A Model 970 FAQ for LMC-1 Owners

After over a year and a half of off-and-on involvement in Emotiva LMC-1 discussions (including quite a bit of time between March and July of this year), I find it ironic that AV123's president Mark Schifter has offered Outlaw\'s Model 970 as a solution for disappointed LMC-1 owners - after all, of the many various forums out there, Outlaw's Saloon is the one that I call "home." My first-hand experience with Outlaw surround processors includes both the Model 950 and the Model 990, but I've also made myself pretty familiar with the Model 970 (and before that it's receiver cousin, the Model 1070) over the last couple years. As a result, I may be able to offer some useful "big picture" insight into the operational differences between the LMC-1 and Model 970. LMC-1 owners interested in the Model 970 might also want to download and skim through the Model 970 manual .

There are still some unanswered questions about the LMC-1, and I am planning to update my issue list yet again when I migrate it to Emotiva's new forum in the coming week. That will be looking at the PLII/IIx Music/Movie issue and inquiring about progress on updated documentation among other things, but it will also start to try to summarize the answers that we do have and what they mean. Since we're presently on Outlaw's forum, though, the focus here is going to be on Outlaw's product and on known traits of both products.


What similarities are there?

• DAC chip
  Both the LMC-1 and Model 970 use similar chips for D/A conversion and A/D conversion. The LMC-1 uses the Cirrus CS42518 , while the Model 970 uses the Cirrus CS42528 (which offers 4dB more headroom but is otherwise the same chip).
• Video transcoding (composite and s-video to component)
  Both the LMC-1 and the Model 970 support transcoding (sometimes mis-identified as "upconversion") of composite and s-video inputs to the component video output.
• Video-only pass-through switching capability for DVI/HDMI sources
  The LMC-1 offers an outboard HDMI switcher that will let you switch video from two HDMI or DVI sources to a single HDMI or DVI input on your TV. The Model 970 offers the same capability with its internal DVI switching, which I'll touch on in detail a little later (since the whole HDMI/DVI thing can get a bit confusing).

What differences are there?

• DSP chip
  The Model 970 uses a Cirrus 49400 DSP chip, whereas the LMC-1 uses the older 49300. There are a number of capabilities that the Model 970 offers as a result of this difference, which we'll touch on as this section of the FAQ continues.
• Quadruple crossover instead of triple (applied in all cases)
  The Model 970 allows separate bass management crossover control for fronts, center, side surrounds, and rear surrounds (the LMC-1's side and rear surrounds share a crossover point). Also, these settings are applied in all cases - unlike the LMC-1, which reverts to a single global crossover when applying Pro Logic II or IIx to Dolby Digital sources.
• Speaker distance settings for all eight channels (including sub)
  Where the LMC-1 groups speakers for distance settings, the Model 970 handles each individually. This can be handy for those not quite symetrical rooms.
• Pro Logic IIx can be applied to DTS sources
  Dolby Labs calls fro Pro Logic IIx to be available with Dolby Digital sources as well as analog stereo and PCM stereo, but it is not mandatory for PLIIx to work with DTS 5.1 sources. It is an option allowed for, though, and the Model 970 provides this capability.
• Per-input surround mode memory
  One issue that I've long questioned Emotiva about is the LMC-1's inability to remember user preferences for surround modes for individual inputs. The Model 970 is like other surround receivers and processors in offering this. One benefit from my personal preferences. I use my DVD player for CD playback, but if I stumble across a DVD with PCM stereo I am more likely to want to use PLIIx-Movie while I prefer PCM stereo from CD's to be left in stereo. I assign the same digital input to both the DVD and CD inputs (see my comments about addressable digital inputs shortly), and my CD input uses stereo for PCM stereo source while my DVD input applies PLIIx-Movie for PCM stereo and for Dolby 2.0. It's a rare case indeed where I feel a need to manually toggle surround modes on my Model 990 because of this per-input surround mode memory.
• Lip sync function
  Video processing has become more and more prevalent in our hobby, and the CPU horsepower required to achieve it often leads to a delay in video output. As the audio is traveling separately in most cases, the two signals can fall out of sync. Each input on the Model 970 has an AV Sync adjustment that allows the audio to be delayed up to 200ms in 10ms increments. If you find that a certain source's video processing is creating a sync problem, this will allow you to fix it.
• Digital inputs are all addressable
  The LMC-1's digital inputs are each specifically assigned to one particular input (be it "CD" or "DVD" or "Video2"). The Model 970 uses a different approach. Each input like CD or DVD has an option in the setup menu to have the audio input assigned. That input can be analog (which would be the input's specific stereo analog connection) or one of eight digital inputs (coaxial1 through coaxial4 and optical1 through optical4). One digital input can be assigned to more than one input.
• Bass management for 7.1 Direct input
  Most receivers and processors provide a multichannel analog input for use with DVD-Audio, SACD, HD-DVD, or Blu-ray. These inputs typically skip all digital processing because the emphasis is on preserving that high resolution analog audio signal as cleanly as possible. Unfortunately, that means the processor can't do any bass management, and the sources that we connect in this manner are notorious for skimping on bass management. Outlaw's solution with the Model 970 is to give you a rear panel switch with three choices: bypass, LPF/HPF, and digital. We'll get into the finer points of using this switch later, but basically it allows you to preserve a full bypass (thus behaving the same as the LMC-1's 7.1 analog input), employ an analog bass management circuit that uses an 80Hz crossover, or convert the analog signal to digital and apply the same bass management, channel trim, and speaker delay settings used with all other inputs.
• Back-lit universal remote
  The Model 970's remote offers both a backlight and the ability to control up to seven other devices. The remote is a UEI Catalyst48, using the same basic database of codes as the rest of UEI's large family of remotes (which includes the Radio Shack and One-For-All remotes commonly referred to as "JP1" due to their JP1 serial port interface). It does not offer learning capability or macros. Since the Model 970 and LMC-1 both fall into a price bracket that shares a lot with OPPO Digital's market, I'll point out one thing for owners of OPPO's 970HD, 981HD, or new 980H players. All three offer a feature called "Alternate RC Code" that allows the player to accept remote commands borrowed from some common brands. You'll need the latest beta firmware for the 970HD and 981HD, but the 980H includes this in the original firmware. With the Model 970's remote and this option enabled, assigning code 0903 will allow you to control nearly all of the players' functions.
• Analog bypass mode
  One comment that I've often made regarding the LMC-1 was that its "bypass" mode is not a true bypass. It is actually just a stereo mode. The Model 970 does include a true bypass mode, in which stereo analog inputs can be left in the analog domain. In this mode, the processor acts solely as an analog pre-amp - a popular option for folks with high-quality analog sources or outboard stereo DAC's.
• Headphone jack with Dolby Headphone
  There is a headphone jack on the front panel, and the Model 970 offers Dolby Headphone processing for those of you who want to watch movies while using your headphones.
• Discrete on/off commands
  New Model 970 owners sometimes get tripped up by this, so it's worth pointing out - but it's also a very handy feature for anyone trying to set up macros on a third-party universal remote. The "Power" button on the Model 970's remote is actually a discrete "power off" command and not a power on/off toggle. Instead, every input command (DVD, Video1, CD, 7.1 Direct, AM/FM, ...) doubles as a discrete "power on" command. If you want to turn the 970 on, just pick the input you want and it'll fire up on that input.
• RS232 port for firmware updates
  The Model 970 includes the ability to update firmware without shipping it back to Outlaw. I'll go into detail on this later.
• Front AV input, including digital connections
  The front panel has two small covers in the bottom right corner. One conceals a pair of digital inputs (optical and coaxial). The other conceals an AV input (stereo analog, composite video, and s-video).
• Default start-up volume
  The LMC-1 includes an unusual feature: when turned on, the volume slowly ramps up to the last setting (often taking ten seconds or so). The user can tap a volume button along the way to avoid getting startled by a loud volume setting. The Model 970 offers something different. It allows the user to configure the unit to either use the last volume setting or to define a default start-up volume. On my Model 990 (which shares this feature), I have it set up to start at -35dB. That's a comfortable level for watching TV, so when my wife picks up out universal remote and hits the "On" macro (which turns on the cable box, TV, and 990 and sets the 990 to the cable input) the volume is right where she needs it.
• 5 Stereo/7 Stereo mode instead of DSP modes
  The LMC-1 offers an assortment of DSP modes such as club or hall. The Model 970 does not offer such modes, but it does include a 5/7 Stereo mode that copies the left and right signals to all surround speakers (left goes to left side surround and left rear surround, right goes to right side surround and right rear surround, and center gets a mix of both left and right).
• No second zone
  Unlike the LMC-1, the Model 970 does not include a second zone.

What's up with the DVI switching?
I have compiled a lengthy summary of HDMI in my HDMI FAQ , for any who are interested. For the case of the Model 970 (and the Models 1070 and 990), the internal DVI switching will work equally well with HDMI and DVI sources and displays. The internal switch is HDCP-compliant and can allow connection of HDMI sources (DVD, HD-DVD, Blu-ray, HD cable, HD satellite, AppleTV, or any other HDMI devices you might have handy) to HDMI displays. All you need is either an HDMI-to-DVI cable or even just a simple HDMI-to-DVI adapter. Like the LMC-1's external HDMI switch, the Model 970's two DVI inputs are permanently assigned to the DVD and Video2 inputs.

The obvious caveat here (and the reason that Outlaw chose DVI over HDMI when this product was in development, since it lessens consumer confusion): the DVI switching is video only. HDMI audio data will not be available to the Model 970. This is also common to many products with HDMI switching, as well, though - both external switching like the LMC-1's and even many examples of internal HDMI switching (such as Emotiva's MMC-1). You still need to connect an optical or coaxial digital cable or multichannel analog cables to get audio.


I've heard about a "no audio" bug. What's the story there?
Some time after the Model 970 arrived, reports started cropping up regarding a curious bug. In some cases, when the Model 970 attempted to identify the incoming digital signal, it would simply go silent - no audio. Changing inputs or doing something else to cause a re-acquisition of the signal would generally resolve the problem. The really curious aspect was that it affected a small number of users and was difficult to repeat on demand. Some users could encounter it several times a day, others once a month, and others never. Since the majority of users seemed to fall into the latter two categories, the actual event was pretty difficult to isolate. Needless to say, this elusiveness made it particularly tricky to troubleshoot.

Outlaw has put quite a bit of effort into unraveling this mystery. They have brought in engineers from Cirrus and Dolby to help search out the culprit. I'm told there was even a bit of custom hardware built to "listen in on" the digital bitstream and record it to try to identify the nature of the signal that could trigger the problem. They have released several beta firmware versions, leading finally to an official version that started shipping with new units in June and was posted on their site around the fourth of July. This official firmware version is said to either eliminate or significantly curtail the problem, although it is important for existing Model 970 owners to follow the firmware update instructions closely (including a system reset at the end) - which leads to the next item in the FAQ...


Firmware updates?
Mark Schifter touched on this in his announcement . The Model 970 includes an RS232 port, which can be connected to a PC with a standard serial cable (not a "null modem" cable). The user can download a small file from Outlaw, run a small loader program, and replace the firmware with a newer version. The 970 support page spells out all the details and includes a link to an appropriate serial cable from CompUSA. As I mentioned above, Outlaw has released several revisions of the Model 970 firmware in the process of addressing the "no audio" bug. They also released an update to the Model 1070 firmware when the Model 970 was launched due to some refinements made during the development of the Model 970 in the fall of 2005 (the 1070 and 970 are based on the same platform).

Also, to see what the current version of your firmware is, turn the 970 on and switch to an input that will allow you to see OSD messages on your TV (the front video input will work, even if there's nothing connected to it), then press MENU and MUTE on the front panel at the same time. The OSD message that appears will be your current firmware version number.


What's the story with this bass management toggle switch on the rear panel?
The switch is in some ways a descendent of Outlaw's old ICBM-1 bass management unit. The purpose is to compensate for the often woefully minimal (or sometimes even nonexistent) bass management provided by DVD-Audio, SACD, and more recently HD-DVD and Blu-ray players. It first appeared on the Model 950 in a less sophisticated form, but at the request of Model 950 owners it got a little more muscle for the 970. There are three options: Bypass, HPF/LPF, and Digital. "Digital" converts the analog signal to digital; applies the same bass management, time delay (speaker distances), and channel trim used with other sources; and then converts back to analog. This gives the most robust bass management and other processing possible, but is also going to yield the most complex signal path. "HPF/LPF" leaves the signal in the analog domain (no digital bass management, time delay, or channel trim) but employs an 80Hz analog crossover network to redirect low frequencies from the full-range speakers to the subwoofer. This gives you the THX standard bass management crossover while avoiding A/D/A conversion. "Bypass" is exactly the same as the LMC-1's multichannel analog input. Basically, all you get is volume control in a purely analog signal path.

"HPF/LPF" provides a cleaner and simpler signal path compared to "Digital," so it's worth trying to see which you think sounds better - particularly if that 80Hz crossover is a decent fit for your system. If there's no difference in your system, the "Digital" setting would allow you to skip calibrating the source player entirely (leave channel trim at zero and don't set any speaker distances) because the 970 will do it for you. In both cases, you would want to disable any bass management in the player (set all speakers to "large" and the sub to "on") since you are getting bass management at the 970. On the other hand, if your player has bass management and time delay that satisfies you, just flip the switch to "Bypass" and the Model 970 will get out of the way.


Mark Schifter and AV123 helped make this trade-in possible, but the Model 970 would be purchased from Outlaw. Who do we talk to if we need help?
The Model 970 is all Outlaw's. Mark had a hand in the trade-in program, but the purchase is through Outlaw and support would thus be Outlaw's to provide. You also have this forum to lend a hand.


Where did the green power button go?
OK, now I'm just being silly...

Outlaw's original products clearly showed some of Peter Tribeman's NAD background, with a utilitarian styling that I've described as "aggressively minimalist" - and a large green power button. Plenty of people were critical of the aesthetics, and the Model 1070/970 was the product that Outlaw used to re-define their styling. Offering a look that is still a bit minimalist, the new design dropped the old (and often derided) green power button.

Feature/fact: The LMC-1 has a built-in amp to power the 2nd zone (perfect for outdoor speakers).

Subjective: sound quality????