The dimensions for the 978 are now up on the product page.

Good catch... I guess I was just about spot on in my predictions above from last year.

Unfortunately, it's looking more and more likely that I'm going to be more interested in the dimensions of the Integra 80.3 or the equivalent Onkyo 5509, especially if rumors regarding the imminent North American release of the latter are true.

Don't know about you guys, but after reading the latest update on the progress of the 978, I have no worries about memory or any other spec of the machine. Engineering is always a compromise between what is wanted and the constraints of economics and design limitations. Compared with some other competitors, Outlaw has a deserved reputation for producing quality products which they stand behind 100%, and I believe their knowledge of that biases many production decisions and has contributed to some of the delays.

As to the 'slingers or others posing threats of jumping ship due to lack of a date specific... jump away. Thankfully these threats have had little direct impact on Outlaw's development process. After all, who is more anxious to start writing orders than they? Obviously the development and production are proceeding as fast as possible.

I'm guessing we're at 90% of the total wait time. I'm hanging on for the final 10%. My only worry now is my budget...

^^^^^ +1 ^^^^^

While I do agree with the above comments on the development process, I have to object to the use of the term "jumping ship" - some of us simply needed to/wanted to replace old equipment, and Outlaw did not have a replacement available to order. It has nothing to do with jumping ship and is certainly not a "threat", although, if a ship was doing donuts in the middle of the ocean for a couple of years and another ship came along to bring me to dry land, I'd take it.

Kudos, Lou. GREAT post.

And thank you.

^^^^^+2^^^^^


Just for example...

Emotiva's XPA-5 power amp costs $900
Outlaw's 7500 power amp costs $1600 (Outlaw's amp is a much better built amp)

Outlaw doesn't build cheapo stuff. I bought the 7500 and I am tickled multicolour about it.

Now Emotiva has their new pre/pro listed at $1500. With all the R&D that Outlaw has done on the 978 do you think that this thing will be "affordable"? I somehow doubt the 978 will be the same $1500 as the Emo or $1600 as their 7500 amp.

I am faithfully waiting for the 978 and have little doubt it will be one great appliance. The problem is the cost of the unit may be higher than my budget will allow. If it is then the most I can go on a pre-pro would be the Marantz 7005.

No one has said a word about the price except when the 998 was first mentioned to be in development. I think Outlaw is shooting for a price around $1500. Any higher than that and they run the risk of losing their best bang for the buck status.

Thanks Xenonman. I'm sure hoping for this affordability.

With the amp comparison, one of them is made in China, which accounts for some of the difference. With the pre-pro comparison, I think they both will be made "back east" so the manufacturing part of the price tag would be similar.

As has been mentioned, I concur that Outlaw would use more robust parts in their amps when you simply compare transformer sizes, output device numbers and THD at rated power with the Emotiva amps. Well, you can't compare parts for THD, but why Emotiva spec'ed their amps to do .1% THD at full rated power is a cost saving measure in my opinion. Surely it costs more to spec amps to do rated power at .03 or thereabouts as Outlaws amps do? Which also gives them more clean headroom before getting into audible distortion.