While I understand the need for a variety of inputs that I may not use I question why there are so many of certain input types. For example, why does the 990 have five composite, S-video and their corresponding analog audio inputs? These inputs take up a lot of valuable real estate on the increasingly crowded back of receivers and pre/pros. It would be interesting to get an idea from the Saloon members on how many of these legacy inputs they really use. My guess is that a few folks use a lot of them but most use two or less. I use one set of analog audio inputs from my OPPO 980H.

Given the resurgence in vinyl I don't consider phono a legacy input. My HT is really my family room where I listen to a great deal of music and I've toyed with the idea of getting a turntable to play some of my old (and well worn!) records and the 990 affords me that option. Yes, there are options with a separate DAC but its too bad the 997 won't have a phono input. I hope phono wasn't eliminated in order to have a half dozen composite/S-video inputs on the 997.