I want to be able to connect my universal (SACD/DVD-Audio) player to my next processor/receiver to have the ability to play my SACD's via HDMI. Will the new Outlaw processor be able to decode DSD over HDMI?

My comments on this from late September are here:
My suspicion is that it will support DSD, but we don't have any proof of that yet. What player are you using? (I ask because quite a few of them can't output a DSD bitstream...)

I'm not the original poster, but I have an Oppo 980H (modded by Dan Wright) which will, in stock form, output DSD over HDMI. I bought this player so that it can be connected to a prepro via HDMI, and look forward to having DSD support in the prepro. Why wouldn't the 997 have this capability? Cost? I'm guessing that Outlaw is at the mercy of the Sherwood design. Let's hope it's there.

On a side note, the Oppo 980 ("refurbished") can be purchased directly from Oppo on Ebay with a 'buy it now' price of $135. If you use the Live.com search to access Ebay, you can get a 'rebate' from Microsoft of 25%.

I'm optimistic that DSD support will be tucked in there, as it's become rather common even though DSD-compatible sources are still a little elusive, but I think we are still waiting a bit on a definitive answer.

A 980H for $135 is a pretty sweet deal, by the way. Might need to tell a co-worker about that - he's still kicking himself for buying a Magnavox DVD player at the grocery store without consulting with me first.

DSD should be only used over analog to keep the sound pure! Analog is better!

DSD is a digital format ("Direct Stream Digital"), so I don't see why it has to convert to analog instantly. The only question I'd ask regarding DSD digital input is if there is a DSD-to-PCM conversion in the processor. Many players and HDMI v1.2+ receivers make such a conversion before their analog section because they lack DSD-capable DAC's. Doing DSD all the way to the DAC is the purest solution, but I've read interesting feedback from folks who have compared DSD to PCM in their systems and found that they sometimes prefer PCM to DSD (depending on the components used in the signal chain and who is listening).

I'm really surprized that Scott didn't answer this question here. I asked them the same question, and this was Scott's reply:

PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS IS A POST ONLY EMAIL MESSAGE. EMAIL REPLIES TO THIS MESSAGE WILL NOT BE RECEIVED BY OUTLAW AUDIO.
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Scott has responded to your Outlaw Support Center request.

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(Scott)
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This ticket will be closed for traffic management. However, this may not mean we consider it resolved. If this issue is unresolved, please feel free to reopen the ticket with further questions or concerns as well as any answers to questions we might have posed.

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Hello Fellow audiophile,


Please be aware that specifications may be subject to change.


1) Yes, the Model 997 will decode DSD over HDMI.

2) It will not provide analog bass management over the MC analog inputs.

3) It will not support an HD Radio Tuner.


Thanks and regards,


Scott

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This ticket will be closed for traffic management. However, this may not mean we consider it resolved. If this issue is unresolved, please feel free to reopen the ticket with further questions or concerns as well as any answers to questions we might have posed.


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Thank you,

The Outlaws

Thanks for passing this information along, surroundophile.

Outlaw doesn't always chime in around here since they keep a fairly low profile and generally leave the forum for us "gunslingers" to mingle in (that's why Scott has 540 posts after eight years and I have just shy of 12,000). Plus, in this particular case they may be letting the information flow regarding the 997 stay low-key while they wait to see what the release schedule is going to be.