new review

I couldn't find any reference to this review in the forums and thought it would be good to spread it around. A very articulate and fair piece. See what you think...

http://www.audaud.com/audaud/SEP03/EQUIP/equip1SEP03.html

wow a whole paragraph on the power cord..
Seriously, a nice review. I think the final statemment says it all, a few years down the road you are really not out much money if you decide to upgrade.

tgrisham, thank you for the reference. For all the bashing Outlaw's 950 took last year in other AV forums from non-owners, it's nice to still read glowing reviews comparing it to much costlier pre amps. Citation comparison, what a compliment.

Decent review for a 'joe anybody', but that page makes it look like the guy fancies himself a professional reviewer, but the review itself doesn't come across that way at all.

That's fine to compare the 950 to the 5 year old Citation that he owns (direct comps. are always great), but could he mention how it's $4,000 less than 4,000 times?? I doubt people would pay $4k now for a 5 year old used pre/pro.

He sounded like he was really exaggerating to make a point about how good a value the 950 is, when he didn't need to.

And to mention that beyond the Citation, the 950 sounded better than any other pre/pro he's heard... only to find out he's not really heard any others in his own home.
Only mentions a handful many of us have also heard in variosu stores.

Any of us should know that it doesn't mean anything what something sounds like in a store w/ diff. speakers, amps, and esp. room acoustics, and no direct A/B comparrison and very limited time listening to the store stuff.

Certainly no store had his 'custom made electrostatic speakers', and you've have to go to Rat Shack to listen to his center and surround speakers. nice.

Yes, scanning his equipment list did make the outcome a bit anticlimactic.

I for one enjoyed reading a review by a "Joe Anybody," doesn't sound like he is payed to say things or omit things that might get advertisers upset. On a side note, it's ashame Mystic Audio teamed up with Radio Shack for their Linaeum tweeters. I would like to hear these tweeters used by a high quality company, or, have had Radio Shack contract with a high quality manufacturer to produce a "high end" speaker. Oh well, I guess that is not Radio Shack's quality goal, but what about Mystic Audio's?

He also made several errors in explaining the unit's capabilities and set up for it.

As an owner of the Citation 7.0 (with MSB mod) who auditioned the 950 let me just say that IMO nothing I have heard yet, including the Bryston SP-1 and the Lexicon MC-8, and even the acclaimed Innersound stereo preamp, is as musical and transparent as the 7.0. Even at its age it still represents state-of-the art in analog surround, and its 2 channel bypass is just world class. No shame that the $800 950 cannot match it. I got an early 950 and was not happy with it, so that was when I got the 7.0 modified to add an outboard digital processor. BTW, I got the 7.0 in mint condition for $200; easily the best audio investment I ever made.

Dsmith