I can see the analyzer part of doing PEQ being difficult for many people. The last analyzer I used was a hand held unit so hqve no experience with a pc based system.

Is anyone here using REW (or similar) what is involved regarding the hardware necessary? I know there is more involved than connecting a microphone to a computer. Thanks

I downloaded the program from their website. (FREE) The program gives a lot of good guidance and the website has a lot of reading material. Basically you connect your mike or SPL meter to the computer line in and the processor to the computer line out. The computer and REW generate a test signal through your processor and your speakers. You use the REW and the mike to do some sweeps in one or multiple positions. Each sweep generates curves which allow you to analyze the result and adjust the PEQ on your 976 to make the response of your room as flat as possible. You can use REW to get all the sweeps and curves for your room and make adjustments as needed. This is the part where knowing what you are looking at and how your adjustments may affect other sweeps is similar to having a turntable.

As far as equipment needed the program allows the use of multiple microphones and REW has calibration files for many available. It also will allow use of the good old Radio Shack SPL meter. You will need a computer that has the line in and line out and a sound card. You don't need an expensive sound card because REW can be setup in a loop back fashion to eliminate the effects of the sound card altogether. If you already have a laptop and a RS meter with some appropriate length cables you could try the system out and find out how your current room correction is doing it's job.

What we don't know right now is how the 976 PEQ will be interfaced with REW. It is likely that it will be fully adjustable manually based on the REW curves but....in an ideal world you could adjust the PEQ right from your laptop. We are only going to get so much at less than $1000 so I would expect manual.

Thanks Xenon. I am sure Ben told me there was a way to interact directly with the 976 but cannot remember what was involved.

If you read this Ben could you explain how the REW/976 integration is best accomplished?

Thanks Xenon. I am sure Ben told me there was a way to interact directly with the 976 but cannot remember what was involved.

If you read this Ben could you explain how the REW/976 integration is best accomplished?

Hi Stephen,

Manual adjustment of the EQ via the on screen display of the Model 976. I recommend a PC utilizing REW with an HDMI output to the Model 976 and utilizing ASIO4ALL drivers; this allows you to run your tones for each channel independently via one HDMI connection.

I have had good results with the MiniDSP UMIK‑1 USB mic; the serial number can be entered into their website to download the calibration file of your microphone and then you can upload it into REW.

Thank you Ben.

Good news - thanks Ben

Any updates on the 976? I bought a 975, but I plan to return it. From the description here, the 976 would be a better fit for me.

Any thoughts on how REW (using a laptop and the USB mic that Ben suggested above) would compare to Audyssey XT32? I tried a Marantz SR-6011 receiver, and I wasn't happy with the sound compared to the 975. It was always either unrealistically "big" (no focus to the imaging) or would collapse to have no height or depth. The Reference levels produced by XT32 created a very harsh, bright tone.

If the 976 has much the same sound as the 975, but with more ability to tweak the sound, I'd be happy to hold out for it, even though it would potentially mean I'm without a preamp (and thus any music) for a good while.

I would expect that the REW software combined with the Parametric EQ would be able to customize the sound in any room to the users preferences as well or maybe better than XT32 but...it will take some effort to learn how to use REW to set up your room with the PEW in the 975. Also I would expect that from what Outlaw has stated about the 976 using similar topography to the flagship product they are working on, that the 976 will have even better sound than the 975.

Hey Everyone,

I don't know if this has been covered yet, so I'll ask: Will there be an option to completely turn off the front panel display?

From what I saw of the remote and front panel, it doesn't look like that is an available option. I haven't been able to find the manual (don't know if it's available yet-not that tech savvy), so I was unable to answer this question. As I like to turn off the display while I'm watching a movie, this is a somewhat important feature for me.

Any info would be appreciated.

Thanks!