Hmm, so I can still send my 990 back if a B-stock shows up soon? :-)

I suspect, however, that the discount on the B-stock equipment would be less than the shipping and insurance I'd have to pay. (Not to mention, the reduced warranty). Even if it weren't the case, it would be a very dirty thing to do to Outlaw: swapping a new 990 for a B-stock one, to save a few pennies. And, I'd have no desire to do that. (Furthermore, if they don't explicitly forbid the practice, they should, if only by selecting a B-stock discount that does not make it economically sensible).

Nah, unlike Pythagore, I like my 990 very much.

Also, I did not say my BS meter was "in the red" when reading Pythagore's post, I just noted that the needle was starting to move a little.
I did comment that the HK 525 might be plagued with "disco equalization" common to many cheap receivers, and that Pythagore might actually like that sound, with the caveat that I handn't heard this particular unit. I do think the most likely problem, as others have suggested, is that it auto-setup badly, and Pythagore should try again.