It seems like this thread has gone all around one simple question.

A-Hoy Outlaw, Have you considered making another pre/pro just like the 975 but with Audyssey XT32 suite added?

There just are not many choices of pre/pros with Audyssey. Most units with Audyssey are receivers and there really are not that many choices there either. The 975 is out the door, the pressure is off. It appears that it will be successful in filling a niche, why not fill another niche with a 97...is 6 still available?
My 990 is starting to have too many items failing. I need a replacement. I would like the replacement to be a 975-like with Audyssey.

Will the 975 remember the particular surround mode chosen for a particular source? Thus if I set "Disk" to stereo and "TV" to Dolby Pro Logic II Movie, that will be remembered as I cycle through the inputs?

Thanks -Bob

I'm sure the Outlaw guys will have something eventually. I don't think it would be possible to "graft" XT32 onto the existing unit without re-engineering pretty much everything. You need quite a bit of DSP grunt, memory, etc to handle that and the current unit just isn't up to the task.

That said....

If they could come up with a box with the same spartan "only what you need" mindset and successfully include a viable room correction system (I'm actually pretty happy with XT, but XT32 would be nice), that would be something I'd buy. The 975 covers all the bases except that one.

Most of the "nice to have" extras like internet streaming, ability to consume media over the local network, etc have already been accomplished by my HTPC. Cheap, effective, and easily upgraded as time goes on. So I really don't mind if a quality pre-pro has these features anymore, but room correction is non-negotiable.

Best,

The previous Outlaw projects known as the 978/997/998 processors were to include high end roon correction. Cancelling them and going with the 975 design was a business decision which based on market forces due to the complexity of the processors. Maybe we will see something in the future but I will bet it is a surprise based on previous experience.

For those willing to cross the line from typical consumer to true hobbyist, for roughly the price of the 975 you can get external equalization that is semi-automated (and you might even learn something about the acoustics of your room).

First, plug this mic ($75) into your laptop's USB port.

Then, download this program (free) to measure your speakers. It will also automatically calculate correction filters for each channel.

You download those filters via USB to this 8-channel parametric equalizer ($599) that is hooked up between your 975 and amplifier.

If you want to further tune the results to your presonal tastes, use this interface in the PEQ to adjust the target curve, create different EQ settings for movies vs music, make the crossover slopes steeper, etc.

Sanjay,

Interesting concept, although I think the economics of pairing a $549 processor with a $599 PEQ + $75 mic + $50-ish worth of cables would rule that path out for a lot of 975 customers.

I'm also thinking if the Outlaws could produce such a product in the $299-$399 price range it would do very well...call it an appropriate Outlaw name like the 'illegitimate-son-of-ICBM' ;-)

-John

Yup, hence the very first words of my post: "For those willing to cross the line from typical consumer to true hobbyist...".

Still, it's probably the cheapest and easiest way to get 8 channels of outboard equalization. One of the Behringer EQs might be easier to use, but is limited to 2 channels (which would be fine for equalizing a pair of subs, but you would need a stack of them to EQ 7.1 channels). I doubt the market for such a device is large enough for Outlaw to pursue. But, since we're dreaming...

IF they were to consider such an item, then rather than start with the boxed version I linked to earlier, they could instead start with the kit version ($399), which is just the ciruit board:



Get rid of those phoenix connectors and you could have a simple 1 rack unit high box with 8 RCA inputs and 8 RCA outputs, with the only other jacks being A/C power and USB connection (which can be on the back or front panel). The manufacturer also does custom OEM, where they can rebrand their hardware and/or software with the Outlaw Audio name. One of these sitting between a 975 and 7075 would make for a nice un-receiver. Or can be used with other brands as well (e.g., I don't use my Outlaw 7700 with an Outlaw pre-pro).

But, like I said, I don't think there is enough of a market for a box like this, at least for Outlaw to pursue solely for 975 customers (especially since Outlaw's next pre-pro will likely have some form of room correction built in). Still, as you said, it could become the next ICBM, which I'm hoping was a financial success despite its niche market (analogue bass management).

Wow much less than Omnimic. -Bob

That's awesome information. I like it!!!

Best,

The Raspberry Pi Model B board is $35.00 retail. If it had the processing power to run the one time equalization program, it could be combined with the board in a standlone unit. Raspberry Pi.Org