarity and resolution with the Room Perfect properly set up and calibrated but it's bright kinda thin lean sounding in comparison to the SSP 800, at least in my very own setup and system. Overall the SSP 800 is more balanced throughout the spectrum, smoother and more refined than the Lyngdorf. But the Room Perfect in the Lyngdorf is pretty good and effective be it's easy to navigate and use and will make it easier for end users to re-calibrate when you change speakers or speaker placements or change power amps, etc.

Frankly I kinda regreted selling my SSP 800 and I missed its excellent sound quality. The main reason I got rid of the SSP 800 was because I wanted Dolby Atmos and DTS-X. That's why I ended up with the Lyngdorf. And Dolby Atmos & DTS-X will give you different surround sound experiences than regular surround sound experiences (DTS HD MA, Dolby True-HD, Dolby Digital, DTS).
Now I'm seriously thinking to sell my Lyngdorf and get either the Audio Control Mastro 9 or the Datasat RS20i or the Trinnov Altitude 16 or 18. I've heard great things about the Audio Control Maestro 9 being superior sonically to the Lyngdorf MP-50 and both the Audio Control Maestro 9 and the MP-50 are the same price. And the Audio Control Maestro 9 also decodes Dolby Atmos, DTS-X & Auro 3D and supports 4K pass through, hdcp 2.2, HDR & Dolby Vision on the video side. 

I was told by a reliable source that Classe is going to release the replacement for the SSP 800 possibly in 2020 and it will be bad ass but it will be very expensive possibly around $16k to $20k. Don't know what it's going to be called yet. 
It will probably be the best of the best. We shall see. When it happens I will most likely upgrade again. 

So btw22 I'm sure the DAC in your Aurender A10 is way superior to that of the Lyngdorf MP-50 of the SSP 800. But since the MP-50 does not have analog inputs so your current configuration with the SSP 800 in bypassed mode using the DAC in your A10 going analog into the SSP 800 will be superior sounding in comparison to the A10 going digital into the MP-50. 
Keep your SSP 800 for now if you don't need Dolby Atmos, DTS-X or 4K pass through & HDR, etc. 

@btw22
@rshad0000

Don’t get me wrong, the Lyngdorf MP-50 is veer good especially when its Room Perfect properly set up and calibrated. The RP made big difference it helps stirring the surround sound better than the SSP 800. The clarity, resolution, details are also excellent on the Lyngdorf. I would say both processors are comparable when it comes to details and resolution but the surround sound movies felt more immersive on the Lyngdorf especially those formatted in Dolby Atmos or DTS-X if you have Atmos setup with overhead ceiling speakers. The SSP 800 does not decode Atmos or DTS-X. However, the SSP 800 has more body volume and more refined sounding overall and smoother. It's more balanced throughout the spectrum and if sounded just right al least in my very own setup and system. 

I wished the Classe upgraded the SSP 800 boards with software and hardware upgrades in order to accommodate supports for Dolby Atmos, DTS-X & Auro-3D.
I would have kept using the SSP 800 if that was the case.

caphill,

Thanks so much for your insight. I assumed that the lyngdorf would be better than my classe when it came to HT, especially with Room Perfect, which I know will make a significant difference in my room.

As much as I want Dolby Atmos, I realize that the only way to truly know is to try it in my system but I’m a bit hesitant and already suspected that the lyngdorf, with its high price tag, might not equal my Classe/a10 combo, which I’m really happy with. 

You’re correct when you say that the classe is well balanced. It’s such a musical processor. I’ve gone thru about 8 or 9 hi-end pre/pros in the last 20 years and without a doubt, the Classe bested them all by a lot when in came to 2ch performance.

It wouldve made my decision so much easier if the lyngdorf had analog inputs. Not sure why they decided to forgo that option. Not too many options left for me if I’m not happy with the lyngdorf. Not really sure I want to go back to the classe either after parting with it and experiencing Dolby Atmos with a Room Perfect. :(

Thanks again..

@btw22  

Even when used for surround sound movies or HT the SSP 800 has more body and volume and is more balanced tonally than the Lyngdorf IMO but the Lyngdorf MP-50 sounded more exciting with better clarity, tad better details, resolution and better stirring of the surround sound than the SSP 800. I give credits to Room Perfect as it made big difference. For surrounds or HT with Room Perfect properly set up and calibrated there's no ringing to the sound as it's so crystal clear and very clean and more three dimensionals with the Lyngdorf MP-50 but at the same time It's somewhat lean and thinner lacking body and volume in comparison to the SSP 800, at least in my own setup and system. It might sound different in different setup and system. Or it's possible that the SSP 800 had better synergy with all my Classe Delta series class AB amps and B&W 800 series D3 speaker system in my dedicated HT room. 

Or you can get the Classe Sigma SSP Mk2 processor that supports Dolby Atmos, DTS-X and 4K and stuff. The Sigma SSP is optimized for stereo and its stereo performance is actually better than the SSP 800. The Sigma SSP is a quieter design than the SSP 800. The Sigma SSP's USB DAC input sounded really good for stereo music materials and sounded way better than its other digital inputs for stereo music playbacks. The Sigma SSP has XLR & RCA stereo analog audio inputs so you can connect your Aurender A10 using XLR analog into the Sigma SSP and set the Sigma SSP in bypass mode like what you're doing with your SSP 800 right now. The Sigma SSP actually sounded better than the SSP 800 when used as a stereo preamp. But the SSP 800 will perform and sound better for surrounds (HT) as all channels in the SSP 800 are all true differential or fully balanced design whereas with the Sigma SSP, only the front LR channels are true differential or fully balanced design and the remaining channels are single-ended design but they are still very good. 

The Classe Sigma SSP Mk2 retails for $6k new and I believe is no longer in production since Classe was acquired by Sound United in January 2018. If you look at the back panels on the Sigma SSP it looks more like a stereo preamp/DAC processor than a HT multi-channel preamp surround processor. The connectivities on the Sigma SSP is very limited and has the least connections compared to all other HT processors as the Sigma SSP is optimized for stereo. 
Classe originally designed the Sigma SSP for stereo or as a stereo preamp but later decided to add center and surround channels and HDMI av board into it and integrated it into a HT pre pro. 

But for surrounds the Lyngdorf MP-50 will be much better choice than the Sigma SSP and will perform better than the Sigma SSP. Hands down. If you go with the Lyngdorf MP-50 I suggest that you get a dedicated stereo analog preamp with HT bypass mode so that you can connect your Aurender A10 going analog into a stereo analog preamp. There are countless options out there. But the whole thing will cost you way more. 

Or alternatively you can try connecting your Aurender A10 using either spdif (coax digital) or AES/EBU digital into the Lyngdorf MP-50 and see how it will sound. I've heard from other Lyngdorf MP-50 users in other forums that the NP-50's DAC sounded very good when used for streaming stereo music materials. 
I personally never tried it as I'm using my Lyngdorf strictly for surround movies or HT as this is my dedicated HT room. 
I don't listen to stereo music in this HT room. I have a separate reference stereo setup/system in a separate dedicated two-channel listening room.

The bryston sp3 is the best preamp for both stereo and surround that I have heard.  It replaced my classe ssp30.  At $15k the new sp4 is just too expensive but Im excited to hear it one day.