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Review 3 of 10
Price Paid:
$1699.00
from 866-OUTLAWS Summary:
For those of you who might be wary of buying this unit over the internet, don't hesitate. I've run Pioneer and Pioneer Elite stereo and A/V receivers exclusively for 30 years (I like the sound of MOSFETS), but the last two burned out at 35 months of service each, and I was advised to move on to separates. After reading the reviews and recommendations in The Perfect Vision magazine, I ordered the Outlaw Model 950 Preamplifier/Processor and the Model 770 200-watt-times-seven channel amp. All I can say is Why Did I Wait So Long? After so many years with the same brand, I wondered if an entirely different collection of electronics (Motorola DSP vs. Cirrus Logic) would sound good to me. They don't sound good. They sound great. They sound fabulous. When listening to CDs, my Outlaws provide a very precise soundstage, wider than before and surprisingly deep, allowing my Infinity Interlude IL60s, just the two of them, to almost surround me with sound. The Interludes have built-in 500 watt amplifiers for the side-firing 10" subwoofers, and with the Pioneers I had to keep the Infinity's separate volume controls turned low. But the Outlaw 770 provides such clean sound, so much added clarity in the mid-bass, mid-treble and treble frequencies that I've turned them up. Read Wayne Garcia's review from Perfect Vision at the Outlaw Website (www.outlawaudio.com), he says it so much better than I can, but I've never heard a more satisfying sound. I find myself grinning constantly while listening to music I've heard hundreds of times before.
And how do my Outlaws deliver when used as a Home Theater System? I run a seven-channel setup (all Interludes) and select DTS-ES or Dolby-EX whenever possible. The Model 950 Pre Amp Processor has a comprehensive feature set of digital surround processing capabilities, and a generous panel of inputs/outputs which include two HD-ready (40+ MHz) component inputs and six assignable digital sound inputs. The Model 950 instruction manual is as good as any I've ever seen and can be viewed at their website, but Home Theater newbies may want to invite a more knowledgable friend over for an installation party. The steering logic in the 950 is exceptional, better than anything I ever heard from the Pioneers, but that may be because of the capabilities of the Model 770 amplifier.
In a word, awesome. Just listen to the THX opening on the Abyss DVD. You hear EVERY note--without a fade-in--which was apparently the result of my receivers' back channels scavenging power from the front channels of an overtaxed amplifier section. The Outlaw has two giant toroidal power amps to supply it's seven channels, and the difference has to be heard to be believed. Presence, separation, definition. With a musicality that will handle every score from Amadeus to the Matrix. Thrills and chills.
This is my first experience with separates, so maybe they all sound like this. But not at this price. I paid $2398 for my Outlaw combo, plus $185 for two-day shipment from Massachusetts to Arizona, or $2583 to my door. More than I payed for my last Pioneer Elite, but less than they want for the current model. And they don't give you a 30-day money back guarantee.
In my opinion, they also don't give you this kind of performance Strengths:
Model 950 Pre Amp Processor: Clean sound, exceptional setup flexibility for complex Home Theater systems, comprehensive digital decoding, 5.1 Multichannel analog inputs for DVD-A or SACD, true HD switching capability.
Model 770 Power Amp: power, more power, even more power, and what appears to be MILSPEC build quality Weaknesses:
The 770 looks like MILSPEC too, but who cares. Heat from the amp. I know that other reviews here say different, but mine gets hot. I wouldn't stack anything on top of it, but since the electronics are separated from the heat source, I don't worry about them like I would with an A/V receiver Similar Products Used:
No other separates.
Pioneer Elite Audio/Video Receivers VX-07TX and VX-39TX
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