While a modular solution would be a lot more expensive than the present 990, one would expect that Outlaw could do one for significantly less than the likes of Onkyo/Integra/Integra Research and Meridian.

I wouldn't be surprised if they could offer the base unit for $1500-2000 and fully stocked unit for $3000.

Gonk is right though that as long as they keep the unit to about what it costs now, it's just cheaper to replace the whole thing than it would be to buy a modular system.

Plus the big problem with modular systems as I see it, is that it requires a lot of faith on the part of the consumer that the manufacturer will continue to support the chassis with new modules and won't stop support 5 or 6 years out.

Oh and a modular system introduces a large number of moving parts to a unit that now have to be tested separately and together.

Of course, in theory it is the way to go and what I'd like to have, but it isn't without its own pitfalls.

Personally, the only real change that I think could be made to the unit as it is right now is the separation of the balanced from the unbalanced outputs so that both can be used at once. That seems to be something that more than a few people out there could use. Oh, and yeah one or two more component ins would be nice.

HDMI though? Nah, too early to worry about including that. By the time Outlaw is ready to introduce a successor to the 990, I expect that the whole HDMI thing is figured out and would hope that there isn't some new connector type on the horizon.

For right now though, I'm happy lusting after the 990 that is on its way.