I am trying to decide between these 4 processors.

The Anthem is my leading choice, but I am intrigued by the 990. It seems to hold its own against many processors 3-4 times its price. But, I am not a fan of its looks. It looks like a cheap processor, and the inability to read the display cheapens it further. I am not knocking it, but its a shame to have a kick-ass processor like that and then put it in an ugly box.
Now that I have that out of the way, maybe someone can tell me what I am getting or not getting when you compare the 990 to these other processors. I know I'm saving a fair amount of money, but I am selling an MC-1, so I'm not having to come out of pocket as bad on any of these processors.

I listen to HT 80%, 20% music. I like flexibility in my setups, something I will get with the Anthem and Lex. The Arcam sounds most likely has the "purist" sound compared to the others according to reviews on it.
Bass management is awesome on the Anthem, Lex, and Arcam. The Lex is sliding out of the picture, as the MC-4 is 4500.00, a joke in this day and competition of HT processors.

I dunno, just curious on feedback I guess.

Getting into comparing these things can get pretty complex, as you have clearly already discovered considering the units you are comparing.

The Arcam is probably closest to the Outlaw based on price and features (although the list price is still double that of the 990). Both units use the same chip for processing (the 49400), whereas the Anthem units use a Motorola solution (I'm guessing when you say Anthem you are referring to the AVM-30, although the Statement D1 is also an option if you are willing to venture up around the MC-4's price range). Both the Outlaw and the Arcam have similar input and output offerings and both use the same remote control (and in both cases I would tend to recommend a third-party universal remote like the Harmony or the MX-500 if you have a very sophisticated system). The Arcam offers a manual EQ, whereas the Outlaw offers somewhat more flexible bass management (four independently adjustable crossover settings) and an automatic channel calibration routine with an included microphone. The Arcam has HDMI switching instead of DVI, but it isn't clear to me if that switching includes any support for audio (a comment in the troubleshooting section of the manual makes me suspect it is video only). Based solely on a bit of poking around in the Arcam's manual, I would tend to say that the most compelling reasons to get it over the Outlaw would be aesthetics (or, along similar lines, equipment rack space) or sonics - and without heating the Arcam, I don't know how it might stack up to the Outlaw. The Outlaw sounds very good to my ear, so an extra $1000 or so would be hard for me to justify. Your mileage may vary. The Anthem AVM-30, meanwhile, is probably available for not much more than the Arcam, although the planned HDMI upgrade (which is supposed to include audio support) will likely cost several hundred dollars extra to add. It's been a very popular platform for many years now, so it's certainly a good one to have on your list of candidates.

I'll finish this off with a brief comment about the looks of the 990. While I'd like to be better able to read the processing mode that is currently active, I have been able to quickly identify which is which by general orientation from my viewing position (about 9' or 10' away), and I have found that the text display is extremely easy to read. The aesthetics are still a bit "minimalist" (a conscious choice on Outlaw's part, and one that people tend to either like or dislike), but when sitting in an equipment rack it seems to me to present a pretty respectable image. If it's not your style, though, it certainly will factor into your decision making process.

Hi gonk- Thanks for taking the time to respond to my question.
I was referring to the AVM30, sorry I didn't point that out.
I was not able to determine much about the bass management on the 990 from the manual, you mentioned 4 independent crossovers- what do you mean by that? Are your crossover points in 10hz steps?

I am also wondering if the Outlaw looks better "in person" than it does on the website?

The Model 990 has separate crossover settings for the mains, center, side surrounds, and rear surrounds. The crossover options offered are 40Hz, 60Hz, 80Hz, 100Hz, 120Hz, 150Hz, and 200Hz. It isn't the 10Hz increments that the Arcam offers, but it is a wider range and it allows you to more accurately "dial in" your crossover points - such as 40Hz or 60Hz for mains with some good low end and 80Hz or 100Hz for smaller surrounds. Check out page 29 in the manual for a look at the speaker crossover menu.

I think the 990 looks very nice "in person" - and the flat black finish that Outlaw favors has always proven to be a difficult photographic subject (there's a lengthy discussion in one thread from the 2005 HE Show after one forum member's pictures of the Model 1070 appeared blue). The picture in my review that is probably the best representation of the actual unit is a little more than half way down, showing it connected to a laptop PC via USB (the first picture is a good close-up, but there is a front port cover off and the unit isn't turned on so the display is blank).

I also feel the 990 looks very nice in person, and my wife really has good things to say about it, and she is definitely NOT into audio or video equipment!

I don't mind the looks of the 990 or the display, but the physical size is somewhat of a pain in the ass to deal with. It is a LOT taller and deeper than similarly equipped (though not similarly priced) gear.

And I'll agree with Gonk that it's right up there in quality with the Arcam and I have heard them both. I was originally going to buy Arcam equipment until a friend of mine suggested I check out Outlaw. You get similar (VERY similar) performance at a substantially lower price point. So if cost is any consideration (for some folks, it isn't), then the 990 is a no brainer.

Cheers,

All the photos I've seen of the 990 seem to make the faceplate appear gray when in fact it is black. I took a photo of mine atop my kitchen island a few minutes after taking it out of the box that to my eyes looks more like actual color of the unit and also shows more detail than the pics on the Outlaw site. I hadn't placed the jack covers on at the time but they fit and match nicely. If you're interested take a look at:

http://glenmoorcondominiums.org/pics/listpics.asp?dir=Outlaw+990

I wish the 990 were not as deep and somewhat shorter too but it's still manageable in most situations. The only thing I don't care for with the appearance of the unit are the cursor buttons which look and feel like the cheap painted plastic bits they are but that's about it. Performance-wise I could not be more pleased. I hope this helps.

mike

That third picture would make a nice add for Outlaw :-).
Do you own stock?

:-p

Lonster

I, too, was actually considering the Anthem AVM30 when I was looking to upgrade to my first pre/pro/stack. I fell in locve with its clarity when I demo'd it with the speakers I currently own (Paradigm studios) at a boutique HT store. As much as I liked the Anthem, it was just a bit out of my price range. So I looked at Outlaw.

For me, I like the minimalist approach. I look at the Outlaw this way (and bear in mind my opinion is coming from someone who is a new Outlaw owner and still awaiting the gear's arrival), its much like the Dodge Coronet of the late 60's; utilitarian looks, but with the 440 big block it would out-perform just about anything else on the road. My point is that looks don't necessarily make the component. Albeit, they can be a deal-breaker, but for the money you can't discredit the 990.

Are the Lexicon and Anthem models likely to be better? Probably. Given their storied past and penchant for first rate equipment, that's probably a given. But I personally don't make enough money to justify purchasing their equipment. So, I gave the 990 a shot. Not exactly a supermodel with regards to looks, but, in my opinion, much better looking than many of the competitors' offerings.

As Gonk put it, "Your mileage may vary". Looks are truly a subjective discussion. If you don't like the looks, then consider the quality and then determine for yourself if you can live with its utilitarian design. Ultimately, whatever makes you happiest is what the best equipment is for you.

If you don't like the looks turn out the lights and they all look the same....

I have owned high-end equipment for years (including Lexicon) and I suspect that if you turned out the lights you would be hard pressed to tell the difference between processors. I like the sound of the 990. I thought it would be a temporary move until Anthem sorts out their D1 upgrade but after 2 months I am now not so sure.

Let you ears do the listening!

Thanks for the replies, everyone.

I have been offered a really sweet deal on a new AVM-30, so that is the way I'm leaning right now. I may get the AVM, and order a 990 then compare them in my setup. I really just like the added flexibility the Anthem offers.

I really don't care about switching, since I prefer to switch my video thru the TV.

The Arcam is nice, but after comparing it to the Anthem, it just doesn't fit the bill.

Sounds good, Dan. I'd be curious to hear how the Anthem works out for you, especially if you get the chance to compare it to the 990.

First post here (actually 2nd, but the first one got lost in space somewhere!). I've been a lurker for quite some time. It's interesting that Dan preferred the Anthem to the Arcam. I currently own both the AVM30 and AVP700 and I will be selling the Anthem. Although it is better for features and perhaps "style", I found the sound quality of the Arcam to be noticably better (especially for 2 channel music). I actually wanted the Anthem to be "the one" since I've already owned it for six months, but I always thought the music performance was a little on the cold and sterile side. The AVP700 has all the detail and then some, but is more natural and spacious without fatigue. From what I've heard, the sound quality peerformance is creating quite a stir just like the AVR300 before it. The industry buzz is what prompted me to borrow one from my dealer in the frist place.

Don't get me wrong, the Anthem is a fantastic processor, especially for those who skew more towards HT. I have never heard the Outlaw. It does seem intriguing for the price, and I love how it just appeared out of nowhere. I'm all done auditioning for quite some time now though!

Chris

Just goes to show you that sound is very subjective. Even though a number of people on this forum use the 990, I bet a small number of us are using the same speakers. Some like Klipsch, some like Magnepan and others like Axiom, but nobody is wrong (except Bose owners... just kidding).

Well said, Jed M - tastes differ, and fortunately there is a solid assortment of good quality pre/pros to choose from in the marketplace these days (much like speakers, where tastes differ even more widely).

It's also why I try to avoid sweeping judgements, like "it's the best for the price". Any one of us has much too small a sample to draw from. We can make individual comparisons, but even thouse are subject to varibales like setup issues, psychoacoustics, and of course personal taste. I guess I see it more in the receiver discusstion threads, but you just can't get much from "Go for the ! I have one and couldn't be happier". Only to find out it is the only brand they've heard.

Chris

I have been lurking around the Saloon since getting a 990 during the first wave but only recently signed up officially. With the recent professional reviews and the positive comparison between the 990 and the Anthem AVM-30, I thought it worthwhile to bring this one up again.

I have the 990 along with a black Anthem MCA-50, the matching amp to the AVM-30. The 990 looks quite fine compared with the MCA-50 in the same rack and is certainly not outclassed. The 990 is a more flat black compared with the slightly shinier black of the MCA-50, but side-by-side they appear to have a comparable conservative styling and a similar build quality.

After several months now, I am also very happy with the sonic performance of the combination, which is deathly quiet when it is supposed to be. It was an added bonus that I was able to purchase both the 990 and the MCA-50 for not much more than the price of an AVM-30 alone!