Please keep in mind while we are talk about the card based archtecture as a wish list, which I am thrilled it has gotten so much interest, I would much rather the following items which I consider to be requirements to more quickly filter into next rev of the product:

Must have features:

• Automatic speaker setup with room correction / equalization and base management (Pioneer’s Advanded MCACC with phase control / Audussey MultEQ) and base management – I have lived with this feature for a little over 3 years now. Starting with Yamaha’s YPAO, a short lived stint with Denon’s Audussey MultEQ, and now Pioneers Advanced MCACC with Phase control. I believe Outlaws base management options (individual speaker bass management controls) to be superior to the bass management features on brands listed above but I Outlaws base management was combined with room correction/EQ I would have been sold

It was for this feature set alone that I didn’t buy an Outlaw 990.

After experiencing the dramatic effects these systems have on the overall sound quality I will never go back to a system without it. These systems seem to bring out the detail, increase the focus, add depth to the sound stage and just make the sound snap into place. Especially, since theater room has to share duties as a living room. Which I would believe to be similar to many buyers of the Outlaw products.

I will note that of the three systems mentioned above Pioneer’s implementation of the room correction/EQ software is by far the best implementation I have worked with to date. It is the most detailed in its configuration, offers 6 memory settings for slightly different EQ configurations which the user can scroll through from the remote while listen to any source. The Pioneer offering allows you to copy one room correction/EQ configuration to a second memory position and then make minor manual adjustments to all aspects of the room correction/EQ functions including speaker management and bass management. This feature is great for a variety of situations. One example is where you have a CD which is overly bright, you can create an EQ configuration for those recordings. All in all I love the sound produced by the out of the box automatic configuration.

One more note on the Room EQ and Correction software. Pioneer, Denon and Yamaha do not offer the room correction / EQ or bass management on the Multi channel analog inputs, which is a disappointment. It is understood that it would require another analog to digital back to analog conversion but, I believe the benefit you gain from the room correction EQ and base management will make up for whatever perceived losses there might be. If Outlaw could offer a user selectable option for analog to digital conversion on the multi channel audio inputs where room correction/EQ and bass management can be applied that would be hugely appreciated. There should be a method were by there is no loss in sound quality because of the digital to analog to digital conversion. If Theta, Meridian and Anthem seem do it, I would think Outlaw could do it as well at a very cost effective option.

• I,link, HDMI, and either USB or Ethernet connections for digital audio support - Of these connections i.link and HDMI are he most critical. i.link, if implemented correctly offers one of the best digital audio transmission options available. A gitter free digitial audio connection which can support at least 8 channels of lossless audio. It is already certified for transmission of both DVD-Audio and SACD.

Another benefit is with both Windows Vista and the newest MAC OS’s will support transmission of lossless digital audio via i.link (basically the receiver becomes a sound card at that point). As much as so many audiophiles may want to fight it, the PC has the ability to be one of the most enjoyable audio/videophile sources in your audio rack. Lossless audio, HD Video, with tons storage and i.link providing for that perfect connection between the PC and pre/pro.

HDMI with audio support is a given requirement. HDMI seems to be the digital AV connection of choice for the consumer electronics industry. Now with that said HDMI 1.2 support is a must as the format is already settled.

Also greatly desired is switching for at least 4 HDMI devices (4 in 1 out). Up/down conversion/transcoding from analog to HDMI is also a must. Please make sure the HDMI connections are full HDCP compliant.

It is the lack of the above features which keep me from buying the Outlaw 990 witch I would gladly upgrade to.

Just want to make sure these don't get lost in the conversations.

As you guys have probably read from other discussion theads. The 990 would be a no brain for many if it offered some of the above features. Especially with the already well regarded sound quality of the 990 and the fact it is a pro/pro at that price.

USB is already there. HDMI wasn't on the current product for reasons heavily discussed on these forums and on the 990 FAQ.

As for the auto EQ stuff, after unpacking the unit and manually calibrating it, I don't see that it needs it. It sounds great and I do mean that, I don't give praise lightly, as it is.

Perhaps you should buy one and try it for 3 weeks. If you still don't think it was worth it, then return it. It's what the 30 day guarantee is all about.

One thing that should probably be restated, any feature requests that would require a major hardware change won't be seen for a few years at least. The 990 is a new product and as such won't be replaced for a while.

And by the time a successor for the 990 is ready, hopefully, BlueRay and HD DVD will be out and more mature and the HDMI specs won't be a moving target as they are now.

I also hope by then, all the various equipment manufacturers will have stopped being so connector crazy. The CE industry needs to be forward thinking when designing interconnect standards and not come up with crap like they did with HDMI that 1) don't have a positive locking mechanism and 2) are superseded almost before they are even released. It's just ridiculous.

Replace the Auricap capacitors with Sonicaps and use a Sonicap Platinum for a bypass cap. The Sonicap Platinum is one of the best you can buy. Contact Danny Richie at www.gr-research.com

I don't want a modular solution. This is my home entertainment system, not a toy. I want a 990 with a few MINOR issues addressed. In fact, I bet my list could be addressed with a firmware update.

If we're talking about science fiction wishlists, well, yeah, I have one. But I'm gonna satisfy those requirements with a set of 4 outboard active crossovers and a downmixer. And 22 channels of amplification.

Honestly, I think Outlaw has done a fantastic job of filling in their lineup The 990 is a solid, affordable piece and I find it hard to imagine a place where they could go very far upmarket without getting into diminishing returns.

Marketing is something they could probably work on though - maybe they should look into catering to installers and other channels.

On that note, I suppose an upgraded 990 (not a replacement, but a new upscale model to complement the existing 990) could offer improved automation features and maybe a bit more care on the analog circuitry choices to satisfy the Arcam fans out there.

Great point, Charlie, I absolutely agree. I would eschew a modular solution simply because I want to derive enjoyment from a quality piece of equipment long-term.

Moreover, it opens a big can of worms in terms of the card lifecycles. Obviously the manufacturer won't support cards ad infinitum, just like with PCs, and the firmware updates for subsequent card upgrades will eventually be incompatible with older cards you may still have. I'd rather upgrade because I decide to, not because I have no other choice.

The idea of interchangeable cards is not new and many manufactures use them. If used correctly they could save the manufacture money and provide the end user with more configuration options that would fit their needs better. It may also be possible to do that within a reasonable cost.

The replaceable cards would be more for offering custom configuration options then upgradeability.

Rather then create a Hugh box and back pannel (See 990) that will support every connection that anyone would every need or more to the point, every connection that they wll never use, you could order the Pre/Pro with only the connections you need now. That would save HT real estate and the manufacturing costs would be off set by not having to include 18 S-video and composite connections on every Pre/Pro they sell.


See the link below of a receiver that has some removable components.

Onkyo back panel

Double Post

Yeah the Integra Research RDC-7.1, which is based on the same chassis looks pretty much the same but has the balanced pre-outs on the bottom instead of the speaker-out binding posts.

What's cool with the RDC-7.1 and the Integra DTR-10.5 (which is pretty much the same thing as the Onkyo TX-NR1000 but is customizable as opposed to getting a unit with all cards installed) is that for those who don't want a tuner section or who need more component ins or who don't want the Net-Tune functionality, can choose not to have those modules installed.

Plus you can choose not to have HDMI installed now and wait until Onkyo puts out an HDMI 1.3 version card.

Of course cost of these units is well above what a 990 costs. The NR1000 retails for about $5000, the DTR-10.5 starts at $3500 and costs about $5500 fully loaded and the RDC-7.1 costs about $5500 fully loaded as well.

You could even get a card for the clever little clocks!

Honestly, most of the stuff the 990 doesn't address well for me wouldn't be likely to EVER be addressed at any price point.

I want to actively cross over 7 channels of highs around 250hz, to 7 channels of mib-bass drivers that are active from around 40hz to 250hz. Below 40hz or so I want to downmix the bass to stereo subwoofer arrays.

I don't see ANY mass produced pre/pro enabling that any time soon.

In all honesty, the one thing the Outlaw sucks at providing to it's users is prestige. In every other way I strongly suspect it is pretty excellent. Let's face it though; most of us like to be proud of our systems and having a big name silk-screened on there is a nice thing. If money permits, I'd rather drive a Mercedes than a Volkswagon.

The 990 is almost EVERYTHING I asked the Outlaws to do when the 950 came out, and for me it is precisely what the 950 should have been and as such I'm strongly leaning toward buying one when my media room is finally ready.

I'd like to see a digital high definition audio interface, but that's not up to Outlaw. I'd like to see a few tweaks, but really those are very very minor.

I guess I should bow out, if I have nothing useful to add?

A nice LCD would be cool. Maybe go with more premium analog parts. Enhanced automation capability. The Anthem AVM-20/30 really picks up where the 990 leaves off in many ways - look at the tweaks it has. But again, I bet most of those are a firmware upgrade away from being in the 990. But I doubt anyone at Outlaw writes that firmware though - it's probably contracted out or supplied to spec by the manufacturer.