Okay, I'm really wanting to improve the 2-channel performance of my rig.....I'm about to take the plunge and bring in some bigger Maggies (3.6s), and then probably a good quality amp to match. But from the standpoint of the source, if I were to get either a really good quality CDP or external DAC and run it through the stereo bypass of the 950 or 990, is this pretty much taking the pre/pro out of the equation as far as adding/subtracting from the signal?

What I'm saying is that will adding a top quality source and using the bypass feature be my best bet for improving things up to that point? Or would I need a better quality preamp in order to accomplish that?

Thanks!

The 990's DAC's have sounded really good to me, but I expect that you could achieve even better results by moving to a very good CD player or retain your transport and get a really good two-channel DAC. Since my 990's DAC's are better than my other sources' DAC's, I haven't spent much time with the bypass mode. Considering how transparent the 990 has been in general, I would be surprised if the analog bypass mode would be different. Others around here have used the bypass mode more than I have and can offer better first-hand feedback.

Edit: You didn't mention it in your post, but I'll offer it anyway - two-channel playback of CD's has worked out very well in my system using the "upsample" mode. If you do decide to upgrade your 950 to a 990, you might want to try that mode before pursuing additional hardware.

I'm using smaller Maggies (1.6's) with the 990 and Outlaw's 755 amp. It sounds pretty darned good. I'm not sure how much better you're going to get by using the bypass unless you've got some serious bucks for a top notch outboard DAC or a very high end transport with an equally high-end DAC.

I've heard a lot of pre-amps in my day and the 990 is about as transparent as they come. I usually leave mine on "upsample" and occasionally it decides that I really want PLII (grrrrrr). But when it's on upsample or bypass, it's basically invisible.

Cheers,

Thanks for the feedback, guys.....Seems like I just read a review of the 990 that echoed the same thing about the quality of 2-channel. I think it's just that I always hear how goign to a dedicated stereo preamp can really improve things, you know? If I pull the trigger on these 3.6s I'm going to want to make sure the rest of my gear is worthy, lol. I've been playing with some other speakers in here, but I keep missing my Maggies...so I'm just goign to get the 3.6s and be done with it.

Do you guys think the 2-channel performance of the 990 is clearly an upgrade from the 950? That upsample mode you guys mentioned sounds pretty interesting.....I haven't move to 7.1 yet, but I might be willing to drop some cash on an upgrade to the 990 if it's enough of an upgrade to make it worthwhile.

Anyway, I was looking at some class D amps from this other company and noticed that they had an outboard DAC for around $650.....so I just got to wondering if that would be a marked improvement over my Denon 2900. On top of that, going to a more full range speaker like the 3.6 would allow me to run the stereo bypass and not have to fiddle with the bass management issues. So I thought I'd come to you guys since most of the advice I get here is spot on

I definitely think the 990 is an upgrade from the 950 for 2-channel performance (and, to a lesser degree, for surround).

Interesting....I love my 950, but seems like quite a few folks have noticed an improvement in the sound quality. Maybe that would be a better upgrade than picking up a new CDP or adding a stereo preamp.....after all, Outlaw has yet to let me down with any of their gear

Thanks again!

I went from a Yamaha RX-V2500 as a pre/pro with 755 amps to a 990. I would rarely (maybe a couple times a year) listen to 2-channel music with the Yamaha because it wasn't anything special. Since going to the 990 a few weeks ago, I have been listening to 2-channel music about 10 hours a week because it sounds so good. I am actually listneing to music more than watching movies now.

Wow, Doug, that says a lot! I can sort of relate cause that's what happened to me when I discovered Magnepans, lol. I'm glad you guys chimed in....a 990 might be exactly what I need.

And by the way, just for the record, I certainly don't have any problem with the 950....it's a helluva unit! I just have a window of opportunity to upgrade to more of a high end system, and I want to get the most out of my 2-channel listening.