Well, I just ordered my 970. I hope it gets here soon. I can hardly wait, as my Yamaha 995 that I was using as a preamp died (well actually someone spilled a glass of wine into the transformer while it was running).

I am now running the sound through the TV, it is dull and lifeless.

The rest of the equipment is a Rotel 1075 amp, GR Research AV3 and AV1 speakers, a DIY parts express 12" subwoofer, a Sony 555 SACD player and a JVC progressive scan DVD player.

I hoping that the analog bypass on the CD input is transparent and I dont lose much detail from the SACD player, because I am thinking of getting a Toshiba HD DVD player.

I will let everyone know how it sounds when it comes and I hook it up.

The multichannel analog bypass should be quite good (it was on my Model 950, and the 970 can trace some of its lineage back to the 950 design). I'd be curious to hear how you think the HPF/LPF (analog bass management), Bypass (no bass management, pure multichannel analog bypass mode), and Digital (digital bass management) settings compare for that input.

Congrats on the 970.

I have really been enjoying mine. I only have a couple of SACDs, but they sound excellent. I have my SACD player hooked up to the 7.1 inputs. It is such a shame that SACD didn't take off. They really do sound much better than CD.

I am curious about your GR Research speakers. I have always seen companies like that on the net (GR, North Creek), but not been real comfortable about getting speakers from a non-commercial source. In particular I have wanted to try the AV-2 or AV-3. How do you like your speakers?

Regards,
Charlie

I am really looking forward to this, and hope I dont have any problems. The wife will kill me if there are any. I have about a 100 SACDs and you are right, they sound so much better.

As to the GR speakers. I know it is a big risk, but I am glad I did it. I built a pair of AV-1s and loved them. Then a pair of unfinished AV-3s went for sale for $300 and I jumped on them.

The AV-3s are amazing speakers, particularly at vocals. They are wonderful for both music and hometheater. The transmission line design means they will play down to about about 45Hz in my room.

I couldnt be happier. I believe Danny (great guy btw) has a pair of traveling AV-1 speakers. For the cost of shipping you can have them for a week. Give him a call and ask.

It came of Saturday, but I didnt get a chance to hook it up until Sunday afternoon. I have not experienced any difficulties or problems, once I turned the polling feature off. This board was helpful in that regard.

All I can say is WOW. This was a huge upgrade. The Yamaha 995 wasnt even in the same ballpark. Yes, things have advanced alot in 7 years, but even the SACD's sounded so much better. I had the SACD player hooked through the 5.1 inputs of the Yamaha, and on the 970, I have it through the CD inputs, with bypass mode on.

They sound better, which theoretically they shouldnt, but this means that the 970 has a much better analog system than the Yamaha.

Movies sound better and punchier, especially in the bass. Serenity was a lot of fun.

It was well worth the wait. Now the outlaws just need to make an excellent SACD player at a reasonable price.

We need them to make a BluRay/HD-DVD/SACD/DVD-A/DVD-V/CD player at a great price! Then we can have it all

Why not make it a Blu-Ray/HD-DVD/SACD/DVD-A/DVD-V/CD/CD-R/VCD/HDCD/MP3/DiVX player, and put decks in for DAT, DCC, MD, and 8 track. And don't forget to put a big picture of a raised middle finger on the front panel from your friends in the Consumer Electronics industry.

How about Beta&VHS upsampled to 1080p???

My family had a Beta
I had an 8-Track
Luckily I stayed out of the DAT, DCC, and MD mix.

For DIVX I'm guessing that you mean the new codec not the old Circuit City scam DIVX?