I want a receiver that will handle two-channel analog audio inputs (from my turntable and cassette deck) entirely in the analog domain (no analog-digital-analog conversions) **while still passing a bass signal to the subwoofer output**.

I tried the 1050 a couple years ago and liked it, except it couldn't do this so I ended up returning it. All Harmon/Kardon HT receivers can do this, but it seems very few others can.

I'm not at all fussy about the cross-over points or anything for this mode... I just want a bass signal at the subwoofer output when listening to two-channel analog sources, without having the reciver convert the analog signals to digital.

Thanks in advance for any info.

Sorry, no phono stage input on the 1070.

Are you using this receiver in a home theater environment, or are you just operating a two-channel system? If you are running a two-channel system and don't need video switching, the upcoming RR2150 might be just what you need - phono input and analog bass management. If you are using a surround system, the goal of analog bass management (required to generate a signal for the sub) becomes much more difficult - home theater recievers rely on digital bass management in nearly all cases. The 1070 does, however, offer something that might help a bit - the 7.1 direct input includes analog bass management, so that a phono pre-amp on that input would be able to generate a sub signal while keeping the signal in the analog domain. It will only work for one source and will require you to tie up the DVD input (including one component video input and one DVI input) for that analog stereo source.

Interesting aside - the Model 950 has a feature (often maligned, and removed from the 1070 from what I can tell) where the stereo analog bypass preserved the stereo analog signal in the analog domain but generated a sub signal by making a copy of the signal, converting it to digital, applying bass management, and then sending the resulting low frequency data to the sub. It only happened if the mains were set to small, and it yielded a "double bass" condition (the mains still got a full-range signal, so the data below the crossover point was reproduced twice).

Thanks for the replies.

The lack of a phono input is no problem, since I use a separate phono preamp. But the lack of a pass-thru for two-channel analog sources with subwoofer output is. Using the direct inputs wouldn't be too satisfactory, since I'd have to use an outboard switch or something to accommodate my two analog sources.

The 2150 stereo receiver isn't an option for me either, since I do have an HT setup. My DVD, CD players and satellite receiver are connected digitally. But I still listen to my old vinyl and cassettes quite a bit, and pure analog amplification for these sources sounds way better to me.

The feature gonk described on the 950 would be perfect (I think my H/K does basically the same thing - I use the sub's cross-over to compensate for the "double-bass"), but separates are out for me due to space and budget limitations. Guess I'll stick with my sorta flat-sounding H/K for now.

I don't have a 1070 to experiment with, but Ranger1000 recently posted a detailed review of the 1070 that has an interesting comment about bass management:
Based on this comment, you can achieve the "double bass" that you are interested in.

Hey gonk... thanks for the additional info! I read that review before posting here, but didn't catch that apparently.

I'm gonna call Outlaw this week and see if I can get confirmation and maybe more details on that. It sounds like what I want.

On digital sources, I preferred the sound of the 1050 I tried a couple years ago to my current H/K receiver, but the 1050 just didn't cut it for analog sources. So maybe the 1070 is just what I've been looking for.

Anybody here have a 1070 who previously had a 1050? Is the sound quality similar? I really liked the 1050 with digital sources.