Something can be done. You can actually do a couple different things.

One is to have a passive sub (with just a pair of bindings posts tucked in there somewhere) and a separate power amp. The problem there is that most modern subs are designed as a unified system, with the cabinet, driver, and amp each specified (and often customized) for a particular sub. That means having a separate power amp specifically for your sub, and since that amp needs a full chassis it will cost most. It will also require some rack space, which can sometimes be a problem.

The other is to build a custom plate amp with no controls or connections on it, and then remote locate the controls and connections somewhere. The amp cost will increase (it's not a standard approach, so tooling needs to be made and a lot of parts have to be made just for that amp). You still need to "hide" the controls and connections on the sub somewhere, which means you still clutter up one side of the sub unless you build in a cavity and mount a door - and even then, you've got cords trailing out of it on that side. And you still need to provide for ventilation for the amp, so you can't bury it away too deeply in the sub.

At the end of the day, all of the LFM's competitors have plate amps on the back, and since subs almost always end up with at least one side facing a wall (often two sides, for corner placement). Unless somebody had a really bright idea to conceal that stuff, it's just too impractical to make significant improvements.


The wiring in your wall is not all that much heavier gauge than the power cord that came with your sub, and it has to handle much more current (15A compared to the 3.15A that the LFM-1's amp is internally fused for). It may feel skinny, but the engineer who specified it knew what he was doing and it'll do just fine. That being said, I have known companies to "move up" on their power cords before based on similar feedback. A prime example is OPPO Digital, who I have done some beta testing for. Starting with either the DV-983H or BDP-83, they changed power cords to a heavier unit based on complaints that their earlier cords were too puny. They ended up getting complaints that the new cord was too heavy and stiff.

As for the ground, many sub makers elect to go with two-prong power cords because of problems with ground loop hum when using three-prong cords. Again, it's all a matter of trade-offs.


I've seen stuff shipped both ways (single- and double-boxed). Many consumers will actually object to not getting a component double-boxed, largely because of the oft-displayed skill with which shipping companies can inflict abuse on packaging during transit. OPPO Digital single-boxes their disc players (the largest and heaviest of which is maybe 2.5" or 3" tall and around 11 pounds) and I've seen countless potential customers question that policy even though damage to their players during shipping is almost totally unheard of. When dealing with a 60lb or 80lb subwoofer the size of a table, for each person like yourself who sees the outer box as a waste there are probably ten people who don't care either way and five more who would consider not buying the product if the outer box were omitted. Perception is a powerful thing...


I would have to guess that they aren't selling R-972's for the same reason they scrapped the Model 997: they weren't satisfied with the overall performance and/or quality. The Model 997 was to be based on the R-972 platform, and based on the limited activity in the R-972 thread at AVS I get the impression that Outlaw felt that it wasn't to their level of quality. It's similar to Parasound's decision to scrap all three of their HDMI-based products this year, although in that case the base platform was different (Emotiva's UMC-1, which has proven to be a very problematic unit). Outlaw appears to have been partnering with Marantz this year while developing the Model 998. The SR5005 that they are offering now is less money, appears to be stable/reliable, and has a very competitive feature set. I think that most folks would hold Marantz in higher regard than Sherwood, especially after all the problems the R-972 had, so it seems like a pretty decent partnership to go with.