Just loving the sound my 970 gives me but find it a bit much for a 2 channel system. I would love a full on preamp with the HQ DAC but more geared toward a 2.1 channel system. Leave all the digital and analog input options of course, and add in a phono pre too.

Why not just get a phono pre-amp and save the rack space.

It sounds almost like you are describing an RR2150 with a digital section added and the amps removed...

i guess, im seeing allot of 2 channel or 2.1 preamps allowing multiple inputs both digital and analog out there and think a option on this from Outlaw would be cool. It seems hard to find a 2 channel pre with the 24/192 DAC that sounds good with in the Outlaw price point and think this could be a good thing.

if i wanted to simply save rack space i could just go with a Mytek Stereo9624 and spend 1k more, or even a Grace 901 and spend 1.5x that. i think the model Outlaw has proven effective could apply to us raw 2 channels music freaks too.

im loving my 970 as its being employed now though! it handles all my 24/96 dvd-a with authority, and my Martin Logans are singing!

I use my 990 all the time for 2.1 channel from both vinyl and iPod. It is a universal machine for my uses anyway. Describe what you mean by "a bit much". Is it too $$$ for what you are using it for or maybe that it has features you are not using (yet). I can tell you I have not scratched the surface of what the 990 could do mostly because I don't have enough rack space to hook up all my legacy gear from the last 30 years.

ive had a few people question me on why im using a HT frontend on a 2 channel system, which lead me to the "a bit much" comment. Its not a money point really, i already bought it at this price happily. a bit much is more like all the dolby and DTS software, ill never use it(i do have a full HT in my livingroom). that space under the hood can go to the phono pre or balanced i/o, or even sub crossover frequency control. i would just like to be able to have a more streamlined Outlaw stereo preamp, and then i would add two bi-amped monoblocks per side and die happy. ;^)

just a suggestion, certainly not a complaint.


....and it has crossed my mind that after a speaker upgrade in a few yrs that my fronts now would make a wicked set of rears for a quadraphonic romance. lots of material out there mixed in 4 channel audio, starting with Frank Zappa and ending with The Who. the 970 would then get put to the test.

Wow,
I haven't heard anyone talk about quadrophonic sound in almost 30 years. Back then the equipment was available but it was expensive. It sounds like you got a lot more for your $$$ than you really need right now but the 970 will let you do almost anything in the audio realm. I had a quad reel to reel machine way back then that was awesome. In order to play it though I had to borrow another friends amp to output four separate channels. I ended up selling it for more than it cost me after a year or so. I actually bought 4 large Advent loudspeakers just for the experience of quad sound.

for me this is all about the music, not home theater. Im a music freak! ill post pics of the system after i finish tuning the room, hopefully this weekend!

BTW, is there a section for system pics in this forum?

Hey Jimna - nice pics of the Wilco concert at Red Rocks - looks like we were sitting somewhere in the same vicinity.

The section " Your System Saloon " is a good place to go for posting pics of your system.