I have had my 950 for 18 months. When the hiss fix came out 14 months ago I exchanged mine because I had Klipsch speakers, which compounded the small amount of hiss produced. Since then, my system is dead quiet and produces stunningly good sound. What I don't understand is all the bashing going on. Are there QC problems? Are the people who complain one in a million? Are the people with problems mainly people who have never even owned one but knew someone who heard that someone had one that was junk? Every forum is filled with every brand and price range of component that has its problems. From Panasonic to Anthem, there are support groups whining about how their component doesn't do exactly as they thought it would, or doesn't have the feature that brand "X" has.

I understand that complicated machines like these pre/pros can have glitches that need attending to. It sure does seem like the 950 is still getting a lot of bad press, even on this forum. Am I the only one to get something that is an incredible upgrade from my nearly irreplacable classic '80s NAD? I am very happy to have purchased a 950, and will not replace it for quite a number of years. It is the anchor of my dedicated theater, and a fine piece of audio equipment.

Well said!

I returned my original 950 a few months ago due to upgrading my speakers and the hiss from the original 950 becoming apparent on the Axiom Audios vs Boston Acoustics. Anyway, the one they shipped me in return was non-functioning when it arrived. It was completely DOA. The outlaws shipped me a replacement quickly.

My guess is that even with the box it is in, Shipping is taking its toll. With the guys from UPS et al kicking these boxes and literally throwing them around. I had a metal case dented that was packed and you could have done less damage with a hammer.

I am hoping the outlaws take about another 18-24 months till their new pre/pro comes out. That is what I will likely upgrade too next.

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Stott

I use the 950 and Parasound amplification to drive an Epic 80 system (Axiom), and never have any hiss at all!

Hi Will,
What Parasound amps are you using? I have the same basic setup; 950, Axiom Speakers and Parasound amps. I use M80ti front’s VP150 center and 4 QS8 for the rear and side surrounds (sides not connected yet). Sound is amazing. The only non-Axiom speaker is the subs; they are the original Cambridge Sound System subs that were designed by Henry. I can maintain a clean 105+-dB sound level in a 20x32 room. I have the pre blue dot 950 and can hear minor hiss from the speakers but not from the viewing location. I was wondering if the upgraded 950's were noticeably quieter.

An aspect of home audio that some people regard as even more important than actually selecting and assembling the system components is justifying their purchase (and their personal audio genius) after the fact.

Inevitably there are some who can't stop at merely singing the praises of whatever they bought in every imaginable location on every possible occasion. The intensely fanatic also have to denigrate all the products they DIDN'T buy. We hear from them here when they feel the need to sound off.

There are those who want the features of a multi-thousand dollar but won't/can't pay for them. Though their pocketbooks are limited, this does not limit their zest for kvetching because something that costs much less doesn't have feature X, Y or Z.

Finally, the Outlaw's business and pricing model just sizzles the bacon of some manufacturers, retailers and enthusiasts. From time to time individuals among those groups feel compelled to spread a little disinformation for the "good" of their cause.

I have no idea how many 950's may be out in the field but my guess is that the number is vastly larger than the modest number of naysayers who occasionally are heard from here and elsewhere.

Yes, there are the odd problem units that surface. That's a reality of consumer electronics regardless of brand or distribution channel.

What works for me is what happens on those few occasions when things go wrong.

If you take something back to your local storefront vendor, you know you're going to get the inevitable third-degree and rationalization, sometimes from a minimum wage yokel who doesn't know as much about the technology as my cat.

Many of the hardware-related issues I've seen posted here related to problem 950's quickly resolve themselves with "the Outlaws are sending me a new unit."

For my part, if a problem should occur, I would much prefer dealing with The Outlaws than with an ill-informed nerd whose "Employee of the Month" picture is hanging next to the Men's Room.

[This message has been edited by boblinds (edited March 09, 2004).]

boblinds,.....

Classic!

>>>--->

I think bob sums it up quite nicely. I've remarked before on my thoughts about the number of complaints reported vs the number of silent but satisfied owners. The sour grapes, FUD, and snobbery aspects are also major players in some of the online gnashing.



I've seen this, too, Will. That's part of the reason why I have quit posting in a Panasonic DVD recorder forum that I made use of some when shopping for my DMR-E80 last year. It seems to me that there are a lot of people who expect the world to shape itself around their opinions, preferences, and expectations. While these people are (hopefully) in a minority in our society, they tend to be overly vocal. It's sadly pervasive -- whether it's someone posting because a product lacks one feature they think is vital (even if that feature isn't available at any price point, as it sometimes the case) or someone complaining because they made a mistake -- in spite of clear instructions -- and they want the company to fix the mistake for free and provide them with a written apology for letting them make the mistake (yes, mrs. gonk supervises a customer support call center, and she has customers like this).

Bottom line: I still consider the Model 950 a quality piece of equipment and an excellent value.

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gonk -- Saloon Links | Pre/Pro Comparison Chart | 950 Review

I feel I must finally post to this forum. I have been reading this forum since June of 2002 and found it invaluable in helping me make my selection of audio equipment and speakers. As a result I purchased the Outlaw 950/770 combo, Paradigm Studio speakers and a Denon 2900 DVD player to allow me to play DVD-A/SACD cd's. For the last 18 months I have had absolutely no problems with the Outlaw equipment. I am continually amazed at how beautiful the music is that comes out of this system. I now have the system hooked into a Philips 55" Cineos HDTV and now watch all my movies at home and can't get enough of the Dolby Digital 5.1/7.1 surround effects when playing DVD's.

So I am one of the many quiet ones who are Outlaw customer's that can't be happier. Anyone that opts out not to try out Outlaw audio equipment are missing out on one of the few really good deals to be had today.

I want to thank all of you Outlaws for the wonderful education you have given me and wish you all the best.