My system is a single zone with only one display and sporting a 5.1 system. No future plans to change this setup, so things like multiple HDMI outputs and zone two controls don’t do anything for me. I am 85% movies and 15% music. I use a PS3 for BD (will most likely upgrade to the new Oppo BD player), a DirecTV DVR, a couple of amps, a 70” SXRD2 display and you have my front end. After I rebuild my sub, my speaker setup will be complete. The last link in the system is a new (or used high end) Pre/pro. Both of these processors are on my short list for that spot. The most important feature of this new unit will have to be sound quality for both movies and music. Music may make up only a small percentage of my usage but I feel the SQ is more critical with music than with movies. It looks like these two processors will be going head to head in the market. With the 997 priced around $1400 and the XMC at $1000+ (price not set yet, just an estimate). Both units offered by internet companies and offering great value and outstanding customer service. It sounds like the 997 will hit the market months before the XMC, so that will be an advantage to Outlaw. From what I can gather from the published spec’s on these two units, the XMC may have a higher quality video section while the 997 may be a better audio unit. This conclusion is based on the emphasis each company has put on these sections by their choice processors and software. Emo’s choice to add Genesis Torino video processing and their own Emo-Q room correction verse Outlaw’s Silicon Optix Reon video processing and the Trinnov Optimizer for room correction. The Twin Cirrus 32 bit dual core DSP chips Emo will be using will have more processing power as it was explained, these chips can handle a 192k signal and process it at that rate. It was said that the TI chip(s) are limited to 96k and will truncate a 192k signal back down to 96k for processing. If this is true, the Cirrus chip solution seems the better choice. Emo will be using Analog Devices 24/192 DACs and Outlaw only references that the chips will be 24/192 DACs so it is hard to draw a comparison at this time. The only other thing that I can see that would make a big difference to me is that the Outlaw’s USB is Bi directional. I am assuming this will at minimum allow for a MP3 hookup or preferably can be used to control an external hard drive to act as a music sever. Emo has this listed for use as software upgrades only.
I know real comparisons are not possible until these units are actually in people’s hands but while waiting I continue to shop and I have to compare these two against used units so I can make the right buying decision. Any constructive comments are welcome as I am not married to either of these brands and only want the best Pre/pro for my money. This post is only my opinion, needs and wants will be different for everyone and things may change as these units get closer to production.

Will the 997 be built in China?

As you note, it's too soon to compare the Outlaw to the Emotiva unit. The Torino chip is something of an unknown quantity, whereas the Reon is something folks have a lot more experience with. Genesis has been behind the curve on video processing for a number of years now (they relied on the Faroudja for too long). I think that the Emo-Q is related to Cirrus's SNAP (or whatever they call it) room correction, which doesn't have the prominence of Audyssey or the commercial / studio heritage of Trinnov. Unfortunately, though, I've not paid a lot of attention to Emotiva since I withdrew from the LCM-1 debacle a year or more ago. That combined with the limited details available on both units leaves me feeling like it's just too soon to say anything definitive about any comparisons.

I don't know where the 997 will be built. I think that Etronics may have some manufacturing facilities in China, but they are a Korean company with Korean manufacturing facilities.

If you are going to the OPPO BDP-83 then the video processing part would be done there and since the Outlaw audio is likely superior you would seem to have the best of everything with the 997 and the 7.1 input from the OPPO. Since neither is on the street it is hard to say which is best in any regard. It is likely that the argument will go on for sometime yet (years). Choose the one that has the best warranty/service/reputation/features and be prepared to argue at a later time. For your use have you considered a new 990. It is a bargain at $699 and has the 7.1 input for the OPPO.

If you don't have the need for the hdmi video processing and connections, the 990 is a great deal right now. I needed the video capabilities in my main system and went with the integra dhc9.9. It works great.

My living room system is one where the video part was not important to me though, and I just ordered a 990 for that system. At $699.00 there is nothing else out there that compares for mainly audio use.

I'm betting yes. The Sherwood receiver version , the R972, says "Made in China" on tha back in this photo:

R972 back panel

Made in China???

Oooops!

Peter T: please say it ain't so.

I just got my new 990 from Fged ex this morning. It says made in China on it as well. The Integra dhc 9.9 that I got last Monday was made in Malaysia.

They each replaced Harman Kardon Signature 2.0's that were manufactured in the USA. There are quite a few high end audio/video companies that manufacure in China now. Fewer and fewer audio components, even from Japanese companies, are manufactured in Japan any longer.

Scott

My OPPO players are all made in China, and over the last four years I've had five different players that have all been very reliable. It's not something that inherently carries a sense of "oh, yeah!" but it also doesn't necessarily signal bad things. The key is making sure the specific facility is well-run. AV123 had a series of really dreadful problems last year with Chinese-made electronics that were due at least in part to a lack of factory supervision.

I worked for many years with a first tier automotive supplier, and I can tell you without reservation that if these products weren't made in china or that general vicinity, most of us wouldn't be able to afford them.
We are living in an international economy. Any manufacturer who wishes to give his customer a competitive price is going to be forced to select the supply chain that provides the greatest value.