As I research this BBS further, I stumbled into the "New Product Suggestions" area, and was fascinated by the heated discussion of the Outlaw nameplate logo. I gained a lot of insight by this thread; and such ideas, tidbits, and glimpses of and customer loyalty is VERY important to us outsiders-- flatlanders, if you will-- when you can't audition this audio gear in a showroom.

As I narrow my choices down to just a few HT receivers, I have to admit that "looks"-- while not high on the list-- is a factor. Face it; everybody has a few close buds, from whom you are looking for an understated smile and a nod (maybe even a grin) when they HEAR your kit, and also a nod of admiration when they glance over the gear and twiddle with the nobs...

Don't get me wrong, I do indeed LIKE the simple, understated, "just-the-facts-ma'am" front panel layout and design of the 1020 (from what I can see of the too-small pictures posted). Suggestion: bigger pictures... I do indeed like the design philosophy of "putting the money where you can hear it", and not it in a bunch of adolescent whiz-bang special effects...

But I have to emphatically agree that the font and graphic chosen for the Outlaw logo is...well, at best regrettable.

On the afformentioned thread discussing the Outlaw logo, I feel the professional graphic artist crowd (e.g.: azryan, ampeg66, ghs1998...) (btw; I wanna party with these guys!!!! ...and I send raspberries to their "Mongo" brain-dead opponents who couldn't argue their way out of a wet paper bag)...have argued succesfully and compellingly that you can convey a sense of a corporate "breakout" image, and style, with out the logo being so...so...cheesy, so garish, so "Fisher-Pricey" (loved that one)and utterly lacking in "gravitas". I'd call the logo a "gunshot that has missed it's mark"....do I want to hang out with a band of outlaws who are so careless with their firearms??!

I suspect the decision to chose that juvenile logo took place at 1 am, on a napkin in a pizza joint, in an alcoholic haze, made by the brilliant engineers who design this stuff...but who should invariably stay the hell away from marketing, style, and other non-engineering decisions!

My 3 suggestions here:

1. I agree with a contest for a new logo. The winner should be chosen by a top-of-the-line, nationwide, design and branding bureau. I'd love to see designs from the guys mentioned above...

2. A quick and dirty fix; simply use a somewhat darker gray color to silk-screen the logo on the faceplate, and a darker green (non-skittle) power button! Whaddya think?

3.Am I an Outlaw yet?

Dave