AusTexRocker:

Actually that might be a great idea for a two/three component unit from Outlaw.

1) An all analog audio only preamp with 7 - 11 inputs per channel
2) A digital audio and video processor with high end DAC's, ADC's. Ideally with audio and video processors and dacs all mounted on boards so they can be replaced. As an example have one offering eqivalent to the 978 and another with Trinnov.

The two units could be connected by an ethernet connection, so that control information could be passed from one unit to the other (making them look like a single device).

All I want to see is the much promised 978 before we strap them on with something else. A receiver based on the 978 would be anext logical choice for those that don't want separates.

Anticipating the 978 but how do you think it will compare to the Integra 80.2&80.3?

I believe that the 978 will surpass the Integra models in clean signal path. If not it will be no less than those two models but with much better affordability. The 978 may have less techno-clutter than Integra. By that I mean Rhapsody, Spotify, etc etc. There are many things that Integra and hi end AVRs have but drive the cost up for nothing more than a huge buffet of options many of which few use.

beyond 1000: good post

Beyond and Hank: If you want the minimum, you should follow AusTexRocker and go the P-7 route. Once you go beyond that, its pretty hard to draw a line in the sand and say what is the minimum required set that should be included in a pre-PRO. After all if you want room processing, there are outboard solutions.

You claim that few would use them? Based on what? Do you really think, the big audio companies decided to include these features in their products out of their care for the few? I am sure they have studies that show how added features add to sales and profits. Did you do any studies? If not then at best your statements should be "I don't want to use them based on what I know now".

IMO the products that made Outlaw, the 950, 1050 and 990 were pretty much cutting edge when they were released. I think they should stay true to that heritage and in the present day that includes features like networking and streaming.

73Bruin

I have made no study on this. There are so many outboard features on these expensive units that not everybody who buys one will use EVERYTHING it has to offer. It is a "buffet" of sorts as I commented above. If brands A and B have all these features, then brand C will need them to keep up on the marketing of their product. As I said, all the features drive up costs including a myriad of hook up options. What is key with the 978 is keeping the price down even after all of the R&D going on. I, for one and I speak ONLY for myself here, will not be spending over two thousand dollars of my hard earned money on ANY of these products, including the 978. I will then be going the way of Marantz 7005.

There are so many $99 boxes (and less) with network/wi-fi interfaces that support DLNA and are equipped with HDMI outputs, S/PDIF coax/optical outputs and can playback a bunch of media file formats and offer many streaming services that I don't see it as so much of an issue. Connect the box to the 978 through HDMI and a coax or optical cable and you've just added a bunch of features real cheap.

The companies making these boxes have specialized at designing them and adding new features very quickly as they appear on the market. Having these kinds of features on the 978 would be nice but the R&D effort required to add them, including some kind of OS to control it all, is in no way trivial. This would require an important additional financial investment from Outlaw and IMHO this would surely increase the cost of the 978 much more than $99 considering that Outlaw won't be selling 978s anywhere near the comparatively huge quantities that a Denon or Onkyo does and over many different models at that therefore allowing these manufacturers to reap the benefits of economies of scale that help spread the R&D costs around and ultimately lower the cost per unit. I think Outlaw would probably have to charge at least an additional $300 or so per unit and we'll be waiting a whole lot longer.

Yes this would be a great product but the design of the modular architecture has to be well implemented from the beginning so that it's flexible enough to last more than a handful of years. The firmware controlling such a modular architecture would also be much more complex. The final cost of the units would also be quite a bit higher as it would require much more R&D.

Facts are facts, the 978 is done and being tested. No further changes will be made. Future components from Outlaw are not likely to be such that they require a lot of development time. For now, at least, I hope they focus on making the 978 the best it can be as soon as it can be.