HT processor Classe SSP-50 vs Lexicon MC-1

I'd recommend the Primare P30 over these other units you are entertaining. You won't find much info on these but Primare is an outstanding little known Swedish company with a music first philosophy whether it's HT or 2-channel.

I've had the P30 in my 2-channel system for about 20 months and had compared it to several 2-channel tubed pre-amps and also to the Stereophile class A rated Ayre k3-x 2-channel pre-amp in my home.

The tube pre-amps weren't even in the same ballpark, and the Ayre k3-x had much coloration lacking detail and tranparency when compared to the P30. The Ayre had a bit more musicality or sweetness than the P30, but at the expense of dynamics, detail, and coloration.

The P30 was designed with a music first approach, no bass or trebble controls, etc., and has a true 100% analog processing signal path when in by-pass mode. Some to many pre/pros claim 100% analog signal processing when in fact somewhere in the signal path it's converted to digital and then back to analog.

Aside from it's sonic character or lack thereof, I wanted to be able to hook up a subwoofer without Y-connectors.

The P30 allows for about 15 inputs (6 analog and 6 digital) pluse one pair of Balanced inputs and one AES/EBU connector as well. Aside from the RCA outputs it also includes a pair of XLR main outputs that operate along with the RCA main outs.

The XLR main outs are used for my amp and RCA main outs go to my sub.

Again, you won't find too many people owning a P30, but the few I ran into appear to feel much as I do when it comes to the P30's sonic superiority over much of the competition. Whether Pre/pro or 2-channel pre-amps.

There's one for sale right now on Agon for $2500 obo. http://cgi.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cl.pl?homeproc&1043037530

Hope this helps.

-IMO

I have a lot of hands-on with the Lex, none with the Classe. I don't think anybody does HT better than Lexicon. I think Lexicon does derived surround sound from stereo sources as well or better than anybody - that may or may not have any value to you, but many who own a Lex value that capability. I didn't listen to music that way, but value music reproduction highly in my dual-purpose system, and found the MC-1 to be at least very good for music. General comments on the Classe line of pre/pros is that they're a notch ahead of many other lines for two-channel reproduction.

If you go for a used MC-1, be sure that you either get one that hasn't been traded in for a new model (Lex is great on the trade up programs) or that the price you pay reflects the fact that it has been traded in already.