I chose the 990 primarily because of the feature set and the awesome low price. Bang for the $$$ can't be beat. I have mine paired with a 7125 amp and it is an excellent amp for my needs. Outlaw is on the verge of bringing out the 990 replacement, the 997. It will have state of the art features and will cost somewhere near $1399 which is also BIG BANG for $$$. The 990 is older and less future proof than the 997 but it still one hell of a machine and can be had at $699 right now. In addition the owner of a 990 will receive a $200 discount on the 997 when it comes out. The 990 includes a phono preamp internally whereas the 997 does not, so if you are a vinyl user the 990 has more appeal. However, if your preference leans more towards digital and home theater the 990 has all the support needed for that. In this era of HDMI many users appear to be put off by the 990 DVI video output switching instead of HDMI but with an adapter it works great. The 997 has HDMI switching plus a host of new features for the future. Both machines are firmware upgradable and have USB input capability. Check them out on the website. You won't be disappointed in either one.