Receiver vs Processor

I dissagree with the Porscchecab. ESPECIALLY if your just doing home theater, really your going to find better value in a receiver as your pre/pro, simply because they're clean enough, and they have so so many inputs/features for the money! Prices are so competetive in that arena, that you can get a jam packed feature loaded receiver for not to much money! And the preamp sections and processors in them are clean enough to give you very clean sound!...at least as clean or refined as what's comming of the not so special sounding Lexicon DC1 pre/pro! That unit just sounds like another plain vanilla digital pre/pro to me!...and all the reviewers will agree on that if you read the reviews on the DC1!
Even the Acurus ACT 3 or Classe SSP25 were sonically MUCH MUCH CLEANER AND MORE REFINED SOUNDING than any of the marginally decent sounding Lexicons!
I would submit to you that for your purposes and or budget(although, yes, you could get even more refined sound with lower noise floor, etc, with a more expensive outboard prepro) a receiver would work very well for your purposes! If you can, you might want to go around and listen to some of the pieces out there for things like overall sound, background noise level, features, etc, all at different price points. You may find you can find a killer receiever for your purposes that's fairly inexpensive comparatively!
Good luck

But Chilidog, I am going to side with Porschecab as far as getting a dedicated "pre/pro" is concerned. I am saying that because he already has a two channel power amp and a multichannel one as well, so he does not need to put any money toward the internal amplifiers that a receiver is going to provide if he's not going to be using them. Instead, why can't use the same money that he would've otherwise use for paying for the internal amplifiers for a receiver and use it to pay for some refinement in a "pre/pro" instead?? Outlaw supposedly makes a killer "pre/pro" that retails for less than $1,000.00. I don't think it can do THX or Ultra THX. But I am quite sure it can do 5.1, 6.1, and 7.1. And I know for certain is has component and composite video inputs. If I am putting together a setup like what "Tbone" is putting together, I don't think I would waste all of that performance and refinement by using a receiver. Not when there's the Outlaw Pre/Pro out there.

--Charles--

I would suggest that you check out the Sherwood Newcastle Home Theater Processor(AV9080). Audiogon has some listed for under $500.00.Check the Sherwood website for their new updated processor also.

I'll throw my $.02 worth in for the DC-1 - for straight HT, they're really great. You won't get all the latest 6-channel modes, but you get the Logic7 mode and fabulous HT performance. I've had the DC-1, MC-1 and now the MC-12 - they're absolutely top-notch for HT, and a great centerpiece for a dual-purpose system. -Kirk

I offer another vote for a DC1 as a budget pre-pro only. They are outstanding once set up properly and have plenty of inputs for most people's theaters.

I would not use one as a music only piece, but definitely as a theater only piece. Just be sure to find one that has all current updates. Also there are a few minor tweaks that can be performed to increase the sound quality of the Lexicons.

The greatest feature of the Lexicon is the "SMR Lexicon Forum." It is similar in quality and member experience to the Audiogon Forum.