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Author Topic: CP55 vs. CP65 Sebastian Binz Film Handler Posts: 32 From: Cologne, Germany Registered: Nov 2007 posted 11-29-2007 02:54 PM                     Good evening out there, on my way to a new sound system I recently came across an offer including a CP65, DA20, DTS6, amps, monitor, and rack. The whole thing is wired and ready to rock. Today I was contacted with the questions whether I would also accept the deal with a CP55 instead of the CP65. Well, I'm quite familiar with the CP65, but what is different on the CP55? Will it be capable of handling our changeover house with reasonable SR, the two digital systems, and a DVD player? Which cards are needed for SR playback and 5.1 input? Since the price is very low on this offer, I am even considering buying the rack, selling the CP55 (what is the current price of that box?) and putting a JSD-80D in as a new processor. Any comments are welcome. Thanks alot Sebastian Binz  |  IP: Logged Paul Gordon Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 580 From: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada Registered: Aug 2005 posted 11-29-2007 03:10 PM                        The CP55 can only do split surrounds with a CAT 441 card rather then the CAT 241 card. It needs a CAT 222 card SR/A card to do SR play back or a external SRA5 with two CAT 280T cards. If it has those add ons then its basically a CP65. If not then its not a good deal...Cat 441 cards are hard to find used and new from Dolby are like $400+ dollars.. a CAT 222 SR card is like $500+ used, Cat 280T's are expensive to.. Wiring a DVD for 5.1 sound may be a problem with either system the best you may do is 5 channels with mono surround.  |  IP: Logged Steve Guttag We forgot the crackers Gromit!!! Posts: 12814 From: Annapolis, MD Registered: Dec 1999 posted 11-29-2007 04:09 PM                     Despite the similarities, the CP65 is notably better as previously described. Also, the CP65 can do a 2:4 pro-logic decode on its Non-Sync input. Steve  |  IP: Logged John Hawkinson Film God Posts: 2273 From: Cambridge, MA, USA Registered: Feb 2002 posted 11-29-2007 04:44 PM                     On the other hand, a DA20 may be worth its weight in gold. --jhawk  |  IP: Logged Alban Birch Film Handler Posts: 63 From: Luxembourg-city , Luxembourg Registered: Jan 2007 posted 11-29-2007 06:01 PM                        The CP55 with SRA5 is better than a CP65 with 222SR/A, in every other case it would be the CP65.  |  IP: Logged Richard May Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1057 From: Floral Park, NY USA Registered: Aug 2004 posted 11-29-2007 07:15 PM                     True, but with SRD and DTS, you don't need the SR.  |  IP: Logged Scott Norwood Film God Posts: 8146 From: Boston, MA. USA (1774.21 miles northeast of Dallas) Registered: Jun 99 posted 11-29-2007 08:20 PM                        quote: Richard May True, but with SRD and DTS, you don't need the SR. I completely disagree. Lots of films don't have digital tracks or have digital tracks that aren't playable (DTS disks don't arrive with print, SRD track printed badly, etc.). Many of us don't play trailers in digital and/or regularly show older films that never had digital tracks. Furthermore, digital isn't 100% reliable and the fault to optical should be as seamless as possible. I can absolutely hear the difference between the 222 "SR"/A card and real cat. 350s, even with mediocre speakers in a lousy room (yes, I've compared them with the same print of the same film). Get a CP55 with SRA5 or a CP65 with cat. 300s or 350s. Don't bother with the fake SR card.  |  IP: Logged Sam D. Chavez Film God Posts: 2153 From: Martinez, CA USA Registered: Aug 2003 posted 11-29-2007 10:07 PM                       CP65 is better and more practical for everyday use. It's also worth more as a unit. Perhaps $1,500 as compared to $500 for 55. The real SR does sound better no doubt, but you will be playing almost all the time. You can fit real SR cards to a 65 but you won't like the price.  |  IP: Logged Sebastian Binz Film Handler Posts: 32 From: Cologne, Germany Registered: Nov 2007 posted 11-30-2007 02:07 AM                     Thanks for your contributions, I will take them into consideration. Have a nice weekend Sebastian Binz  |  IP: Logged Steve Guttag We forgot the crackers Gromit!!! Posts: 12814 From: Annapolis, MD Registered: Dec 1999 posted 11-30-2007 07:03 AM                     I dunno Sam...with analog falling on hard times, even Real-SR doesn't fetch the price it once did...often all one has to do is save it from the scrap heap. I don't know if Dolby even offers the Cat 300 series new anymore...the 363 is gone and can often be found used for low prices...that will have 2 Cat 300s in its popular form. Steve  |  IP: Logged Sam D. Chavez Film God Posts: 2153 From: Martinez, CA USA Registered: Aug 2003 posted 11-30-2007 10:28 AM                       In the context of the topic I would assume anything over $500 each would be considered real money. I've bought up some 363's and had to pay from $500 to $1,000 for them and Coast Recording still gets $2,000 each for 363's.  |  IP: Logged Brian Guckian Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 594 From: Dublin, Ireland Registered: Apr 2003 posted 11-30-2007 12:31 PM                     The CP65 with DA20 is a great combination, and extremely versatile. It's worth spending the money on the best SR decoding too, depending on what cards are fitted to the CP65. You should insist on the CP65 over the CP55. Don't neglect SR - as other posters have noted, you need a well-tuned SR system at all times to back up your digital tracks, and also to playback SR-only material (some adverts and many short films, and even some foreign-language features are still being issued SR-only). And, if you've really good SR with OBE in a good room, a lot of the time you cannot tell the difference between it and digital, with standard dramatic material, in A/B tests (big action movies etc. excepted of course).  |  IP: Logged Nathan Tarpley Film Handler Posts: 12 From: Crystal Lake, IL Registered: Sep 2007 posted 11-30-2007 01:36 PM                    Can someone please expand on what "real" SR is versus a fake? (222SR/A) Is DSP SR in a 650 considered real? Nathan  |  IP: Logged Louis Bornwasser Film God Posts: 4441 From: prospect ky usa Registered: Mar 2005 posted 11-30-2007 02:23 PM                        The CP-650 is REAL SR; as well as the 280T card and the 300 & 350 cards. Because of size limitations the C/n 222sr/a takes a little liberty with very high frequencies. This was largely inaudible with slit lenses and passive crossovers; however, with excellent speakers & amps and a really good red led reader there is a difference. IMHO: the difference is not that great, beats that of all other manufacturers, and might not matter anyhow if the "A" chain is not tuned perfectly. Louis  |  IP: Logged Scott Norwood Film God Posts: 8146 From: Boston, MA. USA (1774.21 miles northeast of Dallas) Registered: Jun 99 posted 11-30-2007 03:04 PM                        The thing that really convinced me that the 222 "SR"/A sucked was that the one time that I used it instead of cat. 350s for a public show was the one and only time over a three-week run of a particular film that anyone complained about the sound being too loud. Several people complained, actually and I had to turn the sound down to "6." These were regular patrons, not sound mixers or anyone who would be expected to notice the difference. The film was mixed slightly hot, but otherwise there were nothing but positive comments about sound quality during other shows, all of which played at "7." This was in a 1920s theatre with lousy acoustics and rental speakers designed for sound reinforcement, not cinema use (these may have actually made the problems worse). I did an A-chain and B-chain per the instructions in the Dolby manual prior to the start of the engagement, and the theatre had new BACP reverse-scan LED readers.  |  IP: Logged

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