#10761 - 12/25/02 11:08 PM
Happy Holidays and a newsletter...
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Desperado
Registered: 03/21/01
Posts: 14054
Loc: Memphis, TN USA
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Happy holidays! Upon returning from making the rounds on Christmas day, I discovered a newsletter from the Outlaws (which went well with the set of 0.5-meter PCA's that my wife gave me for Christmas). In case anyone missed the newsletter, I'll post it here.
As you read this, the "holiday season" is in full swing, and no matter which holiday you celebrate, the Outlaws hope it is a safe and enjoyable one for you and your loved ones.
This is the time of the year when we look both backwards at the year gone by, and forward at the year ahead. That will be our theme for this last 2002 Outlaw Update, as we tell you where we are and give you some hints as so where we are going.
CURRENT PRODUCT NEWS
Without a doubt, the most talked about Outlaw product of the year has been the Model 950. To say the least, it has been an interesting year for that particular product, and one certainly not without some struggles. While the vast majority of Model 950 owners are enjoying a trouble-free experience, there is no denying the fact that a very small percentage have encountered an issue with abnormal hiss levels. True to our pledge, we have been working very hard behind the scenes to resolve that problem. Indeed, thanks to exhaustive analysis of what was at times an elusive problem to track down, we feel that a solution has been developed to solve the infamous "hiss" situation once and for all. We are now pleased to report that the Model 950 has jumped all the hurdles to even more securely claim its as the only high-performance, full featured, preamp/processor/tuner priced under $1,000.
Towards that end, we will arrange a swap-out for those who have contacted us concerning a hiss or noise problem with a unit that has been modified to the problem under control. As was the case previously, these are not new units, but they are equivalent to new in that they have needed changes. We are presently contacting those affected and holiday shipping woes not withstanding, everyone on the list will hopefully have their unit replaced by the first week of the New Year, if not sooner.
As to new units being shipped to first-time customers, all orders for Model 950s since December 17th have been filled with updated units. If you have been sitting it out on the sidelines waiting for this problem to be resolved, you may now order a Model 950 and be assured that you will receive a Model 950 that incorporates all the recent modifications. Though we couldn't get it to you in time to make it under the tree, you should get it in time for the Rose Parade.
It is only natural that those of you who already own a Model 950 will ask if their unit needs to be replaced. To be honest, the answer is no. This has been one of those problems that you would have noticed immediately and have reported to us. Of the significant quantity of Model 950's we have shipped the vast majority are unaffected and only a very small minority of the owners have reported a problem. Please understand that the units being sent as replacements, as well as the new units being sent to customers are not a "new product" or "update revision". No significant changes have been made to the feature set or functionality other than what is needed to correct the hiss problem. Thus, if you are happy with your unit, there is no need to have it replaced.
However, if you have not reported a problem to us previously, but feel that there is something wrong with your unit, please contact our customer service team and they will address each situation individually. We stand behind the Model 950 and will repair or replace any unit, when needed, under the terms of the five-year warranty.
While the hiss problem has, if you'll pardon a bad pun, generated a lot of noise, it has only occurred in less than 2% of the units shipped. To underscore that claim one need go no further than the great review of the Model 950 in the current issue of The Perfect Vision. Some of you have asked if the review sample was the latest build, and the answer is that it was not. Their review sample was identical to the "red dot" version that many of you have. You will note that the reviewers did NOT find any problem with hiss or noise in a fair and unbiased test with some sophisticated supporting components.
In summary, some might say that getting there was not always fun, but the end result of the trip is well worth it. We invite you to read the Perfect Vision review, to check the various review web sites or to visit our own Saloon to see how many satisfied Model 950 owners are enjoying movies and music like they never did before. Even better, if you have not auditioned the Model 950 in your own home, we invite you to order one and see for yourself what high quality home theater is all about.
As to the other Outlaw products, they all remain in stock with the exception of a current out-of-stock situation on our 0.5 meter PCA cables. (They will be back in stock sometime in January.) The Model 1050 remains as the benchmark value for 6.1 channel A/V receivers despite the competition, and we continue to invite comparisons to its power and fidelity to anything on the market. Our Model 755 and 770 amplifiers also continue as high-power/high-value products that simply defy competition, and with the growth of DVD-Audio and SACD, the ICBM-1 remains alone as the only serious solution to accurate bass management for high-resolution digital audio playback. Finally, our PCA, PSC and PDO cables have quickly become recognized as the best interconnect products for the price.
NEW PRODUCT NEWS
We're pleased to announce that our first shipment of the Model 200 M-Block amplifier has arrived, and as soon as we put the final touches on the Owner's Manual we'll begin shipments to those who have placed reservations. (Note that we'll also post the manual as soon as it is ready.)
Our current goal is contact everyone on the reservation list in the next week, but due to holiday schedules we probably won't be able to begin shipments until after the first of the year. The first shipment of Model 200s is already sold out, so at this time we will continue to take reservations, but another production run has just been completed and we will receive more stock. Shipments will resume as soon as we receive the next batch.
When you see the Model 200 you'll be amazed as to how much power we've been able to pack into such a small package. The Model 200 is a great performer, and we're beyond happy with the way it performs in our test systems. We know it will do a great job in yours. If you are interested in this remarkable amplifier we suggest that you place a reservation now, as we expect that the January shipment may also be sold out by the time it arrives.
Unfortunately, the Model 7100 remains mired in delays. Are we glad we didn't announce a ship date for this one! With any luck, we'll see the first production in January, and hopefully begin shipments in late January or early February.
Beyond the Model 200 and the Model 7100, we have two new electronic products in development, and one will hopefully be ready for beta testing in April. Both will introduce totally new concepts to the current home audio/home theater market. We'll bring you further news as we get closer.
We're also finalizing the specifications for a product many of you have asked for, an S-Video cable. We think you'll really like this product, as it will offer the high-performance as our PSC product, but for S-Video applications.
EVERYTHING ELSE NEWS
We've extended our "B Stock" sale. Inventory permitting, we will continue to offer these returned units at the prices shown below. For Outlaws on a tight post-holiday budget, or for those whose year-end bonus was victimized by the state of the economy, "B-Stock" goods are a way to get a bit more music and theater for your money.
All "B Stock" units carry the same "30 Day Satisfaction Guarantee" and product warranties as our new products. They may have minor appearance defects, but are fully checked for "like-new" electrical performance. And remember, supplies may be limited. Pricing is as follows:
Model 755: $1,179
Model 770: $1,549
Model 1050: $439
ICBM: $199
Sorry, the Model 950 and the Magnapan version of the ICBM are not available as B Stock product at this time.
Next, please note that we are holding the line on our shipping charges at this time, but as we move into January we may be forced to raise them slightly due in increases by both UPS and Federal Express. We're negotiating with our carriers to keep any increase to a minimum and will only pass through any increases we incur.
Some of you have asked if we are attending the CES in Las Vegas next month. Although we have enjoyed meeting many of you there , the CES is a trade, rather than public, show. For that reason, we have decided to skip CES and concentrate on shows where we can more effectively reach our core audience. Towards that end we will once again participate in the HiFi Show in the spring, but CES just doesn't make sense for us at this point.
While we have your attention, this Update Newsletter is also as good a place as any to remind you about the "rules of the road" for the Saloon. We welcome spirited discussion of our products and recognize that in the course of conversation it is natural to compare Outlaw products to their competitors. However, we reserve the right to remove posts that contain direct links to sites where competitive products may be purchased. Some of you have stepped close to the line recently, and while we have not, and prefer not to remove any posts. We ask you to respect this guideline.
As we have said before, we host one of the most open forums (if not the most open) on the internet. While we allow legitimate criticism of our products, we also feel that some Saloon visitors have taken advantage of this tolerant policy to actively promote other products. There are many other commercial forums where you are free to post your opinion about other products, but remember that the main purpose of the Saloon is to provide a forum the lively give and take on topics that involve Outlaw products. Please respect this policy
Changing subjects, please be advised that our offices will be closing early December 31st, and they will be closed on January 1st. Our apologies in advance for any delays in responding to orders, calls and e-mails that this may cause, but even Outlaws spend time with their families once in a while. We will be open in between Christmas and New Year's, but please accept our apologies in advance if shipping takes a bit longer than usual due to holiday schedules of our shippers and suppliers.
We will be monitoring the e-mails from our respective hideouts, and will try to respond to urgent messages if possible, Of course, the Saloon NEVER closes, and for those lucky enough to find a new Outlaw product under their tree, we suspect that there will be more than a few Outlaws hanging out in the Saloon to help you out.
Finally, while we're on the subject of responses to your e-mail and phone inquiries, please be patient with Scott if he's a bit delayed in responding to your messages. We're pleased to announce the "Littlest Outlaw": Scott and his wife are now the proud parents of a healthy baby boy named Nicolas, born last Tuesday. Mother and son are doing fine, but the happy father is, well, a bit tired!
The Editorial Outlaw
He's leaving the punditry to others, but he did want to offer a last minute suggestion for those caught short, or for reading on that long flight home to meet the family. He also wanted to let you know that the Outlaws are interested in more than audio, video and home theater. As you know, the Outlaws are based in New England, and one of the most famous sons of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts was our second President, John Adams. David McCullogh's Pulitzer Prize winning biography of Adams (ISBN0-7432-2313-6) is a fascinating look into the beginnings of the United States through the eyes of one of the key, yet frequently overlooked Founding Fathers. This isn't dry history at all. It's a love story, a primer in government and foreign relations, a war story and a fascinating story all wrapped up into one amazing work. Highly recommended, right along side with the Editorial Outlaw's favorite biography, Robert Caro's The Power Broker (ISBN 0-394-72024-5). Also a Pulitzer Prize winner, it chronicles the life of one of the most amazing and powerful men in of the twentieth century, New York's Robert Moses. It's over 1,00 pages, so you can also use it if Santa didn't leave those free-weights under the tree, but it is one of those books you simply can't put down once you get into it.
That wraps up our Update Newsletters for 2002. It is certainly an understatement to say that this has been an interesting year, and we thank everyone in the Outlaw community for their support and participation. We wish each and every one of you a great holiday season, and most importantly a happy, safe, prosperous, healthy and most importantly, peaceful year ahead. We'll be back with our first 2003 edition of our Update Newsletter some time in the first four to six weeks of the New Year, or earlier if events warrant.
Regards,
The Outlaws
The contents of this Newsletter Update are Copyright © 2002 by Outlaw Audio. All rights reserved. Unauthorized distribution or reproduction is prohibited. Outlaw Audio and the Outlaw Audio logo trademarks of Outlaw Audio. Product descriptions and specifications contained herein are subject to change without notice or liability to upgrade existing products.
------------------ gonk -- Saloon Links | Pre/Pro Comparison Chart | 950 Review
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#10762 - 12/26/02 01:09 AM
Re: Happy Holidays and a newsletter...
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Gunslinger
Registered: 06/06/02
Posts: 197
Loc: Fargo, ND, USA
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Hey Gonk, Thanks for the heads up...now I'll have to scrounge my e-mail for my newsletter.  Jason
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