All we can say is “WOW”! It’s been quite a week or so for the Outlaws as we journeyed down to the Home Entertainment Show (HES) in New York, held a press conference and two days of demos, and then loaded up the chuck wagon for the return trip back to the Hideout. Before we bring you the details from the Show, two notes of thanks are in order. First, a thank you to everyone who came to visit us. It was a pleasure meeting you all! At the same time, our special thanks to anyone who had to wait an extra day or so for a response to an e-mail or phone message while we were away from our desks, phones and computers during the Show. Your patience is appreciated.

In our Pre-Show Newsletter we hinted at some of the products that would be unveiled at the HES. For those who couldn’t make the show, let’s review the hints and explain what they meant. Four new products were promised, and all were either demonstrated or displayed during the Show. As they become available, more details will be posted in the Product pages of our web site and in the individual sections of the Saloon, but here is a summary:

o Model 7900: We’ve been talking about this one for a while, and we’re pleased to announce that it is finally here. The Model 7900 will be our biggest power amplifier ever, with seven fully balanced, differential output channels, each capable of 300 watts into 8-ohm loads and an incredible 450 watts into 4-ohm loads. As this is a world-class amplifier, there is no need to put the required “FTC Disclaimer” in parenthesis. The THD is ultra-low at less than 0.03% at 20 Hz to 20kHz, and as you would expect from the Outlaws, this rating is at each channel with ALL CHANNELS DRIVEN. The power bandwidth is from 5Hz to over 100 kHz, +0/-3 dB.

Normally, this level of power requires an extra heavy duty power cord on the amp and a visit from the electrician on your end to install an outlet to accommodate the special “dryer plug” not normally found in home theater rooms. We’ve avoided the need for that since the Model 7900’s power supply uses two custom designed toroidal transformers, each fed by a separate power cord. To deliver the amp’s full power potential we strongly recommend that each cord be used with a separate fifteen-amp circuit, but that is not essential when the amp is not fully driven.

As befits an amplifier in this class, the design includes common-mode rejection technology to reduce crosstalk, a massive heat sink for fan-free operation, low-voltage triggers, high-end connectors and much more.

Complete details and photos may be found on our web site at http://www.outlawaudio.com/products/7900.html but there is one more important item to be mentioned here. The Model 7900 will be a true value when it ships in June at a price of $3,499. However, for those who order now, a special pre-release price of $2,999 will be available until the first unit ships. As with all Outlaw products, when you charge the order to your Outlaw GECAF card the deal gets even better, with the option of twelve months with no payments and no interest†. (Of course, your account is not charged until the unit ships, regardless of the card used.)

o LFM-1 EX: Our Pre-Show Newsletter mentioned that two of the new products would be demonstrated at the Show. The Model 7900 was one; the other was the new LFM-1 EX. Taking a proper place at the top of our subwoofer line-up, this new model has the largest enclosure of any sub we’ve ever offered, giving it extended linear bass capabilities down to 16 Hz. Powering the LFM-1 EX’s 12-inch, long-throw woofer is a 350 watt BASH® amplifier that takes everything the most demanding soundtrack can throw at it.

Thanks to a sophisticated EQ circuit and custom port plug, you may set the LFM-1 EX for “maximum output” for a linear response down to 22Hz and a maximum output level up to 118 dB in typical listening environments, or “maximum extension” re-tune the system for a linear response down to 16 Hz. Crossover level is variable from 40 Hz to 180 Hz, or it may be bypassed entirely for seamless integration with any combination of system electronics and speakers. A final “fine tune” to integrate the sub to your room is a 180-degree phase control to help tame adverse room interaction.

All of this power and performance can be yours when the LFM-1 EX begins shipping in July at $649.

o LFM-1 Compact: The third new product unveiled at the HES is the LFM-1 Compact. This new subwoofer’s name describes both its physical size and modest $399 price, as well as the more minimal room sizes it was designed for. The new sub’s performance, however, is anything but compact! A powerful 225-watt BASH amp powers a 10-inch driver in the dual powered enclosure for extremely linear performance from 180 Hz down to 25 Hz, with output up to 110 dB in appropriate room configurations.

The LFM-1 Compact’s features also belie its name. Both line-level and speaker-level inputs are on-board along with the same 180-degree phase control switch and 40 Hz – 180 Hz continually variable crossover found on our larger models. The down-firing enclosure’s slim 13-inch width and a black satin finish with smoked Plexiglas top panel combine to let you place it in almost any room, regardless of décor or furniture arrangement. Despite its size, the LFM-1 Compact has the same frequency response as our original LFM-1, with only a 5dB difference in the output. When the LFM-1 Compact starts shipping in July we predict that it will make many of you (and your significant others) very happy.

o The final new product unveiled at the Home Entertainment Show is one that is truly unique. The Outlaw LCR Speaker will be the world’s first dual-purpose speaker capable of either vertical operation for use as a left/right speaker, or in the horizontal position normally used for center channel placement. Conceived by the Outlaws and developed by them in conjunction with the same design team responsible for our new Outlaw Bookshelf Loudspeaker, the LCR will set the home theater world on its ears, vertically and horizontally!

The drivers are the same high-end, 1-inch silk dome tweeter and 5.25-inch mid-range found in our Bookshelf Loudspeaker (as well as many other “audiophile” speakers whose names we can’t mention), in an “MTM” arrangement. The magic comes from a unique dual-crossover system, specially designed to minimize comb filtering, and the availability of 2 dB or 4 dB of boundary compensation to optimize performance, all contained within a solid cabinet that takes its style cues from the Bookshelf Loudspeaker.

We’re still in the preliminary design stage, but initial tests on the crossover indicate that the performance will be outstanding and more than a match for speakers with considerably higher price tags. As with our initial speaker offering, the LCR will be manufactured in the USA, and it will carry a price of $699 each. Expect much more news on this exciting product as we move closer to production in early fall.

Outlaw tradition dictates that we have a “special” or two at the Show, and this year’s event was no exception. This time, however, one of the specials is not a limited time offer, but a permanent price reduction!

o Effective with orders placed during the Home Entertainment Show, and going forward, we are pleased to be able to lower the price of the Model 990 processor to $999. This $100 reduction makes a great product even better, and the price of all “combo” packages that include a Model 990 have also been adjusted to reflect the new, lower pricing. Now, for the first time, a fully featured, award-winning surround processor with balanced audio outputs is available for under $1,000. If you’ve been waiting to upgrade your system, the timing has never been better! We can say with confidence that there is no better processor anywhere for under $1,000!

Our second Show Special was announced prior to the show, and it gives high value to low frequencies. We’ve reduced the price of the LFM-1 Plus subwoofer from $679 to $499. That is an incredible $180 reduction, and it is applicable to all LFM-1 Plus orders placed through May 31. Even after the promotion ends (starting on June 1), the LFM-1 Plus will carry a price of $549, which is still a considerable saving over the pre-Show level. While the LFM-EX will become our flagship subwoofer, LFM-1 Plus will remain as a “best in class” product unmatched at the $549 price and an incredible deal through the end of May at $499.

The final hint in our pre-Show newsletter was one of our better “puzzlers”. When we said that one of the specials would “…knock your eyes out…” it set some of you to wondering what new product we’d come up with. This time around, however, it isn’t an Outlaw product, but it will knock your eyes out both in terms of its price and picture quality. For many years the folks at Home Theater Concepts, Ltd. In Norwood, MA. have been very close friends of ours. They are recognized as the premier showroom and custom installer for all of New England. As a leading home theater specialist they were the most successful independent Sony Qualia dealer until the Qualia Division was closed down late last year. Thanks to their success with Qualia as well as the back-up of their affiliated company, The Service Bench, they were able to purchase the remaining inventory of what many still call “The Best Rear Projection Television ever made”, the 70”W, 1080p, SXRD-based, Qualia KDS70-Q006R. Every time we visit Home Theater Concepts, we’re struck by the remarkable quality of this set, even as it sits next to current RPTV models.

Through a limited, special arrangement with them, Outlaw will gain access to offer some of these remarkable sets.

The facts and figures behind the Q006R are too numerous for this Newsletter, so we’ll post a series of materials about this set in the Saloon. However, in the brief space available here, we want to give you the top-level information on a once-in-a-lifetime price on a set the likes of which may never be seen again.

o The KDS70-Q006R originally sold for $13,000, but our price for this amazing set is $6,600. The cartons are marked as “refurbished” and thus, by law, we must sell the sets as such. However, after extensive examination they appear to be unused and there is no indication of any rework either electronically or to the cabinets. As far as we can determine, these are unused, first quality sets.

So why the marking? We believe that in order to justify the incredibly low pricing under which Home Theater Concepts purchased the entire remaining inventory of these sets, and to avoid problems with any dealers still selling the sets at the higher price, someone felt it necessary to package the sets in “Refurbished” boxes. We can tell you that Home Theater Concepts has already sold and installed a fair number of these sets and they have all been perfect quality with no evidence of anything that would even hint of a returned unit. All of their customers are satisfied beyond their wildest expectations with the Q006.

As a further assurance that these sets are first-quality, despite their marking as, and being sold here as “Refurbished”, each set will be fully evaluated and tested before shipment, and if even the slightest hint of a questionable set shows up, it will not leave their facility. Behind that assurance, all sets are covered by the same 3-year parts and labor Qualia warranty as a new set, available nationwide through Sony’s Independent Authorized Service Network. Of course, both the Outlaws and Home Theater Concepts stand behind the sets as well.

o As part of the pre-shipment evaluation, we’ll take things one step further by having each set fully calibrated by Home Theater Concepts’ ISF certified technicians. Each set will come with documentation of the calibration and a settings worksheet should it be necessary to restore the calibration settings in the future. Anyone who has had his or her display calibrated knows that this is a costly process, but we are including it free of charge.


Mosey over to the Saloon for complete details and a FAQ on this amazing set, but if you are at allinterested please contact us quickly. The supply is limited, and when they are gone, they are gone!

Those are the highlights from this year’s Home Entertainment Show. We’re pleased to bring them to everyone in the Outlaw community so that you may join in the excitement of the new products and special offers described above. For now, it’s back to work at the Hideout but you’ll be hearing more from us over the next few months.

Best regards,

The Outlaws