Price, Sound, Build Quality, Remote

None Yet

First Impressions:

After a week in the drivers seat I have to say that I feel like I am driving a Porsche for the cost of a Volkswagen.

I feel obligated to comment on the Stereo Sound of this unit as compared to the Marantz. I do not like the way the Marantz products sound. I replaced my AV-550 with this unit. Before doing so I tested out the SR-7000 and SR-18. All of the Marantz products to me seem to have an unnatural sound. The best word I can think of is "Soft". A very enhanced sound. I wouldn't say I dislike the sound, but I prefer that of the Outlaw. It is much more natural sounding.

For Home Theater: It kicks! Using Dolby Digital I heard things I hadn't before. Sound seperation is amazing. Haven't tested 6.1 or DTS yet. I will report back.

Keep in mind that you should always rate a receiver based on its class.

Quote from e-town.com reveiw: "Just as the Denon AVR-3300 A/V receiver seemed like the only $500 to $1000 receiver to buy when it was introduced last fall, so does the Outlaw 1050 seem like the $500 to $1000 receiver to buy today."

Similar Products Used:

Marantz, Denon, Pioneer Elite, Yamaha

clean, crisp natural sound. easy to use, beautiful clean panel, great seperation

non-digital sound matrices non-effectual

I have had the Outlaw for about two weeks. the sound from it is beautiful. the layout is clean and professional. No wasted buttons and not too many. The auto switching for each source and auto recognition for digital is very helpful and easy. The sound from it is pure and clean. NNot forceful like the Denon. You get the sound out of it that you want. I found the hall, stadium, jazz and natural settings to be useless. They did not change the sound at all. Also, when playing a non-surround format, i am not able to boost the rear speakers loud enough to create a real big stadium sound. However, doing so is kind of silly anyway. I did notice one glitch in the system in that if I set my rear speakers to 'large', my right channel is cancelled out in straight stereo mode. Being that my surrounds are small and I set them as such, the sound is great. The type of sound I was hoping to get. I was going to buy Adcom seperates and the sound from this is just as good for a lot less money.

Similar Products Used:

denon avc-3020

price, value, conservative ratings, tube-like sound - boy am i glad my name was alloted one of these units from back order.

higher bit rates for future formats - AM section is nothing special but then, what do you expect for this unheard of price?

what a wonderful unit to use! very well thought out - layout front & back were done with common sense. This unit is heavy. You'd better have a reenforced shelf. Older type Pro-Logic decoding was a real surprise as i feel was close to DD. Separation was excellent. Plenty of power & conservative ratings.

Similar Products Used:

Denon, Onkyo, NEC, Sony

Easy To Use, Conservative Power Rating, Quality Of Construction, Nice Generic Remote, 6.1, Value

Nothing that for something in this price range.

First of all, thanks to all on this sight who have helped me make my choice for a HT setup by submitting some informative reviews. I am trying to return the favor.

I shopped for 2 months before deciding on the Outlaw. My goal was to get the best Receiver/Speaker Combo for less than $1500. I went with The Outlaw 1050 and Atlantic Technology Compact Theater 2. You can check out my CT2 review in speakers.

The first thing I noticed was that the Outlaw is one heavy SOB. It arrived promptly 2 days after I purchased it. (DHL is so much better than UPS its not even funny.) The next thing I liked was that it "looks" high end. Kind of reminds me of the NAD. You can see that it is very nicely crafted. No disappointments here. I do not believe the unit has a fan, which in retrospect is nice because we all have heard of fan problems. This receiver has enough features to get the adjustments you need made, but not all the bells and whistles of the more "commercial" models.

Sound Quality for HT: Top notch in my opinion. Natural, warm and not too bright...Very rich and full. The Center/Surround/Sub Trim is a nice feature to make adjustments for different volume levels. I agree with the previous reviewer that wrote about the Jazz, Stadium, etc modes not being a big deal. The DTS and 5.1 absolutely ROCK. The Matrix Lobby Shooting Spree made me smile the whole way through. The Thing has some great 5.1 sound.

Sound Quality for Music: Also very good. Amazing detail and well balanced. Again not to bright...very warm and full. There is a 2 channel and 3 channel stereo mode...I like the traditional 2 channel. I use Tracy Chapman Fast Car and Dave Matthews Band So Much to Say as a reference. At first, I was a little scared because female vocals left an "uneasy" irritation in my ears, but that was with 10 year old Baby Advent speakers. The new AT speakers TOTALLY eliminated that feeling.

I have the unit set up in an open room which includes kitchen, dining, living room and hall. Way too much open space for me, but this Outlaw has enough power to fill it, with some to spare. CLEAN power, so don't let the 65 watts per channel scare you off.

As far as another reviewer citing rear channel hiss as a problem....I disagree...I have experimented and found that this is nothing more than limitations of the source. If you turn it up all the way, you will here hiss mildly....but I don't think there is a receiver out there that won't.

Bottom Line: I liked the Denon a lot. But for $635 to my door, 6.1 channel, and ths level of sound quality, I know I made the right choice. I absolutely love this thing. You can get better I am sure....but be prepared to shell out a ton more money. If you are in the market for a $1000 Receiver...give the Outlaw a try. I bet you will keep it.

Email me with any questions! I hope this was helpful.

By the way, here is a direct quote I received in an email from Outlaw:
"Thanks for contacting the Outlaws!

In response to your recent message, we have the following:

1. There is no problem at all in using any Atlantic systems with the Outlaw
-- they are a great match, and we use them extensively in testing the Model 1050."

Similar Products Used:

Demo Denon, Yamaha, Onkyo, Marantz

Simplicity, Power and Style

The remote is a bit limited

I love this product. It has a warm, tight sound which I like. I do not like receivers, or audio equip. in general, that color the sound. I was reluctant to purchase over the internet without touching and testing the unit first but these reservations were unwarranted. The sevice was excellent and prompt. It has all of the functionality that I need and none that I don't. For 600 bucks this cannot be beat.

I have not been able to detect any unusual hissing (all receivers hiss a little bit) and this unit has absolutely no AC hum, which was the reason I scrapped the AVR45.

I will probably replace the remote with a Pronto, as the included remote does not let me control all of my components. But, this is a minor problem and not a deal breaker.

Similar Products Used:

HK AVR45, Denon AVR3300 etc.

Price, Value, Build Quality, Sound, Remote

Would like on-screen menus and data, Poor website maintenance.

I've read about half the reviews on the 1050, and decided to toss in mine.

First, I have not experienced a company that is so willing - Determined - to help its potential customers. These are people that love what they do. I tested them a good deal when the schedule continued to sl-i-i-i-i-i-de on the 1050 delivery date.

I had hoped to buy the ~ $1K pre/pro they have mentioned, maybe with the 750 amp, but couldn't wait any longer. I'd been using a Yamaha DSP-A780 since it was new, and had heard several 5.1 systems. There was just no waiting. I told a friend that I would cut him a good deal on the 1050 once the pre/pro hit the market. So, it wasn't a risk, But its a good thing no money was exchanged. This receiver is way better than what you should be able to get for $635!

My system is simple, but of good quality. I have a B&W 805 Matrix HTM with two standard 805 Matrixes across the rear. The front LRs are B&W 805 Nautilus units. The DVD unit is a Sony DVP S500D, and the CD player, a NAD 502. (So I'm a value kind'a guy.)

The first thing new I noticed was how much cleaner the bass became. Okay, without a sub, I don't expect a lot of extension into the bottom octave (neither do my neighbors) but it was strikingly beefier. Not being used to 5.1 may limit an value I can bring to the sound stage, But I know what one is, and this receiver does not get in its way producing it. The less challenging mid-range is crisp and the high-end is open - completely unrestrained.

I could go on, but the really important point in this review is, I am no longer eagerly awaiting the Outlaw high-end pre/pro. My small listening room/HT (14 buy 16) is easily filled with sound at realistic volume levels without a hint the unit is laboring. Transients in both 5.1 and stereo are impressive with excellent decay. Music is engaging in stereo, with dynamics to spare in 5.1 use. Take a trial run. You will be happy you did!

Similar Products Used:

None

Fine build quality, easy to install and use, and reasonably priced.

Noise.

This unit appears to be well thought out and constructed. Installation is quick and easy, and the owner's manual is complete. The bass management is good (I used 800 and 100 Hz settings) and the controls are logically arranged and easy to use. What ultimately led me to return the unit was the fairly high noise level. A constant noise floor was present in all channels using any of the DSP modes including both 2 channel PCM and Digital Dolby. My relatively old analog Dolby Pro-logic processor from Adcom (GSP-560) is utterly silent in all modes. It must have been the DSP micropressor or the D/A converters because the 5.1 direct analog input is dead silent. Perhaps this is just an early production glitch. Outside of this problem the unit was quite satisfactory.

Similar Products Used:

Adcom surround processor.

Clean sound. Robust feature set for a very reasonable price. 30 day, money back, Satisfaction Guarentee.

Keeping its price in mind - none.

I was one of the five luck people randomly selected to participate in the final, public beta test of the Model 1050 Receiver. I've therefore had my unit for about a month longer than most (I received it in May). I've spent many hours on the phone with the various 'Outlaws' and I'm constantly impressed at how hard these folks want to make sure that they "do right" by their customers.

Keeping in mind the price, I can't find a single fatal flaw in this receiver. In terms of what it delivers for it's price - it simply delivers on its promises. :)

I am driving a set of four Boston Acoustics VR-M50's (89dB sensitivity) and a Boston Acoustic VR-12 center. I also have a B.A. powered subwoofer. My viewing/listening room is roughly 12x15, fully carpetted and drywalled. With the exception of two tables and a book case (off to the side), the furniture is fully upholstered. So the room is pretty "dead" acousticly.

The 1050 replaced an older Dolby Digital receiver (Kenwood KR-V990D that had a list price of $1200 in early 1998) that supposedly provided 100w to the front three speakers. I find the 1050 to sound significantly cleaner. The sound is both smoother and more distinct. It's sounds the same regardless of whether the volume is low or pushed why up high - just good, clean sound.

I was concerned, especially considering my room, that the 65w per channel would be a problem ... it's not. With a powered subwoofer and, at least moderately, efficient speakers - it's way more than enough power. I've tried to listen to the unit at very high volumes, but it's just too damn loud! The sound, however is just as clean as at my normal listening volumes. :) I've not been able to detect any strain or clipping or anything like that.

I would like to address one comment made by another review some time ago. A Mr James C. states:

"... I first tested it with two channel music and I was surprised why there was no sound coming from the sub. I have set the main speakers as large and sub on. Unfortunately, the sub only turns on when it is in Pro Logic, 5.1, or the other useless soundfields. ...". I went and looked up his speakers and see that they're "bookshelf/monitor" types.

I've never actually *used* an other reciever with Large and Small settings, so maybe the 1050 is "different". But in its case, you should never set your speakers to Large unless they provide flat, or at least very nearly flat, response down to 20Hz. In general that means, only towers with built-in subwoofers or very high-end , full range speakers should be set to Large on the 1050 Reciever.

Additionally, I have read of other reviews of the 1050 on the 'net where people have called it "bright". It turns out that most of these people had been running their non-full range (at least not flat down to 20Hz) speakers as "large". Appearently it's an effect where the strain to reproduce the low end can also have detrimental effects upon the high end. By resetting the speakers to "small" and letting their subwoofer(s) handle the low end properly, the "brightness" is eliminated.

In summary, the Outlaw Model 1050 Receiver provides excellent sound and a robust feature set for a quite reasonable price. I'm *very* pleased with mine. And I'm very pleased with Outlaw Audio as a company and am comfortable recommending them to anyone looking for the most "bang for their buck".

pat----

Similar Products Used:

Auditioned Denon 3300 and Yamaha 2095 before checking out the Outlaw.

Build quality, sound, design, customer service.

Running very hot after 4-5 hours of use; DTS lock -explanation below; slight noise from all channels; remote needs macros

I received this unit last week. Delivery took just 2 days to Canada, it was much faster than I expected.
First of all, I've checked grounding and noise problems by connecting just headphones - receiver was silent at max volume level.
Then I connected all my equipment and what can I say, this baby produces very rich, clean and natural sound. Eric Clapton's Unplugged sounded like I was present at real concert. I was pleased that no treble/bass trim required for most of my CDs, they sound exactly as they should in flat mode.
DD/DTS decoder does pretty good job as well. I installed 6th speaker just behind my listening position, it really adds some new experience to watching movies. Frankly, I was a bit scared when in The Haunting the door loudly shuts directly behind me (in 5.1 sound comes more from the sides). I'd say that sound positioning is much better with rear center speaker but you have to sit exactly in front of RC speaker, otherwise effect is lost.
Now about problems.
I hardly could keep my hand on receiver's top panel after 4-5 hours of work. It's not a big deal for me as soon as I know that this is normal (?) - I hope 'Outlaws' will confirm this. At least it will keep my house warm in long Canadian winter.
There is one bug=feature described in additional sheet coming with this receiver. It says that receiver will mute 'in 2-channel mode if 6.1 mode is activated, in order to avoid this deactive 6.1 mode manually'. But it doesn't end here. I had 5.1 DTS DVD/CD playing in DVD player, then I switched to 2-ch. CD without stopping DVD. CD input was mute, DTS logo was still on receiver's display and little arrow was flashing, indicating that decoder tries to acquire lock on digital stream. I switched to analog input VID1 and then to back to CD, now it worked. I switched back and forth few more times and result was the same. Only when I stopped DVD problem disappeared. It seems that decoder has some problems when it's locked on DTS. I will investigate this further.

Equipment used:
DVD player: Panasonic A-120CA through COAX input
CD player: JVC 158 5-CD through OPTICAL1 input
Speakers: Infinity RS-5(x2), CC-3, RS-1(x2), CC-1
Subwoofer: D-Box David-300

Similar Products Used:

Sony STR-DE 615, JVC RX-888VBK, HK AVR300

Clarity of sound, build quality, high end at a moderate price.

None. Outlaw corrects them as they are pointed out.

I first heard about this receiver on the Klipsch web site BB (great site like this one for exchange of information!)where an owner of Klipschorns remarked that this receiver was the closest thing he has found to tube amplification quality. This caught my attention and i checked out the reviews here and figured what could I lose ...great customer service and a money-back guaranty!

I have two Klipsch home theater systems; one consisting of Klipschorns and La Scallas (thanks to this site and e-bay); the other their discontinued THX system. I had two Sony pro-logic receivers; one an ES model; one regular. Since i had upgraded the THX system with RS-3s ( I can now switch between the pro-logic dipoles and the RS-3s) I needed a Dolby Digital receiver. I always thought that one decent quality receiver sounded like most others (the Sony ES is not tht much different from the regular Sony and for that matter neither are much different sounding than an old 35 watt Kenwood receiver i have). Well I was wrong by a long shot! The crystal clear, almost magical sound quality with inperceptable noise levels is a definate high! I may never leave my house again! Both systems never sounded soooooo good! I had to order a second 1050 (which they gave me for $50 less, since I was a previous customer!

I had a little trouble with the set-up due to my lack of knowledge about one of my other comonents. No problem - Outlaw customer service was very patient and solved the problem, guiding me through the programing of a Sony component step by step! They have even tracked me down at home when I took a day off from the office and have also called me back with some second thoughts and helpful suggestions! This reminds me of the early days of hi-fi when i was a teenage kit builder in the 50s. Component manufacturers were as enthusiastically helpful to their customers as Outlaw is today. They actually seem to enjoy their customers and are glad to listen to them and help them. This alone would be worth the price. even if the receiver was a fraction as good as it is.

I have all the power, I need and then some ... this receiver seems to have more power than the 100 watt per channel Sonys! If I wanted more power (perhaps to convince the neighborhood I was insane), the 1050 converts to a preamp with a 90 watt rear channel for use with Outlaw's excellently reviewed 5 channel (165 watts per) amp. I should also note that since I am using two speaker center and rear channels I am stressing the receiver with a 4 ohm load. It performs effortlesssly.

By the way, Outlaw has quickly corrected the few relativly minor problems noted in an otherwise excellent Sound & vision review (October 2000).

I hope Outlaw gets into other components ... I'll be first in line.

Similar Products Used:

Sony, Sony ES