This is sorta relative to the 990...sorta.

I was debating whether to get the 7125 or 7500 and use the receiver's preouts to drive it, or simply get the 990 in conjuction with one of the amps. Yesterday, I discovered that the preouts on the onkyo 702 may actually be nonfunctioning or malfunctioning. When the left and right preouts were connected to the aux in jacks of an older small boombox I could not get ANY sound from the boombox itself. The aux in jacks DO work as I tested them with a portable cd player. The issue may be that the spec for preout voltage from the receiver is listed at 1v. So the fault seems to lie in the preouts themselves. Has anybody ran across this situation before?

I know it is an odd post but any ideas are appreciated.

Of course I could just bite the bullet and get the outlaw combo...THAT should fix things nicely!

Hmmm... That is odd. Before you write off the Onkyo's pre-amp outputs, though, I'll toss out another test that you might try: hook a pair of computer speakers up to the pre-amp outputs and turn their volume up fairly high (maybe half way or a bit past that). I did this one time with a friend's receiver that I was tinkering with, before any speakers were on hand, and actually used a couple spare sets of PC speakers to putter around with. Sonically, it's nothing that I'd speak highly of, but it would be a second test to find out if the pre-amp outputs are useable.
Well, yeah, sure - take the easy way out!

Thanks Gonk,

The computer speakers proved that the preouts ( at least the mains [left and right] do work ). However at the volume level I listen to music at (-35db ) I had to crank the little volume knob on the powered speakers ALL the way up to hear it nicely. Although it was clear I think I have to seriously consider a combo package ( and enjoy ), or a serious 2 channel amp and hope it works well.

Decisions, decisions...

Well I took the EASY way out. Pulled the trigger on the 990/7125. About time too!

- That ought to take care of matters!