I dunno, HDMI (goodbye cable clutter), room correction (or something like that), HD audio in all it's formats, usb or ethernet firmware updates, 3d capability for when it's time to do that, advanced GUI, and so on are all sounding pretty cool to me, although it is the sound that trumps them all...if these advances (yes, advances) weren't appealing at some level to a bunch of us, this forum would not need to exist, IMHO - and yes, never found a real need for stadium DSP, hence the 990 in my cabinet.

Well said NRBQLou: I think some of us AV enthusiasts fall for the trap of purchasing new electronics to get the latest features without considering the efficacy of said features. Audio DSP soundfields are a a good example of this. They sound great on paper but poor in practice. Ironically, one of the best audio surround processing modes I've used is also one of the oldest and easiest to implement: Ambiance extraction via Hafler's L-R, R-L surround system. I used this system with Theta's Casablanca prepro and it's a feature I wouldn't want to live without it now. If memory serves, Dolby ProLogic II works on the same principle but I haven't gotten around to trying it out yet.

I owned the 990 a while back and really enjoyed it. In terms of bang for the buck, I've never owned a better prepro, and it's why I'm holding out for the 978 now. Ironically, a single feature swayed me to the 978 versus the Marantz AV7005 which does most of what I need: Audyssey XT32. I have dual subs and will be building speakers in the near term that will benefit from the higher resolution XT32 offers versus XT.

Having said all this, if the 990 works for its owners today I don't think they should rush out to replace it until the 978 becomes available. Despite its age the 990 holds up very well in terms of build, reliability, and sonics relative to anything near its original SRP.

I just returned from China and Taiwan and checking so far, no supply problems. Remember, most electronic components are made in China and Southeast Asia nowadays, not Japan.

Probably the only danger for the Model 978 is components - if critical chips (which may still be fabbed in Japan) are delayed, that could slow things down.

Yeah, I wish we were talking about extraneous stuff like "soundfields"...but I and I think many of the people in this forum gave up on that sort of thing 15 years ago or more though. We are talking about HDMI capability (including decoding modern formats over it) and video processing*. And then from there you can throw in other nice-to-haves like room correction (something Outlaw itself has been talking about for a couple of years...I have been really just hoping to get sub-eq as part that). NBRQLou has a point.

*I was originally more towards the camp of "why combine video and audio processing into the same device?", but it is hard to resist at this point. In my simple two-room HDMI distribution system, my home theater has become the weak point from a video point of view(!). 'Granted there are other things I could do about that, but I would like to get my HT caught-up by upgrading my 990 (at a reasonable price point) to get everything harmonious again.

Once HDMI entered the equation, video processing in the surround processor became hard to argue against because it became so impractical to run the video and audio sources through separate devices...

I am hanging in there and having patience. I have had the 990/770 combo for about oh five years this June and I am completely satisfied. Anyone who listens to my Home Theater system, music or movies is in awe by the sound and picture. I am sure a lot of my fellow Outlaws have heard similar comments about their Home Theaters or music systems with particular attention to the Outlaw products that are the driving force in their Home Theater/Music systems.
Don't get me wrong I have been strongly anticipating the release date of the 978 since the advertisement of its conception was on this forum, but the products I have from Outlaw are still impressive now as they were when I first purchased them.
The one good thing about Capitalism is that a strong, imaginative company always fines ways of keeping their customers satisfied.

I've been lurking around here for a while waiting to hear news on the eminent release. Sadly, my Lexicon DC-2 just went to AV heaven this weekend. I'll hold out as long as I can, but it sure would be nice to hear something from the folks in the know. Otherwise I'm afraid I'll be stuck with a Denon AVR-4311 or something similar.

You'll likely need to wait at least 3 months, maybe more. Depends on how their testing goes and what impacts the Japanese situation has on any chips possibly manufactured there.

I agree that Outlaw pre/pros have fallen way behind in the features aspect compared to receivers. Other manufacturers - such as Marantz, Onkyo/Integra, and NAD - have kept better pace. So there are still some good options out there for those us in the bargain seperates demographic. But for me going separates was never really about the pre/pro. It was about the amplification. Good amps should last 10-15 years at least and aren't obsolete after 3 years.

That said, I really don't find anything but a handful of the modern features as truly appealing.

HDMI: A worthwhile feature that the industry has completely mishandled. And just when it seems to be settling down - they add 3D. Obviously, today HDMI switching is a must since the convenience of a single cable for video/audio is compelling.

Room Correction: Very worthwhile feature.

HD Audio: Overblown. The "full spec" Dolby Digital available on blu-rays (and supported over coax) is extremely good. I bet most home systems are not detailed enough to resolve the difference between full spec dolby digital and lossless/uncompressed audio. I know that's a bold statement, but I've experienced it msyelf and here's a related article: http://www.hemagazine.com/node/Dolby_TrueHD_DTS-MA_versus_Uncompressed_PCM?page=0%2C0

USB/Ethernet updates: A very worthwhile feature, but mostly because HDMI has been such a mess. Plus I think it has encouraged manufacturer "fix it in the firmware update" behaviors that - overall - are bad for many consumers.

3d capability: I'm years away from caring and even when that happens I don't need my pre/pro to support it. I'll just run the HDMI cable direct from the bluray to the display.

Advanced GUI: My 950's on screen text menu is just as functional and easy to navigate as my LG Bluray's hi-tech, eye-candy ridden GUI.

Obviously, this is all just my opinion and my tastes only but I don't think I'm alone in feeling that the bells and whistles packed into the typical mid-fi+ receiver and some pre/pros has reached the ludicrous state. And I'm hoping a few budget minded manufacturers (e.g. Outlaw) take notice and target us.