You are singing my tune here. I'm a happy 950 owner and I loved that it was a simple quality design that allowed mere mortals like myself to enter the world of seperates (and I'm never going back). Since then, I've come to realize the difference a high quality analog section makes and am willing to pay for it. However, I do not want to pay for it over and over and over again with each source device I buy. If great analog can be centralized into the pre/pro, then I can buy cheaper/commodity digital transports and save money in the long run.

Regarding all the other features - I'm firmly in the Luddite camp. Give me HDMI switching and the support for the standard codecs. Give me balanced and unbalanced inputs and outputs. Give me flexible bass management. Give me true bypass on all the audio inputs (just in case I do splurge on a reference source device). Give me an easy way to update firmware (USB or ethernet, don't care). Give me a good warranty and great support. Package it all up in an ugly industrial case to save cost.

To give you an idea of my mindset, I'm almost ready to pull the trigger on a NAD M15 (non HD) even though it is severely limited in its HDMI support (no audio, just video). Only its inability to do true bypass on audio inputs is holding me back. Granted, this is extreme and I hope I don't end up having to compromise so many features just to get an affordable pre/pro with a great analog section. But I will if that is what it takes.

I honestly believe Outlaw lost its way with the original vision of the 998 in trying to beat the competition on hi-tech features. I truly hope the above marks a return to the value oriented audio first approach that sold me with the 950.

And in the mean time, what has all this development, set-backs, re-tooling/programming, starting-all-over-again done to the pricing. Most electronics pricing comes down as we have seen with the FP monitors, PC and Lap-Tops, cell phones, etc. I have a knot on my gut says the price of the 9$$ will sky rocket, whenever it is released. The door crasher demand, along with all the cost and waste up to now are going to be to much to overcome. CHA-CHING. Someone please re-assure me if I am wrong.
Knee deep in snow, no one with an alternative will ship up here (Canukistan), boo-hoo.
Cheers!

We don't know yet. The Model 997 was going to sell for $1400, I believe. How that will relate to the Model 978 and Model 998 we'll just have to wait and see. The Model 998 (as most recently described) will offer more than the Model 997 would have, while the Model 978 will offer more in most regards but with a different room correction solution. If I had to guess, I would not be surprised to see the Model 978 land close to the Model 997's target price, but I doubt it will exceed that. I'd also assume that the Model 998 will command at least a couple hundred dollars worth of premium over the Model 978 to justify the two products co-existing in one product line. For now, though, I think we're just dealing with guesswork.

Well, thanks, Gonk.
I hope (continuing to hope, I guess. LOL)that if and when this/these imaginary processors show up, that it/they will be shipped to Canada. Yes, I know Outlaw has shipped to Canada in the past, still have the amp in the box from three years ago as proof. The amp looking for something to plug into other than the wall outlet.
Oh, my. Big sigh.

Happy New Year to everyone. I'm going to make the assumption that 2011 will be a big year for Outlaw Audio and perhaps the 998. I would love a teaser if Outlaw is willing to offer one.

Cheers!

Peter

You know... somehow that assumption seems familiar to me from the last two years.

Hi everyone.
For what it's worth I was talking to Scott in regards to a small issue with my 7700. Of course I had to mention something about Outlaws new processors'.
Scott was a bit "lips are sealed" but my interpretation of his response was that he was very optimistic about something happening in the first quarter of this year.

I hope my interpretation is correct.

*yawn*

It's been that way for the past couple of years. Lucy definitely won't pull the football away again....no way....no how....not again. AAAAAAUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUGH! LOL

The first "quarter" is a pretty big window.

Jeff

+1 for what LightninBoy wrote in post #85386!
FWIW, I went by the Atlantic Technology booth at CES and met Peter, as he was demoing the AT-1 speakers with thier new H-PAS technology cabinet design.