Thanks for the quick reply 73Bruin. Let me restate the layout for a better idea of what I am contemplating.

My new home has two main rooms. The HT room is still in the renovation phase, while the living room is being polished off with a great 2.1 system. I am looking mainly for that 2.1 reciever.

The reason I am considering the Marantz SR 4400 is the fact that for $400 I can get a 6.1 DTS capable, nice looking unit that I can evetually migrate downstairs when it is finished. It will work just fine in the living room and satisfy my two desires - great sound supporting 2.1, and great looks (silver); either way it's full of options.

My mental battle starts with my considering the cost increase by going with outlaw, and the potential expansion options I have with the marantz. I realize that the marantz is not USB and that would be a nice option, but for now the $600 price tag is really hitting my budget hard and I can't find justification for the outlaw despite it's absolute great rep in the industry thus far. I am looking for the details that I may be overlooking to sway me to investing in a install and leave outlaw 2.1. IE: better tuner technology, amp pureness, sub control, All of you have heard/seen this item and I have not. But for the $200 difference, I need some great reasons to wait.

With the 2150 still so many months away, it's hard to honestly compare it to any existing product (at least if we want to be fair to both the 2150 and the existing product) -- there are just too many unknowns. We know that Outlaw is aiming for a truly impressive stereo receiver, including a good tuner section, phono pre-amp section, etc...

I get the impression that the Marantz you are considering may be a candidate for the front end of the planned home theater system. In that case, it might make sense to get it now and get familiar with it in the 2.1 environment, then consider moving it to the HT system if it proves satisfactory and replacing it with an RR-2150 later if the final form of the 2150 turns out to be what you are looking for. I realize that this isn't really an answer to your original question, but it's at least an idea to kick around.

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gonk -- 950 Review | LFM-1 Review | Pre/Pro Comparison Chart | Saloon Links

Yes, I did think about that option, I just wanted to see if I could wait on the HT system to see what other standards emerge in the next year as I complete that space. I was hoping to get someone who was familiar with the standard chips in the recievers of today and compare it to the hardware that the 2150 will ship with. From what I have read so far, the tuner section is different; just wondering how and what benifits it offers in comparison. Can anyone in outlaw engineering add to this and describe if non-standard chips were used, or if the tuning is analog vs. digital tuning etc. etc.? Since I live in AK radio is harder to come by, so if the tuner uses more than the standard chip it would be good info to have.

Considering the time left before Outlaw is ready to ship, I'm afraid that they will most likely continue to be somewhat tight-lipped on details.

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gonk -- 950 Review | LFM-1 Review | Pre/Pro Comparison Chart | Saloon Links

Well I've given up hope of ever seeing this product hit the market. I'm looking elsewhere. Outlaw is just to damn slow and I'm tired of waiting.

I'm not someone who would be 'in the know,' but I'm guessing that Outlaw would really like to have this unit available for winter holiday sales. If there will be delays, Outlaw may take pre-orders once they are confident of delivery capabilities, as they have with some other Outlaw products. Outlaw really likes to deliver a quality product, so if a trial production run has revealed a flaw, even a minor one, Outlaw is likely holding off until they can be assured of quality throughout the production runs.

Yes you are having to wait, but that is only because you knew that it was in development in the first place. If you had not known about it for a while, then you wouldnt be so discouraged. You should be thankful for the internet, and forums like this one which give you a glimpse of things to come rather than just the classic method of releasing it and there it is.

Now you can make better judgements about what you are going to do, instead of getting something that is going to be obsolete instantly or able to be replaced by something better.

frank- your my ht link is dead.

Having been around for the 950 wait (which was of comparable duration but larger impatient population), I can relate to the pain of waiting. It's certainly worthwhile to shop around for alternatives, but I might keep the RR2150 on the list just in case nothing else within your price range pops up readily.

NAD has a few units that might work for me.
Generally I'm fairly patient, you have to be when your last name starts with a Z!! I'd like to get some sound out of my bedroom speakers and I've waited long enough.

CG,
Forgot to update my sig. HTF's gallery went down a while back and I had to reload everything. Hopefully it will work now.

I am waiting again. This should help me simplify my office system which currently consists of:

Parasound P3 Preamp
Parasound HCA-750A Amp
Teac T-H500 Tuner
Audio Alchemy Headphone Amp 1.0
Philips DVD-963A Disc Player
Wharfedale 7.2 Anniversary Edition Speakers
BPT Custom Balanced Power Unit

The RR2150 would replace at least the first three items and maybe the fourth depending on how the headphone out sounds. That would leave enough extra room in the rack to add a turntable and also allow me to directly connect my computer.