As mentioned previously in our correspondence, both the Model 975 and 976 will emit a very, very low level signal, from the fronts, if the volume is up high on the pre-amp with headphones plugged in. If your friend were to turn up the volume on the Model 976 and listen very carefully within a foot or two from the front speakers he would experience the exact same thing; you are not describing anything abnormal.

[quote=Outlaw Ben]As mentioned previously in our correspondence, both the Model 975 and 976 will emit a very, <u>very</u> low level signal, from the fronts, if the volume is up high on the pre-amp with headphones plugged in. If your friend were to turn up the volume on the Model 976 and listen very carefully within a foot or two from the front speakers he would experience the exact same thing; you are not describing anything abnormal. [/quote
I just tried the 976 for the 3rd time, turn it up to where it will go no more, I hear no leakage to the speakers even with my ear up against them.

As product manager, I've helped develop the product and have over 4 here. They all exhibit this, and this is normal. With 87.5dB efficient speakers, I have to be within 1 foot of the speakers to hear it. Bare in mind, the signal level is low so how efficient your speakers are, how close you are, how good your hearing is, and how easily driven your power amplifier is will all determine if you hear this. Regardless, it is there.

P.S. The volume control of the pre-amp also impacts this. With the Model 7000x being fed by the Model 976, a foot away with 87.5dB speakers, I personally can't hear it until about -20dBFS. I can hear it from about 2.5 feet away when the volume is maxed out. If there is any room noise, I would be impressed if you could hear it. To ensure you are not hearing any audio from the headphones, or mistaking it as audio from the headphones, you can simply plug in a 1/4 adapter to switch the pre-amp into headphone mode.

will not say my hearing is stellar, quite the opposite, it is why I placed my ear over the tweater on the speakers.
The speakers are Montor Audio Gold s 20's , sen. is 89, fronts are powered by a Carvin 2 channel 250 wpc amp.
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I just plugged my headphones in my Yamaha RX 381 and I can hear nothing from the speakers.

When I use the headphone jack on my Onkyo, I can turn the volume all the way up and not hear anything from my speakers which are 97db efficient.

I have Bowers & Wilkins 685 S2 speakers. When the headphone jack is plugged in I turn the volume up as far as it'll go and at over 12 ft away I can hear the audio out of my speakers.
They offered for me to send it in but if they find nothing wrong with it I'll be stuck with the expense of bench testing and shipping both ways. Kind of hard for me to trust their review of it. It reminds me of an insurance company telling me that they will cover customary and reasonable charges. And they are the ones that determine what is customary and reasonable.

I did some testing, using my grandkids ears as the test subject.
Ones 9, can hear a mouse lunching on a cricket, the other 15 who only hears what she wants to.
With phones plugged into 976, mini unplug unplugged from cans, neither grandkid hears anything, not even with ears pressed up against speakers. Volume on 976 up to -16...
My 990 is in basement, we go down and do same test, NADA.
Works as expected.
Use my Vintage 1982 Pioneer SX 950, On it you have to press Speaker A or B or both to disable even with headphone being used. But once speakers are switched to off, no sound comes through speakers.
I still have a Harmon Kardon 635 I Used for some years before the purchase of the 990, never heard music comming thru on speakers when using cans.
I am fustrated when I hear " I should be hearing " something that is not there.Is my unit faulty because it is acting like it should when cans are used. ??
If someone at Outlaw wants to prove me wrong, you pay for shipping both ways...

headphone used is Sennheiser 598's

Well I just had a nice visit with Bill O's grandkids.
Drove an hour one way and took my Audio Technica ATH M50x headphones with my can plugs. Wallah...... no sound when I plug into the 976. And as I mentioned in the new ticket thread to Ben I don't have a problem with my cheap Yamaha RX v381 either.
I am not looking forward to unplugging everything and digging this unit out and packing it up and shipping it because it's faulty. Much less paying the shipping one way when it never should have left the shop in this condition in the first place.
Ben can you please explain to me what your tolerances are for the 975 & 976 processor's?