I bet it sells pretty well. I could be wrong but most folks here are enthusiasts and extremely brand loyal. Just the fact that so many have waited years to purchase an unseen/unproven processor is proof of loyalty. Although I will admit that discussing and dreaming about new equipment is 90% of the fun of any hobby. That aside, the key is to produce a product for the poor man audiophile since I am sure there are more poorer than rich man audiophiles. The poor man audiophile wants separates. One reason it is just fun. Imagine the pleasure of showing off your gear and stating that I have an Outlaw, explaining about separates and no you can’t find that brand at the local B&M. I use the pre-outs of my low cost yam into my Outlaw amp. It sounds fine but having seperates would be that much cooler but for me it needs to be low cost.

I read about these high end processors from boutique brands, most of them have minimal feature sets compared to even low end receivers but carry huge price tags. Typically the reviewer writes about how the company focused on sound quality rather than features and folks nod their heads in agreement and pluck down the cash. (I certainly don’t believe there is much difference in sound quality between products at any price point. I bet many pro reviewers could not tell the difference in a blind test, nor is there any objective lab measurement that can tell the difference?) If Outlaw comes along with a low cost “sound quality” focused product, enthusiasts here will eat that up. Outlaw also has the tech support and the community support of their products which is also a big plus to the enthusiast. I think it will sell just fine to this crowd.

-Bob

The market segment is packed to the gills with entry-level receivers that shed performance to squeeze in features. The surround processor market is fairly empty in that price range, and a fundamentally sound unit with Outlaw-quality sound will likely appeal to a fair number of people. It won't be enough to steal customers from the folks who are trying to decide between Model 978, the Marantz AV7005 replacement, or an Anthem, but I think there's a niche there to fill. Had it existed alongside the Model 978, the two could have been a nice one-two punch for the "sweet spot" of processor consumers. Taken by itself, the new unit could still prove successful.

Ain't seen it, haven't heard it, and don't believe it. Welcome back Gonk!! Not much to talk about these days now that we have entered than land of Mordor where the Evil Ones have cancelled the One Ring.

I posted a list not long ago of 3 different Onkyo AVR's with Audyssey XT32 ranging in price from $999 to $1350. And they all were much more full featured than the specs quoted for the 978. It's not a big stretch of the imagination to think that we'll be seeing XT32 in more sub $1000 AVRs soon. And as long as those AVR's have pre-outs....they're effectively processors.

Best,

Yep, just about as useful as this sort of grouping:

Two recent vintage fun to drive imported coupes

My sincerest best wishes,

your pal

Angling for top necropheliac position there, eh? LOL I guess we should be glad you've graduated from poop jokes. I can understand your frustration. I'm sure it's disappointing that your analysis of the situation (in hindsight) was consistently wrong, while others seemed to call it pretty accurately.

*shrug*

Time to move on, pal.

Best,

I have to agree with Ritz. I think at that price point the consumers buying a processor or an AVR are mostly after features than SQ. Furthermore at a circa $1K price point, it's much more difficult to build a processor that will produce much better SQ than an AVR. The difference in SQ will most likely be marginal and then you're left to compete on features with the likes of Denon/Marantz and Onkyo/Integra... good luck!

Onkyo is putting a LOT of price pressure on. The Onkyo TX-NR818 has XT32 and is now selling on Amazon for $859.

It's even UL listed! :-)

Best,

I suggested to Peter that a leak of the American company's name would be a good thing - so that we could boycott the brand and tell our friends and families and spread the word on the 'net. That could possibly cause that company to rethink its action and allow the manufacturer to continue the 978. Only significant public pressure and media stories will convince an unethical company to change a decision. Isn't Sherwood an American company?

I agree, the manufacturer dropped it in favor of the other company. I don't think Outlaw owes either anything to keep their silence.