To do what you're asking would require a brand new hardware design, as it is nowhere near a minor design alteration, nor a simple matter to support ongoing hardware and firmware upgrades. Considering that the 990 is based upon a standardized hardware platform from Etronics, and that its price point is due to the development costs being spread amongst multiple brands using said platform, you couldn't expect Outlaw to deliver something to that spec for any less than Onkyo does.

The card-based design is a sweet idea, and the thought of customizing and constantly updating a pre/pro is tempting. However, I'm dubious that it will become an industry norm, since it would preclude users from buying new units down the road, and to offset that sales loss the upgrades would need to be expensive, even more so because customer support needs would increase dramatically. Hence the cost of the Onkyo.