Outlaw customer service was excellent in responding the problem and followed-up more than once to make sure everything worked. Nancy made several personal calls to make sure. I have been an Outlaw customer on many products since 1998 and am always pleased with the quality! Thanks

Hello again. It has now been a month (I made the intolerably long post on the previous page some time ago) and I'm happy to report that the 975 has been performing quite well. I've had zero problems with the audio output and the only niggling performance issue I have is with the HDMI. It definitely is slow to switch (compared to Denon at least) and very occasionally I'll get the "screen of sparkly color" (it is NOT cabling, replaced all of it with no improvement). I've not had to turn off or reset the unit to clear it, only switch sources. Interestingly enough, the HDMI seems most sensitive to my HTPC (newer NVIDIA card equipped). The 975 will drop the whole picture for second sometimes when switching GUI windows/desktops or starting video programs (VLC, Netflix, YouTube, etc.). It's not consistent and again, just happens now-and-then. And just for my baseline... all the same equipment performed flawlessly with my previous AVRs.

On to the most positive side, audio. The 975 revealed that my recently purchased Axiom ADA-1000 (5 channel) is too weak. Sound is so amazingly clear at high volume that, before you realize it, you run the ADA-1000 into protection mode. So I have an ADA-1250 on the way. Stunning clarity with this combination. And that makes up for everything else.

Hello all, I have waited the mandatory 30 days to give my impressions after purchasing the 975 and a 2200 amp. I had lightning struck about 45 days ago, and took out messed up my old JBL Performance copy of the Lexicon RV 4 digital processor. It was very old anyway, and I wanted new processor for HDMI HD audio. Currently I am running the 2200 amp to my center channel, and have an old Adcom 4 channel running the rest at 60 WPC. Love the 2200, really brought the center to life.
All speakers are B&W. I plan on future Outlaw amp purchases for the other 4 channels.
To the 975: I m very pleased with it, and feel the sound is very good and an improvement over what I had, which sounded pretty good. I have only run it 5.1 and have not tried the stereo mode yet. I mainly use the system for a collection of over 250 concert DVD's and Blu-Rays. I use a Pioneer 300 DVD player, and a Sony S790 for Blu Ray, Netflix and Vudu. I spent a lot of time comparing Blu Ray movies and concerts in both the HD audio connection modes ( Dolby and DTS True HD or master audio) via HDMI against the sound via the optical connection. On most discs, I could not tell the difference, but maybe I could have if I had run a 7 channel set up.

Also, I did not experience any "maximum volume is too low issues", or HDMI handshake issues, onece you give it time to make the handshake. You can't see the primary function labels on the remote keys in the dark or low light, but I use a simple universal programable remote, to run all my components anyway, and that helps a lot. I like the features on the remote where you can adjust speaker levels while watching a video, w/o having to go into the system menu. I use it all the time to adjust the center channel as it can vary a lot from recording to recording.

Like a lot of people have mentioned in this thread, the on screen display is not my favorite, would love to have the decoding being used (Dolby Digital, DTS, etc) for what is shown on the display after the scroll, rather than video source. Would also love to have that display go dark after 10 seconds.

Over all, for the money, a great buy for the money,and excellent sound, and simple operation. I am sure it will sound even better once I get set up with all Outlaw amps. I find that with B&W 805 speakers, they do their best with at least 200 WPC. My problem is that for now, I don't want to deal with the weight of an 80 lb 5x200 amp, so I'll like get another 2 2200's and figure out some thing else for surround channels.

Overall, I am really enjoying the 975 and the 2200 amp and feel that Outlaw is the best deal in the market.


I

I am trying to hook 3 computers up to the 975 via HDMI . The first is a 3 year old AMD with a Radeon 5450 video out which goes to HDMI input 1 on the 975 . I don't get any sound . I am running Windows 7 Pro with all updates . The bios on my AMD is also current and set to HDMI as default. When i do Control panel> Device manager i don't see 975 as a device under the sound category. I just want to do straight 7 channel stereo. When I try to do Mode select to 7 channel the display says "Unavailble ". There is also a Creative sound blaster card ( PCI-E ) hooked up. All the drivers for that are current. The AMD computer sees my montior as a 975 device.

My second computer is a Intel NUC with a Skylake I5 processor and 16 gig memory with Intel Graphics and windows 10 with all updates. It recognizes 975 as a sound device and I have set that to default I can play music from computer files and the sounds shows up on all channels but still can't select 7 channel stereo. I can only configure it as 2 channel stereo. I don't have a sub woofer hooked up but that coud be done.

My third computer is a desktop with the same proceesor as my second one which I haven't started up yet with the 975. I didn't want to start that until I resolved these current problems.It also has Inter on board graphics.

The 4th HDMI input will be my trusty OPPO 83 dvd player which I don't expect any trouble with.

Basic question is how to get 7 channel stereo for each computer .

Thanks

David ( deeb )
I use seperate amps for each stereo channel channel .

My default monitor is a 50 inch Panasonic plasma tv. The output of 975 goes into HDMI #1 input on tv which does ARC.

update.. I tried 3rd computer ( Win 7 pro skylake I5 processor) and 975 was recognized as sound device. Also planning to dual boot this computer with Linux Mint 18.2 as an alternate operating system. Now just have to try hoking up a sub and OPPO 83 to 4th HDMI input.

Hi David,

Please email us at customerservice@outlawaudio.com with some more information so we can be of further assistance. Please include what you see on the Model 975's front panel display for both letters and boxes on the right side of the display when playing audio. Also, are you outputting PCM or bitstream, and if bitstream, how is the audio encoded.

I concur on the volume issue. I find the 975 doesn't have the output of a Rotel* or an HK pure analogue processor
* no HDMI
Since tri-amping**my LCR, I'm satisfied. My XOs provide up to 10dB of gain.
** no passive filtering! Each driver has its own channel
Also for Surrounds to be Large, LR must be Large, something I hope the 976 does not have.

All that aside, the 975 is my preferred prepro - it runs circles around a 10 year old, when new, $1600 Rotel in SQ & tweak-a-bility*. I look forward to the 976. It will circles around the 975*.

Glad to hear you are enjoying the sound quality of the Model 975! Don't forget there is a difference between gain and what the unit is actually capable of outputting in terms of pre-out voltage. The output capability of the Model 975 is great - up to 2.7V.

In terms of gain, we could definitely go up with the Model 975 but noise floor would increase. For example, people with efficient speakers, and processors with more gain, can be forced into using attenuators at the pre-outs to cut down on noise floor.

I try and explain how it is a conscious decision we made, and that really is a balancing act between gain and noise floor. Unfortunately, I've run into situations where people simply don't believe this. Personally, I'd lean towards lower noise floor but everyone has their preference.

The only "noise" I hafta deal w/besides frequent "Dad, turn it down..." is a low, unchanging volume level ground loop/buzz. I hear it only when I connect the DirecTV coax or HDMI. I've checked most of the house's outlets w/a "checker gizmo" from Lowe's - all good so far

I think it's a breaker panel ground issue as the coax is grounded outside to the house ground. I'm waiting for "Dad please fix the noise..." and Mom takes the kids to pool. Then I'll get busy w/my DMM.

Maybe this ground loop isolator will help...

http://www.mcmelectronics.com/product/33...66-MaAq0W8P8HAQ