LEXICON MC-12B and MC-12

Two new digital processors…

Big hitters in the realms of audio streams for studio mastering and sound reproduction for Home Cinema, Lexicon have announced the upcoming launch (July 2001) of two new digital processors:
The MC-12 Balanced and MC-12.

For the moment, the US-based company has not released a great deal of information, however we’ve been able to uncover some photos and spec. sheets for these new monsters.
Developed for the broadcast market, and more particularly for Home Cinema, the MC-12 Balanced and MC-12 are the result of long months of development. Lexicon thus take the opportunity of releasing a new generation of machines onto the market, capable of processing most multi-channel audio-video formats and functioning in “multi-room” mode (three different listening zones can be configured).

What’s Uuup?.

The evolution is radical, because following on from the black plastic finish of their patriarchs – the MC1 and DC2, Lexicon now present two apparatus, benefiting, despite their similarities, from an “esoteric” kind of aesthetic - reviewed and corrected. A greyish metal façade surrounds a large control screen under which the manufacturers have installed the latest generation of electronics. The two MC-12’s thus receive a stage dedicated entirely to multi-channel decoding:

- Dolby Digital, Dolby Pro Logic II;
- DTS and DTS-ES in “discreet” and “matrix” versions;
- THX Surround EX;
- and Logic 7.

Furthermore, as with most processors of the brand, the lads from Lucas have granted their THX Ultralabel.
What with DVD Audio on the cards, Lexicon have decided to include a number of converters that are able to handle audio streams encoded in 24bits/96kHz and in 24 bits/192kHz. In parallel, these streams are processed by a series of four SHARC microprocessors running at 32 Bits, as well as by a DSP Crystal CS49326 (developed by Cirrus Logic) which, here, is dedicated to multi-channel processing.

Given the almost constant development of audio-video formats and standards, the makers of the units are playing on the upgradeability of their products. Users can upgrade the MC-12, via RS-232 (upgrade of bios) or by the insertion of supplementary chips (3 free slots are set aside for this).

Apart from the excellence of the electronics used, Lexicon propose an ultra complete interface… both in the audio section, with analogue/digital outputs, and in the video section:
- 5 analogue audio entries (stereo RCA ), one 5.1 input (L, C, R, LS, RS, LFE);
- 13 digital audio inputs (with AES/EBU);
- 4 component video inputs (HDTV compatible) including one in BNC;
- 8 S-Video inputs;
- 5 composite video inputs;
- 2 RS-232 inputs.

-12 pre-out outputs in RCA (L, C, R, surround L/R, back L/R, Subwoofer L/R, LFE, L/R auxiliaries) ;
- Uniquely on the MC-12 “Balanced” model - 14 pre-out outputs in XLR (L, C, R, surround L/R, back L/R, Subwoofer L/R, LFE, L/R auxiliaries and Zone 2)
- 2 digital outputs including one coaxial and one optical;
-1 component output in BNC;
-4 video outputs (two composites and two S-video).

Also, for those of you who might not have understood, the difference between the two models is situated partly in the XLR connections. The MC-12 Balanced, which disposes of this type of connection, can be adapted more readily to the demands of customers looking for professional interfacing.
These two “beasts” will rear their heads in the Home Cinema market from July 2001… the only dark cloud being their price. More to come…...