I am in the same place. The 886 is pretty tempting at the sales price. I love my 990 and have been trying to patiently wait for the 997. But I am getting tired of waiting and would like to get a pre-pro that handles hdmi and the new audio formats. I don't mind waiting a couple more months but since there has been little news from outlaw I am not sure if the 997 will be out in a couple months. I totally understand the need to release a quality product but at some point you need to release a product. The promise of a product does not produce much enjoyment for me. I guess I will wait to Friday then decide if I will pull the trigger on the 886.