As far as dropping the ball, the Outlaws, in my opinion, have not. I am one of those people who like simplicity. I wanted DTS, DD, 7.1 capability, and PLII. I wanted a fairly sensitive tuner, Outlaw's triple crossover, and an easy to use remote. Heck, a very good Pronto remote by itself can cost 1/3 to 1/2 the price of the 950. My 950 remote controls 7 components easily enough that my 3-1/2 yr old daughter can use it to turn on the system, the digital cable, the TV, the DVD, and pop in Monsters, Inc.

I have the hiss. By turning down the gains on my amp I have eliminated it. The sound is vastly better than anything else I have owned.

To go back to dropping the ball...Does Buick drop the ball when they don't produce a Mercedes? How about when auto manufacturers claim 14 city/20 hwy gas mileage and owners report average fuel mileage closer to 14MPG overall?

I know it is apples to oranges. Yes, published specs should be able to be duplicated. On the other hand...the 950 is a great product at a fantastic price. Yes, others will come along with a like product and price eventually. At this time, however, the 950 is the best product at this price point, and its nearest competition is about 50% more.