Pre/Pro now or later?

[Mike Nep]

I need some convincing on whether or not I should wait a couple of months to buy a new pre/pro or just go for it and buy one now. I'm not really sure what anthem, b&k, tag mclaren, and the others are doing in R&D but I haven't heard much. I'm on the Outlaw waiting list but who the #*%$ knows when I'll get one of those. Also, is the Outlaw 950 in the same league as the AVM 20, Reference 30, or the AV32R? Screw price, I can cover up near the 3K range, so I wanna know what the absolute BEST is in this range. Please no "for the price" based suggestions. Also, which are upgradeable of these and which companies are surely coming out with something new in the near future? Thanks everyone.

 

[Greg_R]

Have you considered a used Lexicon MC-1?

 

[Mike Nep]

Nope. When I think Lexicon I think MC 12. Does the MC 1 have all the latest formats, ie: 7.1, dpl II, logic 7?

 

[Kevin C Brown]

I don't think the MC-1 stands up to newer stuff in terms of 2 channel (analog) sound. Logic 7 is to die for (I almost got one just for this), but Lex'es aren't really known for pure audio quality. In fact, at least 1 reviewer of the new Outlaw rated it better than the MC-1.

If you can go to $3k, the Anthem might be the best choice of what's out now.

But your ears have to be the judge...

 

[Evan S]

Mike, I'm sure (well, only a few are certain) that the Outlaw will give you comparable performance in sound reproduction than the Anthem. However, it doesn't come close to matching it for features, upgradability and flexibility.

It really depends on what you are going to use the unit to do. If all you are going to do is hook up a CD player and DVD player to the Processor, get the Outlaw. If you are going to use 2 or more zones, have weird speaker configurations (i.e. the left surrounds are spaced far different from the center of the room than the right surrounds, etc.) or intend to do a lot of video switching in the future, get the Anthem.

Whether it's worth the additional $1300-1700 more than the Outlaw will be up to you, tested on your speakers in your living room.

With that being said, the Anthem is the single most expensive piece of gear I own and the one piece I have absolutely zero buyers remorse in purchasing.

 

[Drew Eckhardt]

Comparing a Adcom GCD-700 fed through a Marantz 7C (original) with newish Sovtek 12AX7WXTs to the same source using a digital coax connection to a DC-1 to mono-blocked Adcom 545iis and both NHT1.3s or Definitive BP8s a friend and I decide the DC-1 was more honest although we preferred the 7C.

Using the Lexicon's cross-over, another amp, and a passive (Citation 7.4) sub-woofer it was no longer a fair comparison with the improved mid-range eclipsing what came from the 7C.

IOW, the worst of the last generation Lexicons didn't suck compared to a classic 2-channel preamp which can fetch $1000. Relatively speaking (it's painful to audition HT preamps with the same speakers "we're not set up for that") few know. The Lexicons are neutral which many people don't prefer - if you want warm, skip it. If you want neutral (I might lean towards a bit of tube smoothness beyond neutral, but avoid listening to high-end gear as much as possible to save the wallet) the situation is interesting.

Mix-in AC-3/DTS on a 7.1 array, and you might get similar or better multi-channel performance from a Meridian. Otherwise, you won't match logic-7.

The MC-1 won't give you analog pass-through (irrelevant because little I'd want is on DVD-A or SACD. YMMV). No DPL-II (probably wins on 5 speakers, falls short on 7). No upgrades. If you choose wrong though, you won't loose a lot of money (audio gear looses 50-75% of it's value in short order and usually levels out afterwards) at least until the MC-12 lite has been arround a while.

You could buy a MC-1, Meridian 565, decide which you preferred and sell the looser.

The B&Ks don't compare.

 

[Wayne McRae]

Mike,just to throw one more into the mix.The new Rotel RSP-1066 has all the features and I believe has upgradeable software.I'm going to check it out on Saturday.The only other new one I've heard on the horizon is the Sherwood.(Sept?)

 

[jason celaya]

I think the Anthem AVM 20 is probably the best up to the Lex mc12.

 

[Mike Nep]

I'm pushing closer to the Anthem AVM 20 today. Anyone done any A/B testing against the Outlaw 950? Sounds like B&K doesn't compare but I also read somewhere that a reference 40 is in the works. Anyone know anything on this?

P.S. - I do a lot of movie watching but also a lot of music listening. Can't give you an exact %. All I know is that I don't want to compromise either. (FAT chance huh?) Small room now but very big room in July.

My setup if this helps:

Front: Paradigm Studio 80

Center: Paradigm Reference CC

Surrounds: Paradigm Mini Monitor Vol. 1

or

Surrounds: Paradigm ADP 170

(Whatever I feel like that week)

Receiver: Yamaha 795

Amp: Odyssey Stratos Stereo

Surround & Center Amplification: ? Not yet, but up for suggestions

DVD Player: Weak

 

[Michael Marklund]

FYI:
Look at this coming out/just out:www.cinepro.com. then click on (new!) All the latest and a great name. Also in the loop are Aragon StageOne and I've seen some new pre/pro from DavisLabs that's supposed to be up there.
Good luck!
MM

 

[Charles Gurganus]

You may want to consider some prepros from Classe. The SSP35 would fit the bill I think. The SSP75 is out of the price range but maybe a used one? Also, I see lots of EAD processors over at audiogon.com. May be worth a look.

 

[Mike Nep]

Okay, a few questions to add. What does the volume 4 upgrade for the Lexicon MC 1 get you and how about a shootout between the MC 1 and the AVM 20? Where are the EAD supporters? Don't see near as many as the Lexicon people.