Originally Posted By: lawtalker
There are also different DACs, at least. The 978 will also have balanced outs.

More generally, identical specs does not equal identical performance, just like not every 50" 1080p screen is the same. Specs only tell part of the story.


True, which is where price point comes into play. If there is a substantial difference in price between the 978 and other offerings then the potential buyer will start to ask "do I need this or that feature?". If the cost of the 978 is close to the Marantz offerings then I feel it's in the 978's favor because you can then argue that you are getting much more value for your money with better components and more features.