So now that some people have the 970, can "Bypass" be selected as the CD Analog Defualt, or do you have to press the bypass button each time the unit is turned on?

Sorry to jump into this so late, but what's the consensus on whether its worth it to upgrade from the 950 to the 970?

I figure that I can get around $500 for my mint condition 950 on E-bay, so the final cost will be about $250 to upgrade units (including e-bay fees and shipping costs).

I don't currently have a TV that is capable of accepting a DVI input in my family room, so DVI connections aren't a big deal for me right now (I'll probably upgrade my TV in a year or two once the 1080P TV's come down in cost).

I do like the idea of having an On Screen Display with the component video output as well as the front panel A/V and headphone jacks but I'm not sure those are really enough to justify the upgrade.

I've read the manual for the 970 to note the differences but now I'm still trying to decide if the video and audio performance of the 970 are improved enough over the 950 to spend the additional $250 to upgrade.

Any thoughts and comments from previous owners of the 950 and now the 970 would be welcomed.

Mick

I'd say significantly improved.

Depending on your video setup, the lip sync delay is a very valuable feature, as is the improved bass management, more precise delay settings, additional surround modes and other features. The ability to do software upgrades is also a major plus.

Sound? Most here seem to think it's a great improvement, but that's something you'll have to determine for yourself.

I would chime in and say that it is a great unit. It has integrated very well into my system and I like the ability to tailer the Crossover frequencies of my individual groups of speakers.

One thing to note about the on screen display; it is not active (on the component output) if you are using a HD signal. In my setup I am using a Cable Box which upcnverts everything to HD so I do not get the OSD when watching cable. I like this feature, in fact I would have turned off the OSD on the cable input.

Regards,

Charlie

Thanks for your opinions. Sounds like its worth the extra money to upgrade.