This has always been a challenge for Outlaw - there have always been lower-cost receivers available from larger manufacturers, often with comparable or even more up-to-date feature sets. The SR5005 does look to be a good candidate for a receiver-as-pre/pro.

The difference here, though, will most likely come from the significant discussion in Peter's post about audio quality (DAC selection, analog audio design, etc.). I am assuming that the Model 978 will cost more than the SR5005, but the expectation is that it will offer better sound quality. At that point, it is always a personal judgment call as to whether or not the extra cost can be justified by the audio quality.