This review has been placed on a UK newsgroup (uk.media.home-cinema) by Patrick Navin:

My Outlaw 1050 Receiver...

It's here, it's all set up and...

It's a peach! After manfully struggling to lift the bloody hting out of its box (weighs a ton), I inspected it to check out what the build quality was like as it is a "no name" brand at present.

Well... Denon, Marantz, Sony, NAD etc. are in trouble! This bit of kit is better built than anything else in my system barring perhaps my valve amp (3mm steel chassis). Fit and finish is lovely and all the buttons have a really tactile feel. Binding posts for all six speakers are massive and will take any size cable. Phonos all gold plated and no back panel flex on insertion.

OK, so bearing in mind it's not run in yet - how does it sound? Well Prologic performance is excellent, very airy and spacious, plenty of detail and much more controlled than my NAD T751. Dolby Digital and DTS performance are in another league from all the DD receivers I've owned (Sony 830, NAD T751,
Sherwood R925) with masses of bite and attack (a la Sony 830/930 series) but none of the harshness or brightness feeling more smooth and controlled (like the NAD) yet powerful and able to run my 6 ohm Sony SS176EB Brooklands floorstanders with ease. Very impressive!

A nice touch is that Outlaw have shipped me a 230V, CE approved version with an RDS FM tuner and European AM stepping - this means that none of its features are redundant. The tuner seems decent enough, pulling in plenty of stations and having a nice warm tone in FM.

Stereo performance is exemplary, makes the NAD look restrained and over laid back. I'd put it more in the £300-450 quality integrated amp bracket. Superb control and lots of power available. Music never sounds "processed," but feels natural and weighty.

So I havent had time to play with the 6.1 processing, the switchable crossover or the funky 8 device multi remote that comes with it but I shall as soon as I can.

Check out pictures at Outlaw's website (http://www.outlawaudio.com)

If anyone is after a European model you need to get in contact with Robert Woods at the following e-mail address

robert.woods@soundcenter.fi

They are the Finland-based importers of Outlaw products (and working with European distribution - RFW). Expect to pay in the region of £600 for a CE spec receiver - well worth the money in my opinion.

I don't work for Outlaw or Sound Center (though I corresponded recently with
Robert about UK dealership - however Outlaw's business model precludes regional distributors). I'm just happy with the product and think more people should take a look - mention me to Robert if you contact him though !! ))

Patrick