Certainly, your point is well taken. I can't speak for others with their 950s. If you review the board for previous posts by those people, I think the picture that emerges is that the 950 is probably borderline in it's noise performance. Personally, I think they just tried to cut it too close, possibly with basic design, or possibly with using a lower spec'd grade of IC than will be in the higher priced spin-offs of this unit from Atlantic Technology and others. For all I know, they could be using a VLSIC that combines basically all the functions of the 950 on a single chip, or chipset. Then the blame would be with the supplier of the ICs (Cirrus Logic I believe).

I don't know if the spin-offs are different from the 950, inside. As I understand it, the spin-offs don't fix any of the problems in the 950, including any of the easily fixed basic problems. But we won't know for sure what the spin-offs are until they actually come out.

Yes, but it's a dry hiss.

meangene: that was riotously FUNNY!!!

It does not appear that the spinoffs are actually changing parts, etc. Too expensive, I'm sure. It's mainly cosmetics, etc. According to Ron Fone (again) the cost to develop something of this magnitude was outside the solo finances of Outlaw, AT, Sherbourn, etc, hence the "pooled" development. The Outlaw undoubtedly offers the best "bang for the buck".

HTLearner,
Let us know if the Panamax improves anything. Since you are using Outlaw amp and cables, the "system" should be compatible by design. Did you use your Denon 2800 as a preamp? I was/am considering that approach as well, though it seems buying a receiver is a waste if you don't want the amps. I do like the 950, except for the hiss, which seems to be the same loudness in all 5 channels.

I will be working with Scott next week to see we can find a way to reduce the hiss to acceptable levels, but it doesn't appear that anyone has successfully gone from too much hiss to minimal hiss. It is more "hiss-and-miss" from unit to unit or system to system.

Wow, I hope they aren't shipping any of the spin-off units to Iraq: that weapons-grade aluminum faceplate and all....

So what do you think? They spent 4 months trying to reduce the noise floor, and ended up reducing the gain by 3db, and calling it good. Kinda looks that way.

AppleJelly, I'll definitely let everyone know if the Panamax makes a difference or not.

Yes, my first thought was to use my 2800 as the pre-amp in combo with the 755 as my amp, instead of buying the 950. But unfortunately the 2800 doesn't have pre-outs for 5.1. I think it has just 3 pre-outs for the fronts and center. So no dice. I think there was a later model 2801 that had pre-outs for all channels.

Let us know if you find out anything new from Scott. If the Panamax doesn't work and Scott can't help me, there is a local Rotel dealer who is very eager to sell me the 1066.

Indeed. I've said it before, and I'll say it again: it is very ironic that we're even talking about noise in a digital component! "Perfect sound forever"......



[This message has been edited by soundhound (edited September 29, 2002).]