Robert,

Thanks for sharing an interesting perspective / some observations on the 950.

I've had my 950 for a few months now and remain convinced that it is one of the best home theatre buys out there. I have no quibbles at all with its performance or feature set. (I new what I was buying before I did, so how could I subsequently lament that it is lacking something?)

A comparison of the 950 to a product that for 99%+ of the population is unattainable is interesting - but not really "news," unless the result was that the 950 won the comparison ("man bites dog"). However what I think you've written is not that "dog bites man" but rather that "dog and man bite each other - no clear winner declared." Because for every time someone throws "Logic 7" into the fight, the response is "$799"!

I've owned a Lexicon product with Logic 7 (a CP3+) before, and while I'm sure that Lexicon has evolved that technology many steps since, in my mind it was never a particularly strong draw. There might be a day when the feature set of a high-end Lexicon product would make it worth my while to go for it, but that's highly unlikely so long as Outlaw keeps turning out products like the 950.

Besides, while products like the Lexicon are "upgradeable" both in terms of hardware and software, my guess is that a future hardware upgrade alone for the Lexicon will cost more than a brand new 950-successor. I hate to say it, but at $799 the 950 borders on "disposable". If you tire of its terrific performance and features after three, or four, or five years, post it on ebay and move on! You'd be much less likely to do that with something that cost $2-4K now wouldn't you?

Regards.

Jeff Mackwood