Some comments:

1. "Is this a liquidation sale ?"

No - the currently shown price was always the "family" price. Almost everyone paid that price. Infact, you didn't even have to buy the combo to get that price. I paid $399 for the LMC-1 and I could have bought the LPA-1 separately for $499.

BTW, your quoted power figure for the LPA-1 is incorrect. Here are the correct figures:

125 watts x 5 channels + 50 watts x 2 @ 8 ohms OR 125 watts x 6 channels @ 8 ohms
225 watts x 5 channels + 95 watts x 2 @ 4 ohms OR 225 watts x 6 channels @ 4 ohms

It can be set up as a 6ch or 7ch amp. From all reports, the amps channel 1-5 SQ is fantastic. Some people have complained about the SQ of ch 6/7. But, think about it - if you need a 5ch amp, it is an UNBEATABLE deal. $500 for 125w/ch - c'mon.

I went with the 7125 as I wanted to bi-amp my front L/R speakers. If someone asks me for a 5ch amp < $1000 recommendation, I will tell them to buy the LPA-1.


2. "and consumers who want the updates have been having to pay the shipping both ways."

Not true. Gonk - you are over at Av123 also. You missed this one...

One has to pay one-way shipping to Tennessee only. Emotiva ships it back at no charge. Also, Emotiva's warranty is BETTER now. Earlier - thru AV123 -, it was 5 year non-transferable, now it is 5 year P&L TRANSFERABLE - for all owners, even those who bought the product thru AV123, like me.

Yes, the LMC-1 has 2-3 unresolved issues. I am still running mine with the original firmware. The issues do not bother me too much due to the way I use the pre/pro. I will wait till I am convinced that these issues are resolved before I send mine for one final firmware upgrade - I am in no hurry.

This is perhaps the ONLY pre/pro currently sold that does not support field firmware upgrade. But, this something that everyone knew when they bought the unit - I posted several q's in their forum BEFORE I bought the unit. Is it a pain in all
the wrong places to send it back for firmware upgrade? ABSOLUTELY. This is something that we have to live with if we want this unit.

One thing that stands out about the LMC-1 is the SQ - specially thru the digital inputs. It's really something - impossible to think that you can get such good SQ for $400. Several people who own BOTH units have favorably compared the SQ of the LMC-1 with the 990.

3. Will Emotiva be around this time next year?

They make the only other pre/pro available for <$1,000. For all - like me - money squeezed, but want good SQ - audiophiles, I hope that they are around for the long run. Someone has to keep the Outlaws on their toes!!!

What I went thru earlier this year - weeks of indecision - LMC-1 or 970, will again be repeated around this time next year. At that point I expect LMC-1 v.2 and 970 v.2 to have HDMI 1.3. If the issues are resolved and some features are added to LMC-1 v.2, I'll get that one, otherwise, hello 970 v.2!!!!!

Emotiva will release the MMC/IPS-1 later this year/early next year - should be interesting, though releasing something at the end of 2006 without HDMI audio processing seems asinine to me. It they can somehow do HDMI 1.1 audio processing by early 2007 and keep the price at $1,200, watch out 990!

As far as the DMC-1/MPS-1 are concerned, there is nothing but praise for those units. MPS-1 is THE price/performance leader in the 200w mch amp category. Again, the DMC-1 v.2 release with HDMI 1.3 will worth waiting for - end 2007??).

So yes, I hope that they are around for the long run.

Here's to competition...