Quote:
Originally posted by Jason J:
Sorry for not stating that clearer. I also have never heard the Lexicon, or the 950 for that matter, but I would be pretty sure the Lexicon would have the better overall sound quality. I'm also pretty sure that the Outlaw sounds great for its price range. I just feel that for someone who is building a current system, factoring out direct inputs, which are what would be used with SACD or DVD-Audio, is not a smart move. That one choice really handicaps the preamp. The ability to bypass processing is a big factor when considering preamps, at least in my experience.

With the "next best thing," I meant the different surround formats that opieie would want to try out. Sorry again for any confusion.


Jason,

Not a problem. I agree that the lack of a 5.1 input is a big limitation on the MC-1. In fact, I suspect that's one of the main things that drove the arrival of the MC-12 (and then later, the MC-8).

I also agree that opieie should factor that in when he makes his decision. If DVD-A or SACD is important to him, then his decision is pretty much made. The 950's the way to go, and I'd be willing to bet a toe (well, maybe not) that the Outlaw will serve him well. I've always been a big advocate of Outlaw gear, even before I bought any.

Outlaw excels at the "bang-for-the-buck" approach, whereas Lexicon excels at the "bang-at-any-price" approach. The fact that I use an Outlaw Model 770 amplifier with my Lexicon MC-12 surround processor should tell you how much I respect both manufacturers.

Jeff