Which will come first?

I'll go out on a limb and say that sarcasm will outlast them both...

If you want sarcasm, then;

I predict that the world will come to an end before the 997 is available.

After all, some predict the end of the world to occur on 12/12/12; and given the track record for the introduction of the 997, then, my money is on the end of the world.

Actually if I were a betting man, I would place a parlay on neither of them happening. I think this is a safe bet because if the world ends it is going to be tough for them to collect!

But seriously, I am beginning to think that we won't see a 997 at all. The old saying "A day late and a dollar short" comes to mind when I think about this product. By the time it comes to market it will be irrelevant and most likely overpriced versus the competition. I have always loved Outlaw Audio and their entire business model, but lately they have veered so far astray from their roots I fear there is no turning back for them. I wonder how they are doing overall as a company. This economy has been tough on everybody, but when you add in 997 which is almost a complete failure at this point, I am really concerned as to whether the company will be around in a few years. And that concern alone is enough to sway my buying decision. Then I have to consider that the 997 is a S/N based product. S/N has completely lost my respect for and confidence in their products. So when you add it all up, even if the 997 makes it out before the world ends how many people are really going to buy it? At this point I would have to say that the 997 is a complete failure and that it just possibly could be the down fall of a once great company!

If there is any hope for the Outlaw world it is the possibility that maybe the Outlaw management is as smart as we all have believed them to be over the years and that they have an alternate plan. In my mind, I would be looking to scrap the 997 and the S/N relationship, i.e. cut your losses and run. Of course that only make sense if you have a fall back strategy. Obviously, I have no idea what that is, but I am sure we could all speculate. Now if I were running this, there are couple things I would want to have happen. What ever my alternate plan might be it has to be rock solid and acceptable by their loyal customers and I would not disclose this plan until literally days, if not hours, before I could actually start shipping product. So if that is the case then I can understand why we have been hearing so little from them about their new processor.

Well here is to hoping that Outlaw Audio can pull a rabbit out of hat!

Regards,
Mark

I used to work at a high tech firm where we regularly heard "When are you going to be done?" from our customers.

Our typical flip answer was "We'll schedule a technological break through for next Tuesday".

At the end of the day you're basically left with a choice: Do you believe the eggheads are going to deliver? Or not?

I believe that the 997 will be availbale early to mid next year. While I am one of the Outlaw fans who broke down and bought another pre-pro (had been using an HDMI receiver - an Onkyo 805) just this month (an Integra 80.1), I still think this company's mission and history is excellent and that they will indeed survive. The 997 is certainly a flagship product for them and its tardiness has to have hurt the company in terms of bottom line. However, they have a series of killer amps that are first rate, and when the 997 is released, while other products have certainly brought forward new innovations (my Integra has made my jaw drop to be honest), the Trinov system will be a technological breakthrough if it can be successfully implemented. I think Outlaw will be fine. I will certainly shop here as my needs for new equipment develop. I guess part of the problem is that their amps are so darn bulletproof! My 770 is still putting out watts like a beast!

Mike