Man o man, go away for a couple of days and look what happens. It's taken me a while to read through this one. And apart from a "to balance or not to balance" detour this is all good news.

The question I'm asking myself though is what I'd actually gain based on my present system heart (950/770) by jumping on the 990 wagon. I mean beyond the wild adrenalin pumping, can I get this one past my wife, I want this because I haven't upgraded all winter sort of thing.

For me I guess the biggest draw is the phono stage since I'm looking for a way to get back my analog/vinyl habit that I left long ago. That's one of my reasons for interest in the RR2150 (still waiting. I have lost interest in pursuing balanced connections as I'm not convinced of their advantage. And the DVI switching is all in a wait and see what happens mode due to the inevitable format war that is coming regarding the next step in video.
Also I wonder what the value will actually pan out to be for all these "previously owned" 950's. With all this excitiment it could tip the old supply and demand scale don't you think. Ahh who knows.
It's all good news regardless. Outlaw is keepin right in there. It fun to be a part of it in some way.