D2v vs Classe ssp800, which would you prefer?

Funny you should mention cars, there was a fully loaded and customized hummer, the big one out front and a new BMW M3. They just did not get how to showcase their equipment. My friend knows the Classe rep and was going to give him a call to relate my experience. There is a local guy who carries Classe who is willing to let me try it at home, but he at this point is not carrying one and is on tenuous terms with the rep.

Try another dealer if possible.Or go back in and tell him exactly this. "You don't sign my paycheck therefore if you want my money then demo the unit as I would like toplease".If he cops an attitude just walk out the store don't even give a reason. I love it when dealers start trying to show off.The dealer I auditioned the SSP-800 at put on the disc I brought with me, handed me the remote and left the room!

I sold an Audio Research LS25 MkII and my Denon 3808CI to buy my SSP-800.The one thing that should be mentioned is this unit is very detailed at both 2 channel and the Hi Rez formats DTS-MA and Dolby Tru HD. Not bright sounding at all just tons of information revealed that I had not heard before.Not at all "digital" sounding like some units tend to be.

I'd give that dealer another chance. Call them back and explain how close you are to buying. Repeat your priorities and concerns and see, with some advanced notice, if they can accommodate the setup your interested in. Make an appointment and tell them how much listening time you might need.

If they continue to assert their vision of how this product should be used I think Classe' would like to know how they're being represented. Classe' should be able to hook you up with a willing dealer.

Have fun shopping.

So far the consensus is go with the classe. I am leaning more towards the D2v one because of it's flexibility and features but also, because the dealer I would buy this from is great. I was hoping that a few D2 folks would chime in. I did take a gander at tha Arcam av888 it seemed nice, anyone out there have any further opinions?

Just my two cents...
I too was very disappointed with my Classe in-store demo. The SQ was extremely disappointing. I was also disappointed with the OSD and the screen resolution/quality on the unit. However, I was very impressed with the build quality. In fact, I almost walked away from Classe. But after hearing such great reviews on the SQ, I insisted trying the unit at home with my own setup. WOW! What a difference. The SSP-800 elevated the SQ of my home setup to a whole new level (clarity of detail, soundstage, dynamics). I have spent several years looking for, researching, and auditioning processors. The SQ on every other unit was only a small incremental improvement on my system (including the Anthem D2 w/o ARC). BTW - My experience with other room equalizers has been that at best they fine tune the sound (i.e. tweaking the soundstage and enabling your speakers to work together better) and are not game changers like I experienced with the SSP-800.

Admittedly, there is a high price to pay for the Classe both financially and in terms of lack of features. For me, SQ is paramount and the home demo really sold me.