Quoting Scott who released the recent detailed information on the 978, Scott also stated....

"In fact, within the next few days you’ll hear about a new addition to our product line that is available for immediate shipment.

Beyond that, work is underway to complete a number of other products, with one that is far enough along the same debug/test/certify/regress path as the Model 978 that we may be able to bring it to you before the end of summer. Our confidence level on the progress of that model is high enough that we’ve just ordered the remotes and long lead parts. This exciting, Outlaw-exclusive product, along with one or two more that will follow quickly behind it will turn heads throughout the home theater world with a combination of simplicity, value and high sonic performance that is not available anywhere else."


What do you bandits think Outlaw will be releasing as the new products other than the 978?

Any new amps?
Somehow I doubt this since they have excellent units in the 7500/7700 and the huge 7900.

A nice two channel amp perhaps?

A higher quality AVR?

Perhaps a bluray player, which I would definitely consider buying, since I am eyeballing the Oppo BD-95.

What? Any thoughts?

Lotta fun, lotta fun.

"Food for thought,"...that's what you given us. I am most curious myself.
I think we can rule out another amp as "The Beast" 7900 is fairly new and along with the 7500/7700 are more than adequate in the flotilla of Outlaw products. Nor can I think of a high quality AVR. As far as blu-ray is I think that Outlaw would concede to Oppo.

How about a media server...for music in a moderate but competitive price range?

PS...like your signature.

Would never have thought of a media server. That would be something Rubbersoul.

P.S. I'm glad you like my signature.

I would love to see a digital amplifier. And would love even more to have a new Outlaw 978 pre/pro to hook it up to.

My post #89778:
Yes, one will be a "sound bar" with H-PAS. As Peter told me, this is public knowledge because he mentioned it in an Atlantic Technology press conference at CEDIA. Peter demoed H-PAS speakers at CES2010 and the bass from them was impressive indeed.

I've been asking about an efficient class D/H/whatever "digital amp" around here for years. There doesn't appear to be much interest. I kinda like the Wyred4Sound multi-channel offerings. They're competitively priced compared to Outlaw's amps and are 80-90% efficient.

I am very surprised that more companies have not been coming out with some type of digital amplification over the last few years.

There are in fact many on the market, so much so that some companies with their own original designs have gone under.

Digital amplifiers are a misnomer for what should be really be called "class D" or switching power amplifiers. The "D" doesn't even stand for digital but it was simply is the next letter in the alphabet to come after c; class C was the previous classification in amplifier topology design. They use a technique called pulse wave modulation (PWM) and the designs are similar to modern computer power supplies.

Since the first short-lived commercial class D amplifier to come to market in 1974, designed by John Ulrich (now owner of Spectron) and an unsuccessful attempt by Sony circa 1978, there had been a 20 year hiatus for class D amplifiers on the market. In 1998, Tact Audio brought to market the Tact Millennium which is an audiophile integrated amp ($10K) and soon after Spectron came with a new design eventually followed by others.

There are now in the market over two dozen different class D design topologies like Spectron, Equibit, ICEpower, UcD, Tripath, Zetex, D2Audio, NuForce to name just a few. Some design houses produce the basic class D amplifier modules based on their usually patented topology and sell them or license the design to the amplifier manufactures (or integrators) that build the final amplifier by adding the power supplies, the cases and often making a few tweaks to the basic modules. Some integrators of these ready made class D modules include some well known brands like Audio Research, Jeff Rowland, Bel Canto, Rotel, NAD, etc.

Furthermore, some big names in the industry have developed their own class D topologies that they use exclusively in their own products like Sony, Halcro and late last year even Marc Levinson. And then there's a plethora of small really obscure brands that even many audiophiles haven't heard of, some of which have come and gone as happens often in this industry.

So there are now literally dozens of manufacturers that make class D amps of all sorts. You just have to dig a little deeper and you'll be surprised by how many there are with prices starting at under $100 and well upwards of $25K.

Great info, Jam. Thanks.

Hmm...any other H-PAS products from Outlaw? I'd love the AT-1's from Atlantic but I figure with factory direct pricing (and minus some of the cosmetic bling) Outlaw could give me the same sound for a lot less. And while I know it isn't their focus I'd love a nice 2-channel preamp (with a "serious" phono section and maybe a DAC), or even an updated/improved RR2150.