AT $1500 it will still have a market, even if it lacks some of the bells and whistles. However, personally speaking, I might skip it and just move up another bracket to something like an Integra 80.3 (or 80.4 when it's released) or a new Marantz AV8007 if it ever materializes. In getting closer/deeper with the Model 990 I already own, I'm really disappointed that even with its basic feature set, there's so much lacking in terms of control/automation - its RS-232 command set for instance is minuscule, and frankly, that's not something I'm going to settle for with a replacement. While SQ will continue to be my top priority, a new processor needs to fit into my setup and be able to be fully automated. And IP control is becoming increasingly important.