I think the "internal delays" are too easy to get swallowed up in when the manufacturer / marketer is as "open" as Outlaw...

The "competition" for the 978 largely DOES NOT EXIST -- while I suspect MOST eventual buyers of the 978 will "cross shop" offerings from firms like Marantz, Integra, NAD, Anthem and other higher quality firms the feature set and value offered by Outlaw with a full line of amps to pair with with 978 and its balanced audio outputs is unlikely to really be rivaled by a larger company (or even other online firms that have problems of their own)...

This past week I helped a friend install a new ceiling mount projector in his dedicated media room. The hassles we encountered trying to get his also new LG BluRay player to interface with his not that old Yamaha receiver were maddening. I can only imagine the sorts of headaches that HDCP / HDMI integration have caused for all the 978 build partners. In a way I can understand how these sorts of things drive companies to offer "modular" type pre-amp processors, but having also been in the I/T field since before the Interwebs I also know that HW issues are far more "linear" than the kinds of SW issues that have to be resolved with each iteration of an interface. Sending out "beta" or "alpha" SW to paying customers is not a way to succeed in the marketplace...

I have a mixed bag of experience with off shore production. For firms that have the right kind of partners, that will not work against efforts to build a valuable relationship, the much reduced production costs can be used to deliver products at a price point that otherwise would not be achievable. If the partner has a "side door" that results in very dark grey market products reaching the distribution channel of course the result can be disastrous. Outlaw largely has a single head-end for their channel and ought not to have to worry about such things. Depending on the ultimate volume of shipped 978s the level of out-the-door quality control that they provide should similarly result in VERY satisfied customers...

So long as the Outlaws provide the kind of depth of technical support that has become their hallmark I have no fears that the 978 will be a feature-rich and superlative sounding device that will be the literal hub of high quality home entertainment systems for years to come.

I hope I don't come off as polyannishly optimistic -- I have been an audio / video enthusiast for a LOOOOOONG time and think back fondly to a time when local audio chains like Playback, United Audio, Musiccraft and others flourished in Chicago alongside national firms like Pacific Audio. The contraction of quality A/V retailers has lead to a lot of junky products and poorly run firms being the unfortunate norm. Even for folks that spend HUGE sums of money on home theatre / whole house audio the longevity of equipment tends to be poor and the complexity of offerings intrudes on the ability to enjoy a nice picture with realistic sound.

My experiences so far suggest that the Outlaws understand that the forces that collapsed previous eras of home electronics centered around failing to deliver products at a good value and so long as they do ship products that stack up well they should continue to be successful...