my panasonic head unit does the same,from the remote also.and my home remote has a 'commercial mute' macro that you program for the amount of att. you want.press once,vol.goes down,press again vol.goes back up.BUT,if you forget to use it to turn the volume back up,you are in for a rude awakening next time you use it!

i stopped using it.

Hi,

I am considering a 990 upgrade from my 950. I have a few questions:

1) Is the upgrade worth it? Where does the 990 trump 950 performance? The convenience features, DVI switching, balanced output etc. is not very important to me at this time.
2) Mute: Does the mute gradually decrease and increase volume when activated or de-activated?

I also endorse the idea of being able to adjust volume or change inputs without automatically un-muting.

Hi jimr - not having owned a 950 I can't tell you whether the upgrade is worth it, but the 990's sound is sure an upgrade from my 18-year-old Adcom TPA-500, even on the phono input (which I seem to be the only one here who's still using). But on your mute questions: the 990's mute doesn't gradually decrease or increase volume when activated or de-activated, and you can change inputs but not adjust volume while muted.

Hope this helps.

I haven't been here in a while simply because I have my Outlaw Audio system (950/770/LFM1) and am extremely happy with it. In my opinion Outlaw Audio hasn't released anything worth talking about since that "original" gear. The 990 isn't a significant enough improvement over the 950 to warrant my interest.

I think it's a matter of your needs. The 950 was, and is, still a great sounding processor. As a newer design, the 990 adds some things that are relevant to many, while others are correct that the 950 still meets their needs. I'd take the 990 for the lip sync delay that is a real key item thanks to the delay caused by my digital TV and cable box+PVR, the USB port to connect PC audio for new stuff while the phono input gives you a chance to still play records. DVI is a big plus and the upgrade port certainlly gives you something to guard against the future.

YMMV

PodBoy, you make some good points. I would have rather seen Outlaw keep the original gear and the original style, which I prefer to the new style. They would have to update the 950 from time to time with a "950 Version 2,3" etc. Then release a higher-end pre-pro comparable to, say, the AVM 30. I'd buy a higher-end unit from Outlaw, but not the current 990.

Worldwide:

I think the problem with what you are suggesting is that it reaches a point where to add some of the features that might well make a "Version 2.0" of the 950 you get to the point where the total underlying hardare platform has to be re-done, and at that point you want to promote the benefits of teh new model. When you look at the 950 vs 990, there are likely to be many subtle, yet important things that we don't know about that contribute to the total pacakge. For example, we DO know that the processor is different, and presumably the ADC and DACs as well. Once you start changing those guys and add what is needed for all the other new features you really DO get a new product. If you only promoted it as "Version 2.0" I doubt you'd get the sales you wanted. It's still a amtter of choice about the 950 vs 990, and that is as much a tribute to the 950 as anything else.