Back in the dark ages when all we had was stereo and vinyl LPs (I could never afford reel-to-reel) the best advice was to concentrate your money on the ends of the system; speakers and turntable cartridges. I think that advice is partially true today. I advocate finding speakers that fit your taste, room and budget first. If you like your Polks then I suggest you compliment them when considering electronics.

In today's HT arena I think the pre/pro makes a significant difference because of all the processing that is done there. I would rank a pre/pro as my second consideration. As noted before, complicating this choice now is the transition from analog and DVI connections to full implementation of some form of HDMI. If (as you note) a 1080p set and HD-DVD/BluRay player are in your future and you want to use HDMI you may want to wait for things to settle out before buying a pre/pro. The convenience of the HDMI connection and switching at the pre/pro may be worth the wait. HDMI is not necessary for video (DVI works too) but it will be able to handle the new lossless sound formats from Dolby and DTS. The Anthems (AVM30/40/50) are really nice but IMO they were not worth the extra cost over the 990.

Lastly, and down the list, is the amp. Both of the amps you are considering have a solid reputation and would give you many years of service. I'm sure some of the Polk owners in the Saloon can advise you as to the appropriate amount of power for your speakers.

Finally, if you want to move ahead now I can highly recommend the 990 for music. I use the 990's Upsample mode in stereo all the time and it is great. The 990's HT surround modes are no slouch either. Outlaw has a variety of multi-channel amps at various power levels that can meet your specific needs. All the multi-channel amps are made by ATI in Los Angeles and are rock solid. You can't beat Outlaws 30-day trial period. You could find out how they match with your Polks in your home (the best place to try them out) with only shipping cost at risk.

Just my 2 cents....

Thanks for your two cents. One of the reasons I went with the Polk's was I was surprised how my current CS150 2nd hand center speaker sounded. I went and auditioned the RTi 8's and the RTi 6's and CSi5 and they sounded very good to my ears paired with a Denon 2807 AVR receiver. This was for HT. I also thought this time around I will have a timbre matched speakers. If you say I would be happy with the 990/7500 I will consider this option. I knowone thing for sure it will sound better than what I have now, especially the music portion.

To add 2 more cents, beyond my listen for yourself recommendation...

I have a 990 and do agree with sb-avnut and avfan on the 990 over anything more expensive for another year or two.

I will also pick up on sb-avnut's "proper balance" idea and suggest you could think about the 990/7125 combo. Your Polks are quite efficient (90 dB), you have a sub, and you said your tv room is not that big. If you have not had separates before, the 7125 is far more amp than the amp section of the 2807 receiver, even though the wpc ratings look similar. The 7125 is rated at 125/190 wpc into 8/4 ohms with all 7 channels driven. If you read behind the fine print, the receiver is not. You could get 2 more RTi6's and go to 7.1.

Not that I have anything against 200 watts (said with a Tim Allen ARRH-ARRH-ARRH).

So do you think the 7500 amp is over kill for what I'm looking for? I like the balanced feature what the 7500 has to offer. How is the 7125 for music? Is a sonic felling amp?

The Polk LSi's have a reputation for being power hogs and a significant challenge for many amps to drive - if you had the LSi15, I'd say it's a no-brainer to go with the 7500. The RTi's are not so bad in this regard, being 2dB more efficient and a less challenging 8 ohm load. You might check out the Your System Saloon forum and the "what amps and speakers" thread for some examples of what RTi owners have ended up using. As wolverine points out, the 7125 might be a good fit. I wouldn't feel bad about putting a 7500 in the system, of course (said with a 7500 sitting in the entertainment center at home...), but it's worth kicking the idea of a 7125 around a bit...

dixlon,
To kind sum up all of the very good thoughts.....
1. A Balance system is a very good place to start. You will be happy for years and get the most out of every piece of gear.
2. Outlaw vs Anthem ~ money vs more money. Are the differences in sound/options worth the money? ….. a personal choice.
3. Outlaw equipment: a manufacture of high quality gear.
4. Anthem equipment: a manufacture of high quality gear.
5. HDMI, currently, is all video. Since the sound side of HDMI is not even out (masses), there are sure to be bugs in first generation. It is a personal choice if you want to pull the trigger. IMHO, When HDMI sound is showing up in the ‘Best Buy’s” of the world – then it is in the masses.
6. Spend time on your surroundings (room) to make sure you get the most out of your system. Include the wife in this area to make life better at home. (To our female gunslingers - your husbands all ready worship you.)
7. In the end, you are the one living w/ your system. Looking into post covering systems, you will find a wide smattering of combinations. All of them are correct .... for each owner.


Have fun and let us know what you have done. If it where me, I would go for the Outlaw and throw in a SMS-1 or a second sub. …Even take the wife out for a dinner and a “movie.”

I appreciate your comments and I think I'll try my luck with the Outlaw's. I've had previous sucess with another Internet HiFi company called SVS. I just need to decide to pair the 990 with either the 7125 or 7500 amp. I'm looking for sonic excellence for the amp I decide to purchase. This for the long term. I Love jazz...John Coltrane!!

I'd buy the 7500 amp if budget allows. You'd be more future proof with the balanced inputs, and additional power.

I have the Anthem AVM-50 paired with a 7500, and I'm extremely happy with it. I replaced the 990 with the Anthem.

I was also extremely pleased with the 990. I went with the AVM-50 to get HDMI and the video upscaling/processing capabilities.

The sound difference I hear between the Anthem and the 990 isn't as great as the sound difference was when I upgraded from a Pioneer Elite receiver to the 990. You can't go wrong with either the Anthem or the 990.

All that said, I agree with previous posters about focusing on your speakers. In my opinion, a budget receiver with great speakers will sound better than a great receiver and budget speakers.