I like this. In fact, for a lot of eqp I also do this. I have $7400 worth of amplification that I payed less than $3000 for, by waiting for used, and dealer demos.

To echo what JMS and Kevin have said, a model generation removed from the leading edge is a great saver. As I often need to do for myself, I’ll offer a few other bits of ‘fire retardant’ for the burning desire to have the latest and greatest.

One, even if you buy the Best-For-Now model, a year from now, you will no longer have the latest and greatest.

Two, even if you could reproduce the latest formats electronically, it can take a one, two or even three years before there is significant source material available with what is being advanced in electronics now. Consider waiting until the source material is on the market and the electronics are a good deal less?

Three, if there are multiple choices of format being advanced on the market, and later one comes to dominance with one other still available, why pay for more than you need now? By the time a format comes to dominate, the electronics for that format usually become cheaper.

Four, a piece of equipment is not really outdated, in the sense of usefulness, until it can no longer meet your requirements.

While I wouldn’t buy something now that I’ll have to replace in less than a year or two, I don’t need “bleeding edge” equipment either.

Good to know...a I enter the world of the Outlaw!
Thanks,
Bill

At an under $700 price point, the 950 is still a serious contender for a person's HT dollar, especially one wanting to get into the field painlessly. We must not forget that one thought that was bandied about when I first tested the 950 almost three years ago was that the 950's (then) under $1K price tag made it more of a "replace" technology rather than an "upgrade" technology for those of us who want the latest gadgets. The fact that it is still performing admirably for a large segment of the population is a testiment to its design.

It takes considerably more money to have both the sound (which to me is paramount) and the latest features. I upgraded a while back because that's just me, not because the 950 was sonically inferior.

For the budget minded, the 950 is still a home run.

I like the new site layout, RAF - very nice.

Thank you, gonk. It was long overdue.

I received mine in 5/2002 and been on the 3rd unit for various design QC issues. The current one sits in my rack since 3/2003.I've been happy with it's performance and user convinience, some quirks, but I can live with. I found the analog section to be very good for the price,but the digital section is nothing to write home about.Ever since I got the Denon 2900 uni player it has been more then obvious that the 950 can't compete with that,as far as it's Dacs goes.I also wanna have the latest PLIIx or Logic 7 to enhance my plain vanilla 5.1 movies. The onboard CES and forced EX/ES just don't cut it for me.I also like the new "auto eq" features that pops up on many new gears these days.So for me yes, it is long on the tooth and I'm looking for an upgrade.Whatever happened with Outlaw's plan to introduce a high end pre-pro? I would jump on that, but it's very quiet on the "western front"[pun intented].I might have to jump ship and look somwhere else.

help /// i have been eyeing this guy for awhile now .. i am strictly a 5.1 / stereo guy .. 6.1 and 7.1 is just more clutter .... buy good speakers with imaging and a good amp ... anyhow ... joined to get some input ... i ve tried so many units ... anyhow this is the solids in my system.. they wont change ..
Tannoy system 12 dmt II mains .. tannoy saturn 8 rear surround and a tannoy d6c center .. i have a ATI at1506 .. center channel is bridged for strong vocals etc ..anyhow .. i had started with a H K sig 2.0 ok but buggy .. not my sound .. then tried a avr 7300 using as a processor .. a beast .. nice .. but still not to my liking .. now .. i have liked this onkyo 801 .. the dts and dd and THX is the best ive heard .. note i do not use this for speaker power .. just process... now my only lack is the stereo is a bit lacking .. analog connected with tara lab prism 33... dig tara coax ... now its a toss on better of two .. but stereo .. i just want more .. i do need to get a better source .. music hall or nad .. CD ... but figure that a good processor in maybe the outlaw will take that coax from source and make it a great reproduction ... i also am looking at a denon 8000 let me know your guys input ... appritiate any help !!!

OUTLAW!!

we will help u figure it out!