Lexicon MC-8 : What's your experience? Good/Bad

After 5 years of living with my Lexicon DC1 (v4 loaded), I started looking at prepros at around January.
At this time my budget was a bit more and was ready to spend up 8k.
Reading all the reviews and having owned a LOT of lexicon gear (besides the DC1 I also have lexicon fx processors in my studio) I was rest assured I just had to order an MC8.
The MC8 was just becoming available so I had to wait a bit but I really wanted sacd and dvda playback which is not possible with the dc1, so I borrowed an AVM20.
It was a nice upgrade from the Dc1!
Cleaner and much tighter bass, a hell of a lot better imaging and just better overall presentation.
I was all excited about the MC8.
Well, It took me about 3 days to get the MC8 installed.
No Not because it's hard, I think it's the most user friendly unit. I just keep putting the AVM20 back in the chain, because I didn't think the MC8 was that much better.
Actually at the end I would have picked the AVM20 between the two no matter the price. Both are modern engineering marvels. (Well not really just more or less modern cookbook designs.) Yeah the latest mambo jumbo and AD/DA and OpAmps. More or less the same.
I went nuts and also ordered a Classe SSp75.
Now that is a different class in its own.
The lexicon mc8 is very much in line with the AVM 20 sonically. You need discrete output stages not opamps if you want $7k worth of audio performance. Otherwise you are just paying for the well-established professional name of the lexicon.

My system as follows:
All DH Labs cables.
Infinity IRS Omega mains.
Infinity Renaissance 80's center and surrounds.
NHT SUb.
Classe CAM 200 x3 up front.
Aragon 8008BB rear
Marantz 8400 SACD/DVDA player
PC with AES card for PCM and red book stuff.

And now the Classe SSP75.

Hi Robert -

Unfortunately, I do not have any experience with the Anthem unit, so I can't offer up any comparison.

The Lexicon units do not have a tuner built in. I never listen to the radio, so this isn't an issue for me (in fact, it's a plus, as I didn't have to pay for the feature). I don't have a recommendation, per se, though the Magnum line (MD-108??) seems to get good reviews and is reasonably priced.

Kirk

Kthomas - Thanks for the input!
Maybe a "dumb" question, but how does Lexicon MC-8 (12) compare to Anthem AVM20? If price is not an issue, any reason to consider the Anthem?
And does the Lexicon (MC-8-or 12) have a built in tuner?
What do you recommend if not?
Thanks again!

I have the MC-12. The MC-8 is built on the same architecture, but scaled down. I don't have hands-on experience with the MC-8.

I both listen to music and watch movies a lot through my system. For HT, there is no better than the Lexicon, in my opinion. They support all of the industry standard modes expertly, and add their own Logic7 into the mix. Certainly if you want to go with a 7 speaker setup instead of 5 (both .1 of course), the Lexicon will shine even more. In the new architecture, they have recoded Logic7 and it's more aggressive sounding, which has fairly unanimously been seen as a major step forward by those of us who have owned a series of Lexicon controllers.

For music, I personally think it's a wonderful piece. I listen mainly in 2-channel, and it wouldn't be worth it to me, in price or clutter, to add a dedicated preamp for two channel listening. A lot of people who own the Lexicon units who are music fans like it for it's simulated surround mode - Logic7 Music. Again, I think if you like this type of simulation, the Lexicon is at least equal to the best, if not the best. If you want 2-channel reproduction, it suits me very well in a system that is very revealing. I have seen reviewers whom I trust a great deal describe it as as-good as a very fine two-channel preamp, if not the very best SOTA preamps.

Usability is superb - well documented, easy to set up and use, but also very "deep" if you want to experiment. Lexicon has great customer support and has historically offered generous trade-in programs for upgrading.

If you're satisfied with your HT and are just looking to upgrade your music, you'd probably get as much for less by getting a really nice 2-channel preamp with HT pass-thru - a bit more complicated but less money.

I like the unit and the company. I am not associated with the A/V business in any way other than through charges against my cc.

Kirk