Originally Posted By: NRBQLou
I dunno, HDMI (goodbye cable clutter), room correction (or something like that), HD audio in all it's formats, usb or ethernet firmware updates, 3d capability for when it's time to do that, advanced GUI, and so on are all sounding pretty cool to me, although it is the sound that trumps them all...if these advances (yes, advances) weren't appealing at some level to a bunch of us, this forum would not need to exist, IMHO - and yes, never found a real need for stadium DSP, hence the 990 in my cabinet.


I agree that Outlaw pre/pros have fallen way behind in the features aspect compared to receivers. Other manufacturers - such as Marantz, Onkyo/Integra, and NAD - have kept better pace. So there are still some good options out there for those us in the bargain seperates demographic. But for me going separates was never really about the pre/pro. It was about the amplification. Good amps should last 10-15 years at least and aren't obsolete after 3 years.

That said, I really don't find anything but a handful of the modern features as truly appealing.

HDMI: A worthwhile feature that the industry has completely mishandled. And just when it seems to be settling down - they add 3D. Obviously, today HDMI switching is a must since the convenience of a single cable for video/audio is compelling.

Room Correction: Very worthwhile feature.

HD Audio: Overblown. The "full spec" Dolby Digital available on blu-rays (and supported over coax) is extremely good. I bet most home systems are not detailed enough to resolve the difference between full spec dolby digital and lossless/uncompressed audio. I know that's a bold statement, but I've experienced it msyelf and here's a related article: http://www.hemagazine.com/node/Dolby_TrueHD_DTS-MA_versus_Uncompressed_PCM?page=0%2C0

USB/Ethernet updates: A very worthwhile feature, but mostly because HDMI has been such a mess. Plus I think it has encouraged manufacturer "fix it in the firmware update" behaviors that - overall - are bad for many consumers.

3d capability: I'm years away from caring and even when that happens I don't need my pre/pro to support it. I'll just run the HDMI cable direct from the bluray to the display.

Advanced GUI: My 950's on screen text menu is just as functional and easy to navigate as my LG Bluray's hi-tech, eye-candy ridden GUI.

Obviously, this is all just my opinion and my tastes only but I don't think I'm alone in feeling that the bells and whistles packed into the typical mid-fi+ receiver and some pre/pros has reached the ludicrous state. And I'm hoping a few budget minded manufacturers (e.g. Outlaw) take notice and target us.