Processor Recs

One thing that Lexicon has going for it is (besides being very good as-is) that the initial purchase is like a buy-in to the company. They offer upgrades in both firmware and hardware over the lifespan of the product. After they have maximized the upgradability of the product they offer insane trade in options. At one point the trade in value of an ancient Lexicon (that would go for maybe $400 on Agon) was such that for something like $600 + trade in unit, you got their top of the line processor.

Good luck!

Arcam has the same type of upgrade option as the Lexicon, but without the option for trade-in. I have an AV-8+ (software upgrade but not HDMI). It recieved rave reviews for both movies and music, and I cannot disagree. In analog mode for music, all digital circuits, clocks, etc are powered off to reduce noise. I am incredibly happy with it, no complaints. Music is wonderful and movies are incredible. E-mail me if you have questions.

Take a look at AVS Forums for more information on these processors. You'll see lots of opinions and comments. I think your biggest decision is whether to invest in a consolidated audio and video processor, or keep these separate. There are advantages to each strategy. And given the ongoing changes in audio/video technology, even with manufacturer supported software and hardware updates, I doubt that any of these processors will still be able to be state of the art in five years.

I was considering the Anthem D2 because of its tremendous video processing capabilities, but it is still going through some new product bugginess. Fortunately it is easy to update and Anthem is great about making changes to the software when necessary. There is a very active thread on this model.

The Theta is a also a tremendous processor, but can be VERY expensive when you add in all of its options.

I've heard that the Arcam is one of the nicest sounding processors, but it doesn't yet have the video processing capabilities of the others.

Hope that helps.

Tom