I'm curious about the hookup designations on the 770. All three front channels seem to be on one side of the amp while the surrounds and center are on the other side. This is different than the model 7200 which has the right and left channels on opposite sides of the amp. Is there a reason Outlaw chose to indicate where each channel should be connected and why the change from the 770 to the 7200 if they are basically the same amp with different faceplates?

The labels are basically arbitrary, but I believe that there is a logic behind the way the labels are laid out. If I remember correctly, the designations are arranged to insure that the loads are distributed evenly between the two power transformers. In other words, all three "left" channels (front, side surround, and rear surround) are on one transformer, all three "right" channels are on the other, and the center is tossed in on one of them.

The 770 and 7200 are the same in many regards, but I don't know if there are some aspects of the 7700/7500 design that influenced the internal layout of the 7200 - could be that the way the taps on the transformers run to the amp channels changed between the 770 and the 7700. Certainly the way the 7200 is labeled would fit with the logic I describe if the transformers are wired directly to the nearest amp channels...

I wired my 770 in the following manner well before the Outlaw’s more recent amps began using a similar scheme:

Main, Surround, Rear, Center, Rear, Surround, Main.

The logic had nothing to do with which transformer taps were being used. After all, the two transformers can operate all seven channels at full power simultaneously all day.

The more important issue in my thinking was heat, and the way to keep things as cool as possible without fans.

If wired as above, hard-driving stereo use will result in heat generated at the two ends of the row – the easiest places to remain as cool as possible with passive air flow.

In 7.1 surround, the channel doing the most work over time is the center. It is bracketed by the two channels doing, on average, the least work. The progression of increasing work/heat continues outward from middle.

If someone were to wire the amplifier in the order Center, Main, Main, etc., they would be grouping the channels with the greater average heat generation together at one end.

I appreciate the reasoning behind each of the two hookup schemes. Perhaps I should get ahold of Outlaw tech support and see what they recommend?