I'm more interested in Audio versus video, and may use one of the above in stereo only for a while if I decide to purchase one of them. Is there a difference in sound quality between the 2 of them.

990 is better, but if you intend to use it with small speakers and analog stereo sources, you should be aware of the so called "bass management bug".

If you intend to use it exclusively with digital sources, then 990 is a better choice, not that 970 is a bad one either.

Is the 990 $300 better than the 970 for reproducing digital stereo music, or does it just have $300 more flexibility for surround and video, and the ability to still play anolog.

Forgot to list my current system - I'm new

Adcom GTP-400 ( this is dying which is why I'm here looking around)
Adcom GFA -535
Vanderstein Model 1's
Arcam CD73
Sansui Belt Drive Turntable ( haven't used in years, but wouldn't mind dusting off)

990 has better electronics in the signal path, that's for sure. The $300 difference might come from various directions, marketing included, hard to tell.

And if you're looking at a turntable, then only 990 has a phono input...

Your gear is two cannel, why are you looking at a 7.1 surround processor as a replacement for your stereo preamp? Just curious...

Wait for the next version of the 990.

I'll get into surround sound piece by piece. But I still want the priority to be sound quality. I thought about the receiver, although I hate to replace seperates with a one piece unit. If I get a good sounding pre/pro, eventually I can fill out the system, but also have good quality sound.

Goyangi, I too have a stereo setup right now and will get into surround sound eventually. I also have a turntable which I still use, so anything without a phono input was not an option. And that's why I got a 990, and recommend it to anyone in my position, including you. The quality of the sound is real, real good. And if you're really interested in music, I'd also recommend a tube buffer between the pre and power amps, and the Yaqin is a heck of a buy.
Having said that, I haven't heard the 970 so can't comment on it vs. the 990.

Hello psyprof1...Can you please describe your listening experience with the Yaqin processor? Did you place the Yaqin between your source and the pre amp? Pardon me if you have discussed your experience with the Yaquin processor in another thread.

I just purchased two Grant Fidelity Tube processors...which to my limited knowledge is the same as the Yaqin. Thus, I am curious to your experience.

AK

Sure, akdrama - my Yaqin is between the 990 preamp and Adcom GFA535 power amp - the only place where it can work on all inputs. It's connected to both the preamp and power amp with Kimber PBJ interconnects, not because I've found them to be the best my imported-beer-budget could afford but because they were the best interconnects I had two pairs of. As for the difference it's made to the sound, I haven't tried turning the Yaqin off while playing (at which point it presumably becomes a straight pass-through for the signal) though this is possible. But the impression is that it increases both the "sweetness" and the presence of the sound. Today I was listening to a Dvorak string serenade over an FM station with a good-quality signal and the massed strings, especially the cellos, had more of the woody sound one hears in live performances. And on cable TV news programs (coax digital audio connection from a Scientific Atlanta box to the 990, which does the DAC duty) commentators' voices, especially the men's, sound much more "in-the-room" than they did before. There also SEEMS to be an even better phantom center channel sound from my Magneplanar 1.6QRs, and they were pretty good at that before I installed the Yaqin. I have not yet tried substituting a better tube for the Chinese one that came with the unit, a change which is said to make the highs still better.
Hope this helps. I never heard of your Grant Fidelity units.

Thanks for all of your inputs. I will probably get a 990 and expand from there. I have never heard of using a tube buffer as psyprof1 and akdrama have done. I will start my research. Thanks again to all that have helped.

Goyangi...

I received my buffers today. Initial impression is (as psyprof1 stated earlier) more presence to the sound. The sound is more forward. The 990 for me is more than satisfying for HT...for the synergy between the outlaws and my Mirage OM-5 speakers (laid back in the lower midrange) there was quite not enough musicality. These tube buffers/processors are a good enhancement. If you find this to be the case with your Vandersteins (which I haven't listened to since I was a teenager in the mid-80's) the buffers are a low budget way for more musicality.

To make my long opinion short...I highly doubt you will regret a 990 purchase. And you should be able to tweak to your satisfaction.

Cool! Sounds like a good way to go. I'll let you know as I rebuild my system. Thank's.

Akdrama, I just visited the Grant Fidelity site and took a look at the tube buffer you purchased. It does indeed look like the one labeled Yaqin, except that my unit uses only one tube. The rear of the chassis is identical.
How do you plan to use two of them? It would be interesting to hear if the second (between CD player and preamp?) improves the sound still further.
Happy listening.

Prof...

At present, I am only using one, and it is between my CDP and the preamp. My thought is to let one settle in and get adjust to the sound change. Plus, with limited funds I am breaking in two cheap sets of RadShack gold series rca's. As I posted in another thread, I've been researching various $100 rcas and DIYs. For immediacy I bought the RadShacks. This also gives me the opportunity gauge effect of the change in cables. I'm looking forward to experimenting with the change in sonic quality as I switch out rcas. In the next week, I am going to make some rca's (design suggested by Altec).

Concerning the second...I am contemplating experimenting with it in the living room on (my ladies hand-me-down system)...a Sony digital receiver with Mirage Omnisats and a low end dvd player. I am really curious to see what influence the buffer will have there.

There has been a good amount of change to my system in the last six months. So, the next step is to get caught up in the rcas, get them broken in and then do more serious listening. Plus, I have a second analog output on the CDP which I will hook up directly to the preamp. This will give me the best opportunity to gauge any differences. However, I have to say, I've been switching back and forth between digital with up sampling and the analog with buffer. The 990's up sampling is impressive. The buffer still has a little more bass and slight more depth. There is a good decibel difference between digital bypass and analog bypass, however with the digital up sampling the sound volume matches up.

If I understand the sound paths correctly...where I place the buffer will depend on which DAC I like (the CDP or the 990.) Could be interesting to hear the buffer after the digital upsampling. I also have an older Nakamichi CDP that I would like to pass through the buffer. Lots of choices.

Prof, out of curiosity, what cd player are you using?

I hope I haven't rambled too much. I live in a small town and do not know any other audiophiles. It's fun to share the experience of sonic changes. I try and talk to some of my friends about it, but their eyes glaze over. Fortunately, my lady likes to sit with me and sample different music.

Ak

Thanks for the kind words, akdrama. My player is a Pioneer DV-578A, the cheapest "universal" player (CD, DVD, DVD-A, SACD) I could find at the time I was looking. That was just before I heard of the Oppo units. As I think I've already written, the Pioneer feeds the 990 a digital signal via a Mapleshade Ultrathin coax connector ($42 for 1 meter), so I'm using the 990's DAC (unless I set the 990 to 7.1 input, in which case the Pioneer's DAC feeds the 990's left and right analog inputs). The tube buffer is between the 990 and my Adcom GFA535 power amplifier. That is the only way it can affect all possible audio sources.
As anyone reading this can conclude, I may have champagne tastes but my budget is at the imported beer level.

goyangi, I just stumbled over this . You might find it interesting for your research.

psyprof1

You recently posted that you have a Pioneer DV-578A player and maybe an Oppo player? I also have the Pioneer and am contemplating buying a Oppo DV-980H. If you(or any other Outlaws) did buy the 980H, I was curious as to how you thought it compared to the Pioneer. My system is used 99% music and the majority of that is multi-channel.

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

No, spanky, I meant I bought the Pioneer and still have it, but wish I'd waited for the Oppo. So I'm as curious as you are about how the two compare.
Best.