Lena:

Do you remember the "wattage wars" where the Federal Trade Commission had to step in and legislate a standard method whereby all manufacturers had to adhere to a standard measurement of power output? I do.

It really is getting back to the point where manufacturers like Outlaw are venturing _far_ off the honest side of stating specifications on things like noise, _actual_ resolution and yes, wattage.

Are we really that stupid?

I'm glad to know you are happy with your 950, I wish I were too. I know enough _not_ to buy things like the 950 on specs alone, but does 'Joe and Jane Average"?

Mine hisses. It doesn't meet it's published specs on noise by a WIDE margin. I have had to 'demote' the 950 to non-critical things like VCR an DSS switching.

If I were Outlaw, I would have monitored Eastech much more closely during the design and prototype phase. I would have put the 'first article' through TOUGH tests and measurements and listening. If they had done this (or possibly not looked the other way), none of us would be writing about hiss today, and we would be singing the praises of the 950 like you.

If another option were available now, I would jump on it. Expect to see a lot of 950s on Ebay in 6 months to a year.

If the equipment I use for my movie work performed like the 950, the manufacturer wouldn't be able to _give away_ it's goods - it's trust would have been broken, in an industry where downtime and less than perfect performance is not an option.

Outlaw dropped the ball - big time.

[This message has been edited by soundhound (edited October 20, 2002).]