I think a nine-channel amp would come after a nine-channel processor. Assuming that PLIIz is added to the 997 as a firmware update, there's a pretty decent chance that it will be done by re-assigning the surround back outputs for the height channels. Jeff didn't seem to rule out using the second zone outputs to drive the height channels, but I got the impression that it was significantly more likely that they'd have to use the surround backs instead. (This is what Onkyo is going to be doing, as well - and most likely anybody else who adds PLIIz in the near future, as hardware designs with the extra two output channels are going to take time to develop.)