Always hard to assess what expenditure is the “next logical step” for an AV system...
Definitive Technology has several tiers of speakers at different price points, several of which would be extremely hard to say are “inferior” to similarly priced options from companies like Ascend Acoustics...

Depending upon current rcvr or prepro & amp the 976 and appropriate Outlaw amp might be more of a “step-up”...

I have Def Tech SM 65 LCR and SM 55 surrounds. I wanted to move on to Ascend Sierra 2's LCR and Sierra Luna surrounds. They have the famous RAAL Ribbon tweeter.

Wow getting close. I was dead set on getting one, but I'm kinda thinking of starting to upgrade my speakers from Def Tech to Ascend Acoustics. That has NOTHING to do with the delay. I wasn't buying till December anyway. Just something I got in my head to upgrade speakers to much more high end. What to do?

Having owned Ascend Acoustics Sierra-2's since they were released I have not had the urge to "Upgrade". They are that stinkin' good. The only upgrade that ever enters my head would be moving to the Sierra towers W/RAAL tweeters, but I am not in any hurry to replace the Sierra-2's.

Having said that, I've never owned Def Tech but have heard those that have gone from them to Ascend have been very happy. YMMV.

I hope they are not waiting for HDMI 2.1 on the 976. All of the HDMI 2's give us HDCP 2.2 to get the handshaking right. HDMI 2.0 gave us 4K at 60 Hz, then 2.0a piled on with HDR. V 2.0b tweak escapes me at the moment, but HDMI 2.1 adding up to 10K resolution (horizontal) at 120 Hz is a total "gilding the lily" (for the old audio guys out there), and certainly not relevant in the home environment. Yes, we all like pushing it to the edge, but I would guess most of our budgets will not handle 8K. Besides, doesn't 8K only exist in Japan at Sony and in their "buds" labs at the super-TV network, and at RED for the movie world. I have not looked, but I must assume there are no over-the-counter HDMI 2.1 interface or signal processing chips available with the bugs all rung out -- just guessing -- and certainly not for a consumer gear cost point. A 976 with HDMI 2.0b should be compatible with all current LCD panels and projectors available until late 2019. If the 'laws are going to kick 976's out for $899, I would not expect HDMI 2.1. Maybe we will see it in the coming Outlaws hot-dog box during 2019 sometime, but for the real world in the next few weeks so we can start slamming on the credit card to get a complete "single" 4K chain - finally --- forget it -- just saying. 976 -- next week -- please -- Thank You.