Outlaw's new pre/pro to have balanced outputs...

In the latest newsletter. Know what the requirements for my next pre/pro are?

o balanced outputs
o DPL IIx
o i.Link
o individual crossovers
o software upgradeable

And a bunch of other stuff the new Outlaw should easily satisfy.

I am now hopeful that the Outlaw's next unit might actually be what I'm looking for! Come on i.Link, come on i.Link...

I wish they could release some more info. I am looking to upgrade and would like to know what features the new pre/pro will have. I am looking at the Emotiva pre/pro but would wait if I knew the outlaw had some key features missing on the Emotiva.

The 950's launch was a significant learning experience for Outlaw - which means better product launches for the consumer (although problems with new products are unavoidable to a certain degree) and sadly less information during the design process. I'm actually surprised they said as much as they did at this point (by which I mean formally acknowledging that the product is in development for release in the next year). The balanced outputs were suspected after the announcement of the Model 790 (which had balanced inputs) some months back.

And don’t forget. It says “pricing will be substantially above that of the original Model 950 price”

But, by how much? Hmmm, it would be nice if Outlaw does their own version of The Price is Right contest and the winner gets the new unit.

I'd like to see high and low tone control knobs, and pushbuttons for direct access to sources. Make it simple and convenient.

Gonk- I missed that the 970 had balanced outputs. Do you remember if it had i.Link? (Shoot, I need to check the newer Adcom and ATI pre/pros. Some of those are Eastech based, assuming Outlaw sticks with them for the manufacturing. Might give some clues as to the new one.)

Gonk- How do you know that the 950's launch was a significant learning experience for Outlaw? Did they mention it while cutting your latest paycheck for putting a pro-Outlaw spin on this forum? Also,I beleive that it's a mistake for any HT equipment manufacturer not to include HDMI switching on their pre/pro's and HDMI outputs on their other components. What's the hold up here? Is the interconnect manufacturers lobby that strong that the industry can't change directions?

Kevin - if we're assuming the 970 is the name of the next pre/pro, all we know is what was in the last newsletter (price undetermined, slated for release in the next year or so, balanced output) and that the upcoming 790 has balanced inputs - which is why several folks suggested that balanced outputs seemed likely on the next pre/pro. I'd guess that it'll be a while before they reveal anything more than the balanced outputs.

Worldwide - How about you back off a bit, huh? How do I know that the 950's launch was a significant learning experience? Because I recognize how much effort they put into trying to get the 950's problems resolved, and because I can look at the way they are preparing for the release of the 1070.

As for the "holdup" in HDMI appearing on home theater equipment (Outlaw or otherwise), keep in mind that design cycles are measured in years, and HDMI is still a young interface. DVI was brought over from the PC, where it was first used for LCD monitors a number of years ago, which I think is a big reason why it was the first digital video interface to actually make it to market in significant numbers. A year ago, DVI was the dominant digital video interface, and I think it is still more common on new HDTV's (not to mention the HDTV's made in the last couple of years, which gives DVI a significantly larger installed base on the TV side). It's only been the last six months or so that manufacturers have begun to incorporate HDMI more. I'm guessing that HDMI was still too young to make it into the design for the 1070. The 970 (or whatever it ends up being called) may be a different story.

Gonk, I know that the 950 was a good lesson for Outlaw but I think their biggest issue was the actual release date and a couple of early bugs. The early release of features was never really an issue from what I remember.

I assume if the product is going to be released in 2005, a feature list is probably close to being set. It would just be nice to know some of the new features it will have over the 950.

Dennis

If the product is going to be released in 2005, I would suspect that the feature list is very close to frozen at this point. Like you, I'd love to know what those features are, but with the 950 they announced it early and underestimated the amount of time they would need to get the unit into production - leading to a series of target release dates that slid across more months than anybody cares to remember. With the features dangling like a carrot throughout those series of unavoidable delays (including adding Dolby Digital EX in late 2001, right after licensing was first offered), there was a large and vocal group online who used that time to poke, prod, and generally make a fuss. Outlaw announced shortly afterward that they felt it was important to keep the lid more tightly in place on future new products to help minimize that sort of impatience. That's why they aren't giving us any more about the next pre/pro yet, and it's why I was surprised to see any mention of the next pre/pro at all in the latest newsletter. As for the post-launch issues with the 950, I will give Outlaw credit for remembering how much pain they went through while fixing it, and I feel certain that they are doing all they can to minimize the chance of a repeat performance with the 1070.

If you do some research into posts from the time period when the 950 was released, it will become painfully obvious what went wrong and what went right. I was one of the earliest critics of the 950's noise performance and I ended up in the loop of finding the solution. They couldn't have helped but learn from the experience.

What are "balanced outputs" and why are they important? I'm a novice currently building a new HT. Thanks for your help.

Gonk, I understand and respect the decision they have made. I followed the release of the 950 closely and ended up buying one. I know they took a lot of heat for missing multiple release dates and then took even more when they released the units with the hiss issue.

Since I am looking at new pre/pro's it would be nice to know. While I am looking at the new Emotiva, I would be willing to wait if the new Outlaw was going to have HDMI switching, i link and maybe some type of auto room EQ that has become commonplace on some of the new receivers.

It sounds like this might be the higher end unit they talked about a couple of years back when they talked about releasing two different units. I guess I am just anxious to know more just like everyone else.

In a home situation, you don't need them and they are not important. They are used in professional studio applications where cables may be hundreds of feet long.

I know the feeling, and at least I can offer you some company while you wait. Who knows? Maybe this first crumb of information is a sign of things to come.

I agree with Soundhound. Balanced outs/ins are generally "xlr" male/female terminations, like a microphone cable. For short runs of less than 25' I'd agree that there's no benefit. My Mackie speakers offer balanced or unbalanced inputs. I can't hear a difference under the circumstances that I use 'em. High quality cables are the way to go, IMHO.

Jay