Ok, last night I injected various low frequency signals from 40Hz to 80Hz, toggled between EQ on/off. I could not hear any discernible difference. I also tried listening with no signal and couldn't hear a difference.
The auto setup doesn't change the PEQ settings. Only the distance and levels.

0.02% to me isn't audible. But, that said, i am of a certain age now. So maybe it's just me. But again, 0.02% isn't audible, especially over the material being played.

strongly suggests the PEQ & the Distance/Levels DSP devices are separate.

Sure does. Separate parts of the DSP chip.

Hi all
I now hear no difference on test tones with EQ on or off. I hear a very slight degradation on the Spanish Harlem track of audiophile fame, but nowhere else.
I think the cause is a noisy environment, if moving cables and what not around affects it.
I will publish some revised measurements (balanced out) on AV Nirvana, and possibly a few seconds of that track if it doesn't break copyright.
Thanks for all the suggestions. I need to do something about my AC or EMI situation if I want to improve things here.
The 976 is a stellar product at its price point.
Phil

Sorry, just seeing this! I am selling it for $550. It is all updated and working perfect. I also am selling my 7-channel amp model 7075 for $550 if interested. Last week I did a post on both of these as well in another section on here.

$550. Sent you a PM!

Is there a replacement for the 976? All I can find on the website is a marantz av7706.

Nope.
Maybe someday, or not at all.
Who knows?

I last posted back in february 2022 about my 976 being dead for the third time, this time out of warranty. I decided to send it back again, at my expense, and quickly got it back. The outer packaging box is now *really* beat up, for having been cross border 3 times! The customs actually inspected the thing, I think they thought something was fishy with this kit travelling so much! Outlaw mentionned the HDMI board has overheated and suggested improvements on my enclosed equipement rack, which I did.

Just about 3 months lated, I woke up one day to an hazy home with that burned electronic smell. There was a 10 minutes frantic search for the "fire" until I got to the 976, which was actually still powered and normal looking, but frozen. It had put out a smoke show before dying again.... Neddless to say, that was it.

Back to searching a replacement, I found the market for mid-level pre-pro was still missing in action. Lots of 400$ receivers and lots of boutiques 5000$ pre-pro, but nothing in between. I realised that I'd have to go into the used market. Fortunately, several peoples are now replacing perfectly good gear to get in the Dolby Atmos bandwagon, which I don't need nor want. It was a question of a couple weeks to read products reviews, then find something suitable, almost locally, well a 2 hours drive. In the end, the replacement is great and actually improved the sound so much that I suspect that something was not correct with the bass management on the 976. The ergonomy, look, features, versatility, etc, are all in another league too. It should, for a product that sold new for like 3 time that of the 976!

Well, I'm really sad that Outlaw is in such a level of disarray with their offering, having only third parties pre-pro, a stereo receiver and their line of power amps and speakers. May they bounce back to fame someday!