I for one is really excited and ready to sign up now!!!

While I understand your comments from an economic point of view (especially since the 5308 lists for about four times the price of the 997) don't forget that the 5308 has some features that offer a reason for the higher price. Beside the obvious (like 50% more HDMI inputs and two HDMI outputs along with more of just about every kind of input and output) there are important things such as Silicon Optics' Realta Video processor instead of the less capable (but still good) Reon VP. And Denon Link has always been a favorite of mine - especially if you have a Denon DVD player because you get a direct no nonsense digital link from your SACD/DVD-A sources to the receiver without an HDMI intermediary. And the 5380 and similar has a slew of other internal components of a quality that would be hard to match at under $1500 list. Plus Audyssey Pro has several features like dynamic EQ that Trinnov doesn't seem to offer.

However, in the real world of 21st century economics it is highly significant that something like the 997 is able to pull off such a product with the features it offers at its price point. I predict that when this product comes to market it will affect the industry much the same way that the original 950 did to the pre/pro world. A technology will be offered to many more people who before this could only read and dream about such applications.

I'm talking from experience as the (in)famous "Beta Tester #1" for the 950. I've paid my dues, and have gone through a succession of pre/pros after that - from a 950 to a Lexicon MC-8 to several HDMI capable Denon receivers (thanks Lexicon for dropping the ball on this one!) and currently using a Denon AVP-A1HDci pre/pro. While I feel that my current pre/pro (still coupled to Outlaw Amps!) gives me remarkable flexibility I'm amazed at how far Outlaw's "900" series of pre/pros has progressed in less than a decade. Considering the fact that the 997 will list for less than the original 950 (considering the value of TODAY'S dollar) that's quite an accomplishment. Room equalization in a pre/pro has become extremely mainstream in very short order.

My 2 cents.

Always good to see RAF in the saloon.
This is an interesting point - it's been about 6.5 years since the 950 started shipping (at a price of $900). The 950 had Dolby EX, DTS-ES, Pro Logic II (not IIx), a trio of separately adjustable digital crossovers, two component inputs (pure switching and no transcoding of composite/s-video), and a 5.1 analog input. Now we're talking about four HDMI inputs, video processing based on the Reon chipset, room correction that's cut down from a professional system, and a list of processing and decoding options as long as my arm. It's been a pretty hectic few years, hasn't it?

My 950 is still going strong since I first purchased it from Outlaw and I look forward to replacing it with the 997. I remember all the excitement about being one of the first to get a 950 and the same level of excitement seems to be in store for the 997.

With the little bit of talk about the GUI, did the 990 let you display the menu thru HDMI, or do you still have a "monitor output" RCA connection that you have to use to see the menu?

Sure hoping to get on that list to be a Beta tester, LOL! Anyway, can't wait to purchase mine.

Rob

The 990's DVI output is purely switching from the DVI inputs - there was no menu available. You have to use an analog video output (composite, s-video, or component) to see the menu.

Is there a reason behind not using the HDMI output (or DVI in the case of the 990) for the menu? Does it mess up the untouched "pass thru" capability of the HDMI inputs?

On the 990, the reason was part performance and part cost. By having DVI switching that was a pure pass-through, they didn't "muddy the water" and they reduced the likelihood of HDCP problems. Additionally, implementing the video processing required to generate a menu signal (even if it just replaced the incoming signal) would have been quite pricey in 2004 or 2005 (and the 990 launched in May 2005).

These days, we are seeing a lot of new offerings that can output their menus over HDMI. Part of that comes from the inclusion of high-powered video processing systems that are converting analog to digital and doing lots of digital video processing, as at that point they can generate one menu (in the analog domain so it can go onto analog inputs and be visible at analog outputs) and let the video processor convert them to digital along with the other signals. In some cases, they may even be overlaying data onto HDMI inputs, although I was turning that sort of stuff off back in 2002 when it was available via s-video switching on my 950 so I haven't paid much attention to that.

Anyone know what sort of audio dacs are used?