Outlaw 950 Processor, Who Has Put Their Name on the Waiting List? (1 Viewer)

[John Morris]

Well, I keep hearing alot about people touting the Anthem AVM-20 but I don't see any posts from folks who have it. Is it even available yet? I've seen pictures of it and it does look cool, but has anyone listened to it yet. Does anyone know what the street cost of one of these is? I had an Anthem MCA amp for a few weeks and it was downright noisy. Transformer hum. It also added alot of grain to the speaker output. I much preferred my ATI amps to it anyday... and Outlaw's 750 is a slightly despec'd twin to the ATI 1505. Is the AVM-20 built better than the MCA? IMO, at an MSRP of almost 4 times the cost of the Outlaw 950, the AVM-20 had better sound absolutely invisible and perform flawlessly with perfect and logical operational, and user friendly controlling, to be THE pre/pro to get at sub MC-12 prices. As for me, I'm taking my chances with the sub $1K pre/pro.
Anyway, it sure is fun to speculate on products that we've never seen, but I think it'll be even more fun when we have em in our hands...

 

[ToddJoseph]

Count me as well.....Im thinking I might wait until there are some reviews out in the MKT place or wait for a yr or so and see about its reliability. Im sure this unit is going to meet all of our expectations and then some. Im in no hurry, and I can wait awhile. Time will tell...

 

[Parker Clack]

Here is a link to the waiting list for those that have had a hard time finding it.
Parker

 

[John Cain]

I wonder how many are on "the list" ??

100 or so??

I'm sure they are using the number of folks on list to place their order with their manufacturer, which is very smart BTW.

-- John

 

[Lewis Besze]

Wonder how many other folks plan to use the 950 pre/pro in a 6.1 amp/speaker configuration, instead of 7.1.

I just ordered 4 more monoblocks,which totals 7 in my set up.
So I'll be ready for the true 7.1 if it ever comes along.

 

[Will]

Cool! How far away will your rear speakers and side speakers

be from your listening position? Personally, I may have

far less distance to my rear speakers than to my side speakers.

I hope that will sound ok.

Also, does anyone know if it's better in a 7.1 system to have

"better" speakers for the rears or "better" speakers for the

sides, assuming I have to choose.

 

[Razvan V]

John,

There were 300 people interested in the beta units so I suppose that there are around 300 people on the waiting list too.

Razvan

 

[John Cain]

Aha..

Interesting, and good deduction about 300 on the list.

-- John

 

[John Morris]

Will: Don't worry my rear center speakers are closer to my seat also. All you need to do is calibrate correctly(my center rears are at -4 and -6 versus my front channels) and they will sound just fine. As for speaker quality, if you have to choose, I'd say that your rear sides should be better because those are the ones which get used for SACD and DVD-A.

 

[Zbigniew]

299.

I was on beta list, but decided that I do not want to wait any more. Got myself a used MC-1, and I am out of running (sorry, Outlaw - once customer less).

I do like Logic-7....

_zjt

 

[John Morris]

Zbigniew: Nice, congrats on your new Lex! How much did you spend on the MC-1? Also, I'm guessing that like me, you could care less about DPL2. Do you find Logic 7 to be a better DSP than DPL2 or 7 channel stereo?

 

[Michael St. Clair]

I'm planning on using the 950 (if I get it) in lowly 5.1 mode. No 6.1 or 7.1 for me, at least not for the next couple of years.
Maybe somebody can convince me to buy something else.
Name a pre/pro in the same price range that does DPLII, switches as many s-video inputs, and also does high-bandwidth component switching, and I'll sure consider it?
Anyone?

 

[Doug_B]

Well, I keep hearing alot about people touting the Anthem AVM-20 but I don't see any posts from folks who have it. Is it even available yet?

Yes, it is available, at least in my neck of the woods. I did get to play around with it for a while at a dealer's place. One caveat before saying a few words about the unit. I am far from the best person to provide feedback to others on it. I am building a system from the ground up so have no previous equipment (other than an old DPL receiver) to compare to the AVM-20. Also, my auditioning this year has mainly focused on speakers, and until now no pre-amp auditioning; I've been assuming for most of the time that I'd be getting the 950 and that it would have made an appearance way before my media room remodeling was finished .
My general impressions were positive. Sounded very good, although the speakers used weren't my favorites; it was a B&W CDM setup (9s and 7s for front and rear duty made up 4 of the 7 speakers). I do think that they are good speakers, but the sound is just not overly pleasing to me. I tried 2 channel music and various multichannel music modes with respect to the CD/DVD player (9000ES, if memory serves - I accidentally deleted my recorded notes) doing the D/A as well as the AVM doing the D/A. I heard no clear distinction between the two. The anthem also provides a mode where it will redigitize analog inputs (including the 5.1 inputs) so that bass mgmt can be applied; this is called Analog-DSP. I didn't hear a difference with this input either, although there was a difference in levels that made it harder to assess. Do note that my recordings were mostly late 70s / early 80s stuff, so source material may have been a limiting factor. BTW, I also forgot which amp was used; I'll have to call the dealer tomorrow to get the setup straight :b . However, I did not hear noise at all from my listening position; I had to pump the volume WAY up with no source material playing to hear some static from a few feet away, but otherwise had to go right up against the tweeter at more moderate (but not low) levels. This applied in all the modes to which I listened.
I played a bit with the variable x-over feature, and it worked fine. Setting applies to all small speakers; cannot set different freqs for different speakers. I also believe there is no setting for slopes. While on this topic, note that the anthem has a "super" setting for the sub (in addition to yes and no), allowing sub to receive the same bass signals that go to large speakers.
Didn't play with calibration and speaker distance at all, except for fooling around with sub level with music (when on) vs movies.
DVD titles played without a problem. DD 5.1 and DTS 5.1 were appropriately detected. Did not experience any dropouts during my short auditioning. Rear surround processing can be engaged with 5.1 material, although I fooled around with this only a bit. I didn't have any sources that go beyond 5.1, and my plans do not include rear surrounds at this time (don't know that i have the room for them).
Menu navigation takes a small amount of time to pick up. Played with menu from both the unit and the remote. I used the display on the unit, but I believe the menu can be pumped to a composite or S-Video output. One thing I was happy with as I was fooling around with settings: changes tended to take effect immediately as opposed to having to exit the menu system. It was also nice that the volume on the remote still functioned while within the menu system. I didn't really evaluate the remote, as it won't affect my purchase decision. If I don't like it (or even if I do), I'll probably end up with an MX-500 anyway.
As for price, this dealer has been pretty good with his quotes for me, because I'm out of state and he figures he needs the price angle to reel me in (although his service is better than any other dealer with whom I've dealt, price notwithstanding). He'll give me > 20% off on this. Another dealer closer to me will give me about 15% off.
I'll give Outlaw another 1-2 weeks or so. However, as my other equipment is expected to come in this week and next (CS_Ultra already here gathering dust :frowning: ), I'll be itching for something to tie it all together.
Doug

 

[John Morris]

Doug: Thanks for the feedback. In your opinion, is it worth $2600, versus the alternatives? Does it also come in black, or just silver? Also, what did the new software upgrade do for the just released unit?

 

[Sean D]

I've got my name on the list as well. I put it on right at 10pm that night.

 

[Doug_B]

John,

I'm not sure I can adequately answer your question on whether the AVM-20 is worth a $2600 price tag vs the alternatives. As I stated before, my experience and auditioning with pre-amps / controllers is quite limited. My decision to go with it as Plan B if the 950 doesn't come through in time (or quality?) had been based more on the available literature and feedback from this and other forums on other units, both less and more expensive.

At one level, I don't think any controller is worth that kind of money, which is why I have been anticipating the 950 for so long (and it was the 950 that made me pursue separates). But since then, I am heading to spend $10K+ on audio gear, which doesn't even include a source component (which can wait if I use the controller's DACs and while significant SACD source material becomes available).

Thus, I am not so against another $1700 or so for the anthem vs the 950, especially as there isn't very much that appears to be at the anthem's level for that price. [Plus, i want to get something during my vacation so I can adequately audition all my new equipment.] However, I think the other comparably priced controller that is probably in the quality and feature ballpark that has caught my eye is the B&K Ref 30 unit. I may just have an audition of that, as there's a nearby authorized dealer, although the thought of purchasing from this particular place is unsettling to say the least.

One final note on worth: My auditioning of the unit made me feel more comfortable with the prospect of purchasing it, and the dealer did offer me a return option if I didn't like it (although he had previously offered only a store credit for any speaker purchases).

Color: It comes in black and silver. The dealer's unit was silver, though, so I'm not sure if anthem has both already in the market. I will opt for silver.

Software Update: You're ahead of me on this. I hadn't heard of an upgrade yet. Maybe DPL II? Has Motorola come through yet?

Doug

 

[Lewis Besze]

Cool! How far away will your rear speakers and side speakers be from your listening position

They're about 7' from my listening positioin.

Also since I like multi channel music my "side" surrounds are monopole,and my back surrounds are bipole[they're "off" when listening music naturally].

Also the "sides" are located a bit towards to the back of the room,not directly by my side as a di/bipole speakers would.

 

[John Cain]

Regarding the Anthem AVM-20:

Available now:

Dolby Digital, Pro Logic, THX Cinema, THX Surround EX, DTS, DTS Matrix, Cinema Logic, All Channel Stereo, All Channel Mono, Mono, Hall, Theater, Stadium, Club, Church.

Coming soon:

Pro Logic II, DTS-ES Discrete, 96/24, Neo 6, via hardware upgrade. Available approx April 2002, cost approx 300.00.

-- John

 

[Zbigniew]

John: Thanks.

Lex itself (pristine state, software 4.00, remote, manula, bos, cable, packing material...) was 2250, and I was lucky to pick last one out of 4 at my friendly store. I added on top of it a pair of open box Studio ADP for $625, and this way I do have 6 speaker system in my living room.

To answer you question about L-7 vs DPL or 6 chan stereo:

- system is in room sized 17x19x32, with opening to kitchen, 2 other spaces - excess of 9000 cf.

- speakers - 4 x Active-40, 2 x Studio ADP feed with Parasound 1500HCA.

Music - rock, jazz, soul, blues, techno, prog, classical...

Sources - array of CD-changers, realyed over coax from Den 5800 acting as switcher.

I do not have DPL-II in this room, and still waiting for upgrade in other room (Den-5800).

Speakers were positioned over 5 months period, so in 2 channel mode they present you with a nice soundstage/wall of sound. It is almost impossible to pinpoint speakers in 2-chan mode. 2 chanenl is very solid, well defined and nicely articulated. But - and that is whay I was looking for multichannel setup - it is in front of you.

I mostly use music surround, sometimes Music-logic-7 or clean logic-7. Still working on setup for Panorama - most likely I will need to hear it properly set up, or ask someone in DC area to coma and play with it. The difference between 2-channel and Logic is amazing - instead of wall of sound, something like a wave in fornt of you, music is around - encapsulate you, dropping subjectively few dB in nosie level (not measure , with slightly less punch - but more presence. A guitar riff from paranoid, ten years after, or some acords from EL&P in 2 channel will attack you, shake your soul; in surrnound they saturate you without the hit. There is one more advantge to L-7 - I can move around the room, even go outside speaker space into kitchen, and still have a good spatial sound permeating whole first floor; you cannot accomplish it with 2-channel.

Party mode (5 channel stereo) - I heard it on Denon, AVM-2, and on Lex. For whatever reason AVM-2 (Anthem) will drop level when switching to 5 chan stereo, oppostie to Denon or Lex. I use it onloy when I purposefully want to annoy cats and neighbours - that what it is good for ( to get max SPL level). Otherwise there is enough power here to present and articulate any music.

One warning - L-7 is merciless to lousy and shaddy recordings. Some CD sound awfull in L-7 - whatever sound engineer did in studio makes them acceptable only in stereo. In L-7 you have so much reverb, that sound is shallow and empty. An excample would be BMG Gloria Gaynor the best of.

Take care,

_zjt

 

[Randy G]

I didn't have the patience to wait for the 950 either, so I bit the bullet and went for the MC-1. I also wanted stereo rear surrounds(not duplicated side info), so the Lex was the only game in town at a reasonable price. I'm only using it in a stereo setup right now(sounds great!), but will be moving to 7 channels shortly. Zbigniew, you MUST try the Panorama setup...you'll love it.