Just about the best home theater processing in logic 7 mode.

Music surround modes and 2 channel not as good as Proceed and not much improvement over the DC-1 when the DC-1 has the Ver. 4 software.

ahhh Mark, I had the MC-1 in my home theater for about 1 month along with the Proceed AVP.

First you contradict yourself when you say that the MC-1 does All processing, de-coding, EQ, crossovers, time alignment, etc are ALL done ENTIRELY in the digital domain when you just finished saying that the the MC-1 does have a digital bypass--straight to analog. If the MC-1 were to have a digital bypass that would mean that everthing is not done in the digital domain. There is no analog bypass since the MC-1 uses a A/D converter to convert ALL incoming analog to digital so that it can be processed then sent through a D/A and converted back to analog--KNOW YOUR PRODUCT BEFORE COMMENTING.

As far as the build quality is concerned everyone should expect for $6,000 a well built unit like the Proceed AVP which retails for $5,000...The MC-1 is not even close.

I will qoute you directly here "How many of the toys can upgrade as easily as the Lexicon? None as easy." Actually that is not true since both Proceed and Meridian are both software upgradeable through downloads from the internet were as lexicon requires you to install upgrade chips.

I am not trying to bash Lexicon here or there owners since I still have a DC-1 and I think they make a quality product. The Logic 7 mode for movies is great but I do not think that the MC-1 is that big of an improvement over the DC-1 (that contains the latest software 4.0) and the music surround modes are too distracting compared to the Proceed and Meridian which sound very good in multi-channel stereo as well as 2-channel.

Mark, you should really do some research first before you try to bash someone who leaves a review here since it only makes you look ignorant. Next time just try to give your opinions, likes and dislikes so we can all share in the enjoyment of this great hobby of Home Theater.

For the ratings I will give the MC-1 4 stars for value since it is basically a DC-2 with a face lift and some tweeks for $2,000 more. The MC-1 is definately 5 stars in Home Theater performance but a 3.5 for stereo but since it is geared for Home Theater performance I will give it overall rating of 5 stars because the Logic 7 mode is just soooo goood.

PS: I am saying otherewise and I am not on crack.

Similar Products Used:

Proceed AVP, Lexicon DC-1, EAD Theater Master Encore

Better display than DC-1. Upgradability. Many inputs.

None that I can find

Michael, aside from the analog bypass comment, Mark is right on. I must add that all you guys that are still clinging onto the soon to be dead analog world will simply be left behind in the wake of the digital warpath that is upon us. Sort of like the Greenpeace boat trying to stop something that cannot be stopped. Why a person would want to hold onto something such as analog is beyond me. Well, best of luck to you. Enjoy the high noise floor, static cracks, warping, and the diving sound quality the more you play those records...

As for the MC-1, it is the best. I love it. I had a DC-1, and traded up to the MC-1 some time ago, and have to say the price to upgrade is cheap compared to what this thing sounds like.

Why all you guys fuss at the metal that houses the interior electronics is beyond belief. Are you planning on jumping up and down on the case? Maybe using it as a jack for the car? Get a life guys. Put the darn thing in the rack and listen to it for goodness sake. These things are not designed to withstand abuse no mater how much they weigh or feel. Furthermore, drop any processor enough times, no matter how well it's built and it will break. They are made to be put in the rack, plugged in, and listened too. That simple.

It's a Great product. I wil never listen to 2-channel againHas every thing even a Digital EQ Bass,Treble,Tilt and loudness.
I have try alot of products and this one is the best in my book.
Video Super. One down fall on remote i wish they would have put
programable remote for other components like CD,DVD,SAT,TAPE,AUX and more
So i could have every thing on one Remote.This really would be a perfect
Unit.

audiophile sound through digital inputs/24-96 2 channel capable through expansion port with a capable dvd player/best surround sound available(along with Meridian)/customer sevice and upgradeability...always allow you to trade up to next generation processors.

not compatible with SACD without using an additional preamps tape loop/not compatible with multi-channel DVD-Audio yet/sound through analog inputs is not up to par with digital inputs...

Excellent surround sound processor,best of the best when it comes to movie or music surround.
Sound through digital inputs is of audiophile quality but is not compatible with SACD because you must use analog inputs with SACD discs. The Lexicon processor converts all analog signals to digital for processing then converts them back to analog.
If you would like to hook up a SACD player you can always use a preamp with a tape loop/bypass (most hi-end preamps have them) like the Bryston BP-25 and hook the Lexicons main outputs (L/R) to the tape inputs. This will bypass the analog signal through the preamp and directly to the main amp (2 channel amp).
Compatable with 24-96 DAD's through expansion port digital input. Must have full range speakers or use a REL type subwoofer which takes the signal from the amplifier if you want full range sound. The expansion ports input does not crossover to a subwoofer. The sound through this input is true hi-end 2 channel sound. You can always hook up an upsampler to this input (like the Assemblage D2D-1) which will allow you to upsample all of your current cd's to 24-96 capability.
Can't say enough about how good the Logic7 movie mode is along with THX surround EX (Dolby and DTS).
Calibration,crossover settings and almost unlimited customizing of the surround modes. You can also determine if you want the subwoofer on or off for each individual surround/stereo mode.
A couple of quirks...sometimes after watching a movie in a discreet mode (DTS/Dolby Digital) with a DVD player/Transport and try to return back to CD listening the processor will automatically revert back to the discret surround mode every time you open your DVD players tray and if you want to listen to 2-channel stereo you have to select 2-channel every time you close the tray drawer. This happens even though I selected (last mode) in the set-up menu. To stop this when done watching a movie I have to push 2-channel then switch the input source then switch back again.
When it comes to surround sound with movies and music 5 stars. Stereo through digital inputs with current CD's 5 stars. Not SACD compatible unless you use a hi-quality preamp as a bypass. Analog inputs 3.5 stars.
my system:
Elite DVL-91 dvd/ld/cd transport
Lexicon MC-1(future Bryston BP25 for SACD bypass)
Classe' CA-200 & CAV-75 amps
(future upgrade to Bryston 4B-THX & 9B-THX)
Dunlavy SC-IV & SC-I/AV speakers
Rel Stadium III sub bass system
Better Cables

Similar Products Used:

Citation 7.0 (owned)

CLEAN CLEAN CLEAN SOUND!!!!

I have owned the MC-1 for about 2 months now and I still get blown away everytime I turn it on. This is the first "high end" preamp I have owned and I have NO regrets at all. I went from a Yamaha RX-V995 to this and all I can say is that my system has a night and day different sound. In home thater use with movies it is truly ASWOME!!!! NO movie theater compares to the sound I am getting in my living room now. The MC-1 has quite a few tweaks that can be made to customize the sound each user wants for their own style of listening pleasure. In music mode, I was used to listening to all music in a pure 2 channel mode, but for the first time ever I actually seem to like the Lexicon MC-1 for music surround better now. I am a very proud owner of Lexicon and am very very happy I chose this preamp. I was looking at the Proceed AVP and the Theta Cassablanca before I made my decision. My current set up consists of:

Preamp: Lexicon MC-1
Amp1: ATI 1506 6 channel amp
Amp2: ATI 1504 4 channel amp
Satelite: RCA
VCR: Toshiba
Tuner: Onkyo 4190
DVD: Sony S7700
Television: Sony 36XBR250
Front Speakers: PSB Silver i's
Center Speaker: PSB Stratus C-6
Rear Speakers: PSB Stratus Mini i's
Sub Woofer: PSB Subsonic 3 i

All I do know is that once I put the Lexicon MC-1 into the system it became extremely "pure"!!! I am a happy happy customer!

Awesome home theater sound, rack mount capability

No HDCD or DVD-Audio support. Needs a high quality power cord or line conditioner

The MC-1 has the best surround sound I've heard yet. I used to consider the Proceed to be top dog, but now the MC-1 has bested it. The Lexicon retains a lot of the feel of the DC-1 (which I used to use) and improves sound quality dramatically. The product is still just as easy to use and just as upgradable as the DC-1.

I am really impressed with how good movies sound with the MC-1. Some people knock the MC-1 for not being a two channel preamp. If you want to listen to stereo CDs, and don't care about home theater, you probably won't even be considering the Lexicon. People that want the best in movie sound can stop searching and get the MC-1.

Lexicon also has the best customer upgrade policy in the business. A DC-1 bought 5 years ago can still be upgraded to the latest software. Lexicon MC-1 might not offer fancy aluminum faceplates or weigh 1000lbs., but they put the money into the signal processing where it counts most.

I would strongly suggest a good audiophile power cord for the Lexicon. There is some real improvement to the Lexicon products when using clean power. Get a good power cord (ElectraGlide, Shunyata, Synergistic, etc.)

Similar Products Used:

Lexicon DC-1, various A/V recievers

*Stunning* sound, incredible flexibility, lots of parameters to play with, flexible configurations, tons of inputs.

Looks like a much cheaper component, no RF AC-3 in for laserdiscs, *very* expensive.

*Incredible* sound. Can not be denied. It just sounds really really awesome. Highs that are crystal clear, lows that shake your chest, details that astonish you.

This thing is the Rolls Royce of pre-amps. It has so many little amenities that I don't know where to start listing them.

For instance, most receivers have a loudness compensator. No big deal. When engaged, it boosts certain frequencies to compensate for when it's played at very low volumes. You turn it on when listening to it softly and turn the feature off when you're listening to it loud.

But with *this* device, the feature stays on and it will automatically increase or decrease the compensation depending on the actual volume at which your playing! Is that neat or what?

This pre-amp is *full* of nice little features like this. Even if the sound were "merely" excellent (like my Onkyo TX-DS939 was), all these cool features would justify getting it (though not at its $6,000 list price!).

Regarding the price, I recommend trying hard not to pay list. If you look on eBay, you can find it listed for much less: sometimes as low as $3,700! I didn't pay *that* low for my MC-1, but I came moderately close.

And *please* don't send me email asking me where I got it for the price I did. I once posted the amount I paid for some Atlantic Technology speakers, and I got a ton of email from people who wanted to get the same deal. :)

Similar Products Used:

Nothing similar. I used to use the Onkyo TX-DS939 as my surround processor but now it's merely a five channel amp to me! :-)

If you can afford it, you know you own one of the best pre-amp.

Are you kidding?

Excellent piece of equipment I've ever owned. All the reviewers below said it all. For those Lexicon owners who have not known about this Audio forum http://www.smr-forums.com , Check it out. It has a section for just Lexicon. I have found lots of useful info from software upgrading, system configuration, panaroma calibrating, etc... and much more.

Similar Products Used:

Sunfire, Denon AVR5700

I am a salesman in a store that sells Meridian, parasound , Bryston. BAT etc and have worked in a proceed and krell store so I knwew these other products. I bought the MC1 because it sounded better but also because of the way Lexicon treats its customers. Other companys may offer download upgrades to software and such but no-one else offers an upgrade program, Krell is the most guilty of this- changing products from year to year with no upgrade. The logic 7 blew me away but most of all was the 2 channel performance that I wasnt expecting to be that good. The proceed was the second choice ( PAV+DSD) not the AVP but the cost differce wasnt worth it and LOGIC 7 really sealed the deal. The other upgrade I made was a Bryston 9B and it absolutley destroyed the KAV500 and was better than the amp 5 for alot less money.

excellent surround sound for music and movies

2 channel audio ...4.5 stars

current system:Elite DVL-91/Lexicon MC-1/Classe CA-200/Classe CAV-75/Dunlavy SC-IVs/Dunlavy SC-I AV/ Vifa-Madisound Dipole Surrounds(side)MTM AV(rear)...the Lexicon is an excellent 5 star music and movie surround sound processor. 2 channel audio is not as good as the best audiophile preamps on the market and even the Citation 7.0 with the Classe CDP-.3(hdcd) cd player as the front end. But after listening to the Lexicon for 5 months with the Elite DVL-91 as the digital transport...I am hooked on the music surround mode and will not go back to 2 channel audio .... for movies and music surround it blows the Citation away...

Similar Products Used:

Citation 7.0/Sony TA-E1000ESD