Outlaw 950 Pre-Pro


Category: Preamps

First off, I am a compulsive upgrader, and have a terminal case of the "grass is greener" syndrome.

Due to this malady, I have owned the following pre/pros over the years (all paired with either Sherbourn 5/1500A or EAD Powermaster 1000):

Lexicon DC-1 (good sound, flawless operation)
Aragon Soundstage (terrific sound, one of the best)
Acurus ACT-3 (best under $1000 until Outlaw 950)
EAD Encore (great on music, lacks HT dynamics, buggy)
EAD Ovation Plus (superb on music, weak HT dynamics)
Sunfire TGII (Great dynamics, terrific music performance. All in all, the best one of the bunch. Only reason sold is needed money more than the unit.)
Bryston SP-1 (deathly quiet, ruthlessly dynamic, painfully exposing on music)
Anthem AVM20: (outstanding HT, uninvolving music)

A recent downturn in personal fortune had me sell all my gear and settle down with a receiver (I chose the Denon 4800) for HT and my Jolida 202A integrated tube amp for music (breathtaking on female vocals and Jazz).

Good lord, the Denon was a big step down. As receivers go, a fine unit, but my ears were used to some very pretty sounds by now.

I couldn't settle for the Denon, but didn't really have the cash to get back into separates. Then again, thanks to Outlaw, I did.

I grabbed a 950/755 combo from Outlaw's site (thanks to the miracle of Mastercard) and I was back in business.

Here's what I found:

YOU WON'T BELIEVE WHAT YOU CAN NOW GET FOR $899!

I thought I'd use this set-up until my cash flow improved, but now that it has fattened up, I feel no need to step back up to the supposed high-end stuff. The Outlaw 950 has terrific dynamic range, flawless operation, and PLENTY of features for the price.

All the latest formats and setup choices are there. I'm hooked on DPL-II conversion for TV and any other mono or stereo source, and should I choose to step up to 7.1, the Outlaw is ready.

It even sounds pretty good with music. (Again, with the Jolida, not an issue for me, but nice nonetheless.)

It's an outstanding value, and IMHO, far more than most people need to get EVERYTHING the creators of the source intended for you to hear. Just make sure to pair it with a capable amp, and you'll be nothing less than thrilled.

Strengths:
Crisp, dynamic sound in all formats. 7.1 capable, every current sound format represented. STUNNING value.

Weaknesses:
Remote ergonomics a little funky. Not the prettiest thing in the world.
skraggle
Good to see someone that has quite a bit of hands on experience with various models making comments about this unit.

My Father was / is interested in the 950, as was i a while back, and i talked him out of it for the same reason that i did not buy one. First of all, i had read WAY too many "horror stories" about poor quality control / units with "quirky operation". Another problem that i had was that most of the people raving about this unit had only used receivers prior to purchasing this unit and had little experience with quality separates. Another factor was that those that had "audiophile credentials" kept complaining about high noise levels with this unit when using it in 2 channel mode. On top of all of this, while cosmetics don't usually effect my point of view about unit, build quality does. As such, the Outlaw looks like a cheasily built NAD product from yester-year. Put all of this together and it was enough to turn me off, even if the price was VERY reasonable for all of the features that the unit came standard with.

After all of that, i later found out that the Outlaw is made in the same plant as the Sherbourn and the Atlantic Tech units. Supposedly, the Sherbourn is built to their specs and is quite different in performance from the Outlaw. That is, according to Sherbourn marketing reps. While i can understand Sherbourn's reluctance to specify how / why / what is different about their unit from the Outlaw in terms of internal design, especially since the Sherbourn is WAY more expensive and the differences might not be that great, the fact that the Sherbourn has been relatively well received lends a bit more credibility to its' "sibling", the Outlaw. On the other hand, the Atlantic Tech unit is supposedly identical, yet costs several hundred dollars more than what Outlaw is selling the 950 for.

If you don't mind, i'd like to ask you ( and the others that own / have owned the 950 ) a few questions:

How does the unit perform when running it strictly in 2 channel mode ?

Have you tried using the DAC's within the 950 to replace / bypass the DAC's within your digital source ? If so, how do you think they rank compared to some of the other processors that you've run ?

How would you rank the sensitivity / audio quality of the FM tuner section of this unit ?

How satisfied are you with the bass management options with this unit ?

While i think it does, does this unit provide analog pass-through ? If so, how many inputs can you do this with ?

Thanks for taking the time to post this and listing your thoughts on the various units that you've already owned. Sean ( who is currently running a Sunfire TG II in his HT system )
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I also own an Outlaw 950. Personally I really like the sound in HT. For 2 channel, it's OK IF you leave the sub on. But I couldn't honestly say its any better than OK.

That's why I'm looking for a used preamp with HT bypass to mate with it for 2 channel. If I can pick one up for around $800, then for $1600 I'll have a system that has better 2 channel sound than any pre/pro for under $3K. And the sound for HT will not lag far behind.

I've never tried the tuner, and the 950 does have analog pass through. I've heard complaints about bass management, but its always worked well for me.
Thanks for the info Larry. As far as your search for a preamp goes, the Adcom GFP-750 is right up your alley. It can do active or passive, comes with a remote, offers an HT bypass and typically sells for $650 - $800 on the used market. Sean
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Sean, I am in a similar boat. I am looking to do home theatre and would like good quality 2 channel sound. I have heard the same about Outlaw, Sherbourn, Atlantic Tech. being the same unit. I am considering the Rotel RSP 1066 as a pre-pro. Would I get a bigger bang for the buck with the Adcom? Thanks. Chuck