Can a Classe SSP replace a dedicated stereo pre?

It very well could it is all in how the pre interface with the rest of your gear and in fact it may sound better because of how it fits in your system.

Thank you so much for all of your help! I've now been running a Classe Sigma SSP for about two weeks, and I absolutely love it for both two channel and surround. I A/Bed against my Modwright SWL 9.0SE for pure 2-channel and honestly, sounds just as good in bypass mode. 

I do prefer my Sabaj D5 DAC to the in-built DAC, but it's a small upgrade. I use that for stereo music from digital sources.

Movie soundtracks absolutely come to life with this (which is really important for me), and dialog clarity is pretty phenomenal too. I think it's a very relevant option for people even today who want to combine 2 and 5 channels using just single digital sources, and not having to deal with ht bypass.

I run 4k content only, and I'm able to get around the older HDMI issues by just using a HDMI matrix, so I didn't need the MK2.

Hope this helps someone else on the fence!

Coming to this a little late…. I have had a Sigma SSP and Sigma Amp5 since shortly after the model was released and have been generally very happy.  I thought my experiences might be helpful to those considering Classe.

Prior to buyout that resulted in Classe more or less being temporarily destroyed, I had a problem and the customer service was exemplary.  With a copy of the original receipt (I was second owner) Classe honored the warranty without hesitation and actually replaced my unit because the problem was on a chip on the motherboard and could not be isolated.

For 1-2 years while Dave Nauber was trying to rescue the company, service was questionable at best but they are now back in business.  Unfortunately, Classe has discontinued the “entry level” Sigma series and I don’t believe there is any intention of resurrecting it.  Particularly sad because the Sigma SSP offered a fantastic balance of features/sound quality/and cost.

As we speak, my SSP is back at the service center in NY (no longer in Montreal) and I have no expectation of it not getting repaired and though it is clear that they are less staffed than in the past, in this era… what company isn’t?  BTW, without detailed story, the unit was damaged in a move/renovation so not the fault of Classe.

The two channel, balanced system is very good sound, especially if you consider the money:  DAC, Balanced Preamp, decent optional Phono stage (not currently available) and significantly better than mass-market HT.  I would not recommend the Sigma Amp 5 for anything but HT channels and even with that, I would recommend different amplification.  Over the course of my ownership, I have enjoyed:  Audible Illusions amp, BAT and now Classe CA2300 and CA5100 amplifiers.  These absolutely obliterate the Amp 5 and illustrate to me that A/B amplification still sounds better than class D “Digital” amplification.  I have had this confirmed with auditioning other class D’s as well and though some are better than others I think on average class A and class A/B amps are much better and don’t really use that much more electricity…

The new Classe Delta series sounds fantastic and warrants auditioning for those that can afford it.  It is definitely aimed at the upper end of high end audio with Preamp and stereo amp clocking in around $30,000.  I understand Classe is planning on releasing a “Delta” surround processor, upgraded from the old 800 which I agree is a slightly better performer than the SSP except no phono stage option and no USB audio input and at least 3 generations past CODECs for HT.  I have often thought about upgrading to 800 however the lack of USB and phono are significant issues for the way I use my system so I am living with a slightly lower sound quality until I can afford new Delta.

In summary, for someone who is new to high-end audio that wants a good to very good balanced 2 channel system and a more than adequate single ended HT option all in one box, I would not discourage from the Sigma SSP for a control center, especially when they can be purchased for around $2K or under.  Even today, it offers a good trade off of features vs. value and quality.  But, definitely upgrade the amp(s).  Even for 5 surrounds, I would recommend an older 5100 to the Amp 5 which is often selling for only a little more.  Finally, the SSP really benefits from excellent power cables, interconnects and isolation.  I use Nordost products and I would say they elevate the performance more than an order of magnitude.  In fact I would willingly but the SSP with isolation and power upgrades against a $10K separate pre amp DAC combination without the isolation and upgrades and I think it would more than hold it’s own and you still wouldn’t have HT on the competitors system…

Cautions are:  the original SSP design is now over 5 years old, they have been temperamental in the reliability (not terrible… but certainly not fantastic) and upgrade paths are currently unavailable.  The rest of my system has been significantly improved since I bought the SSP and honestly, I am looking forward to the new Delta or going with separate pre-amp DAC with pass through and an HT control center for HT only.  This will be at a cost of over 10x more, so for this improvement, it will be a lot of additional money.  

My current system includes:  Innuos Zen mini server (with Keces external power supply), Synology NAS, Linn Sondek LP12/Ittok IV arm/Benz silver cartridge, Sigma SSP, Classe CA 2300 and CA 5100 amps, ProAc Response 5 mains, ProAC CC2 center, ProAc ER1 subwoofer, B/W switchable bipolar surround (sides and rears for 7.1), Nordost Valhalla PC’s, IC’s and SC’s (Frey2, Brahma and Vishnu PC’s for minor components), Tyr 2 USB cable, Heimdall 2 Ethernet cables, QBase 8, QBase 4, QV2 and QV1, Audience Hidden Treasure outlets, Furutech wall plates and carbon fiber cover with dedicated isolated grounds to independent ground stake.

I hope this was helpful to anyone considering Classe.