Hello Folks,

I am new to this board and am looking for a bit of advice from some already Outlaw Audio users. If I did it right, you should be able to see my current set up. The TV and Sony DVD are new additions as of 3 days ago. I've had the Denon AVR-3300 and Audio Pro speakers for over 5 years now and am thinking of upgrading. The Denon DVD1650AZ is staying! I bought it in Japan and it is fantastic.
I talked to an audio professional and he recommended keeping the AVR-3300 and possibly upgrading the speakers and maybe adding a separate amplifier to power them and use the receiver as the processor. Anyone else here do that? This all started because I thought I needed to upgrade my receiver to an HDMI because of the new tv purchase. However the Sony DVD is HDMI and I am currently running it to the tv and the audio to the Denon. This seems to work, not sure if Im loosing anything here.

The Audio Pro speakers sound very nice and maybe I have gotten a bit too used to them and need a change. Another thing is that I am not sure if something is wrong with my sub. It has stopped working altogether and the light does not even come on. I pulled the fuse and cannot tell if it is burnt out or not. Going to try a new one tomorrow.

I just today listened to some Venna Acoustic Mozart's and Shoenburg's and found them to be wonderful sounding. I also checked out a REL sub along with them and they sounded great together. Keep in mind that I listen to mainly classical, jazz and lighter rock. Sting for sure. My wife and I watch lots of movies, especially since the new tv purchase.

I've been checking out the Outlaw products here and they look quite impressive on paper. Of particular interest is the 990/970, 7125 and LM 2.

This has become long winded as I continue to type. I'm just wanting to see if anyone has any advice for upgrades mentioned.

Thanks,
Pete

Separate amplification can be an excellent upgrade choice, and many people who go to separates start out by buying an amp to use with an existing receiver (did it myself some years ago, with good results). With only one HDMI source currently, you aren't loosing anything with your present arrangement (HDMI video straight to the TV, digital audio to the receiver). I've got an HDMI FAQ in my sig that offers a pretty decent overview of the complexities of HDMI, but basically the only cases where HDMI support in the receiver or processor offers something extra is with HD-DVD or Blu-ray players - and even then, there are a couple good alternatives. If you are interested in having HDMI in your processor, you might consider getting an amp now and keeping the AVR-3300 for another year or year and a half until companies like Outlaw have a chance to incorporate HDMI v1.3 into their product line-ups. On the other hand, if you don't anticipate adopting either HD format, the DVI switching in the 990 and 970 gives you video switching that will work just fine with HDMI sources and displays.

I haven't heard any of the Vienna Acoustics speakers, but I've heard good things about them from folks who have them. I have heard an Outlaw sub (the LFM-1, not the LFM-2) and have found it to integrate very nicely with my Paradigm Studio 60's for both music and movies. I'm also quite fond of my Model 990.

I hope my comments are of some help. Oh, and welcome to the forum!

Linkage, (also posted in the 7125 thread)
I, too, had a Denon 3300 as my center piece. I knew i wanted to upgrade to separates. I had heard Outlaw from family members and I was impressed. After some serious research/listening - i jumped right in.
..... The result .... I found i had been missing music and movie sound information and the presentation of it. I have been going thru the entire collection (movies/music) and listen like it was the first time. I like to listen to classical, jazz, house, R&B and movies. (50%/50%)
I have not personally test driven the 970. My understanding is the 990 is a little more satisfying w/ music. There are threads around here answering that vary question.

Would i want to go back and use the 3300 as a pre... NO. Sorry... No WAY! The 990 has much better presentation in stereo and movies. The 990 has better bass management and much more...
As for the 7125, it will do more than just fine. Especially since there is a sub involved, the amp will have fun and plenty of headroom to play w/. You will hear better definition, presentation, and on and on... The 990 and 7125 are neutral sounding equipment – really.

I do not have any first hand experience w/ the LM2. Other gunslingers will have to jump in and give their thoughts.

Running the picture straight from the DVD to the LCD is a personal choice. There is nothing but confusion w/ HDMI. Sure it works with the picture but the sound side is a mess.

Overall, your upgrades sound very reasonable.

Welcome to the Saloon. Have fun on the upgrade journey and keep us updated. Don’t hesitate if there are other questions. This forum has many knowledgeable members.....

Thanks guys for your input. I am considering options and the 990/7125 combo looks nice to me and may be in the very near future. I just feel that the HDMI switching may be essential at this point. Had Dish Network installed today.

I decided today for two 2 reasons to upgrade my sub. First, is the fact that my Audio Pro B2.27 decided to stop working. I checked the fuse and it was good. I think the amp gave out. The light would not even come on.
Second, I found a great deal ($350) today on a REL Q201E that sounded fabulous and quite a step up from what I had I believe. Still fooling with settings but this baby sounds amazing for its size. The reviews I found online for this sub were nothing but great and I took the chance that it may be a better option over the LFM-2 considering what I payed for it. Thoughts??