That's for the 7.1 analogue inputs only, right? The 2-channel analogue inputs are digitized, so EQ can be applied to stereo analogue sources (like the headphone out of a computer).

The manual isn't quite clear that analog inputs are not affected by EQ. I have the same question because it seems to be an all or nothing proposition.

Quote from page 31 of the manual:
Note: Because the Model 976’s analog inputs stay analog through and through, the EQ does not aff ect your analog sources. This also means you will want to use an HDMI output from your computer to an HDMI input on the Model 976 should you chose to utilize REW.

The manual isn't quite clear that analog inputs are not affected by EQ. I have the same question because it seems to be an all or nothing proposition.

Quote from page 31 of the manual:
Note: Because the Model 976’s analog inputs stay analog through and through, the EQ does not affect your analog sources. This also means you will want to use an HDMI output from your computer to an HDMI input on the Model 976 should you chose to utilize REW.

Per this text in the manual, it would seem that the analog inputs are not digitized. However, if you use the Main/Sub mode on analog stereo sources, there has to be a crossover. An analog crossovers.

Or maybe the analog stereo inputs really are digitized, and Outlaw are more or less unaware of that fact. If you use the FM tuner (an analog source) and press the Info button, the third item being displayed is "PCM". Which is the technical term for a digital signal... makes you wonder what's going on there!

Tried using one of the 2-channel analogue inputs and the signal was digitized (EQ affected the sound). Got in touch with Outlaw and they confirmed that the manual is in error.

Ah!

IMHO, this is not a problem, as these days the conversion is done at such a high quality that it is irrelevant. I'd rather have proper EQ and crossover in DSP than a "pure analog" path.

However, isn't is strange that this information is emerging a year after the initial product announcement and 6 weeks into the sales!

Here is a quote from the Outlaw Audio product page for the 976.
"The analog audio inputs stay analog through and through to maintain signal purity".
Can anyone from Outlaw comment?

Ditto

take the blessing and run w/it.

It happens. Outlaws are people too. One mistake in an otherwise excellent manual is not bad.

Heck, the manual for the recent Denon 8500 caused excitement when it said that Dolby's upmixer would feed Wides, only to find out that it wasn't true.

And, unlike the mistake in the Denon manual, at least the error in the 976 manual has a positive outcome: we end up with a capability we didn't know we had.

Yes, this is in regards to the multi-channel analog ins which you might naturally be inclined to use with REW. For example, you cannot take the stereo line level output (or even headphone output) from your computer and use it to connect to L and R and then LS and RS, etc to test the system.

If the stereo inputs were not digitized, you could not have bass management or any upmixing.