I was reading the 970 manual for other topics and I got to the part noting that the Digital Audio processor is the Cirrus Logic CS49400. Nerd that I am, I started looking for the data sheets and found that the CS49400 supports Intelligent Room Calibration which, amoung other things, supports automatic room equalization using a 7-band parametric equalizer.

Was this ever noted in the past? Was it excluded due to price or SW bugs or something? Anyone every try to hotrod their 970 to turn this feature on?

The Model 990 (which also uses the 49400) has auto-setup of levels and distances. I think the support for EQ was added some time after the 49400 was released, however - Sherwood had a revision to the P-965 that allowed for it - and reports I heard on it were underwhelming.

Supporting this with a 49400-based product requires extra hardware (gotta have the microphone, obviously, and probably some extra memory as well). It also requires more firmware complexity. Retrofitting it into an existing product would be a tall order - and retrofitting it into a product with no calibration mic would be impossible without basic re-design of the unit.

Thanks.
I was hoping the hooks were built in and it would be something simple like add a mic port to the back panel, install a couple jumpers and you're ready to rock.