value,build quality,remote,design,sound,customer service,

none

This receiver is one great piece of equipment. It is probably the best value on the market today for sound quality. Outlaw put most of its quality into interior components and not on fancy "bells and whistles" that you will never use. I was a little skeptical about only 65w a channel, but was blow away by the power when I hooked the outlaw up. DO NOT let the power rating scare you off, it has much cleaner power and louder sound than many receivers that are more expensive. It was much louder and cleaner than my Kenwood had ever been, even though it(the kenwood) had a rating of 100w x 5. At higher volumes the Outlaw just gets better. I had narrowed my choice between the Outlaw and the Denon AVR-4800. After much research and reading reviews on this site, I decided to go with value instead of glitz and glammor and boy was I ever right. I can buy two Outlaws for the price of one Denon. The sound is smooth and clear with great separation of sound at high volume levels. The outlaw not only sounds great for DD/DTS DVD's, but fantastic for music as well. I would strongly reccommend this receiver to anyone who wants to save some money, but get high quality.
The opening scene in Gladiator played in DTS will blow your socks off and the Outlaw is just getting started. You can not pass up this bargin, and the money you save get youself some extra DVD's or Cd's.

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Kenwood,Denon,Sherwood Newcastle,Pioneer

Sound that exceeds it's meager 65 watt rating, a steal at $500, Outlaw customer service and support, build quality like Mercedes used to have.

No built in RF demodulator(no receiver puts them in anymore...time to get rid of the laserdisks). Not hot on the green power button or the logo but that is way low on my priority list.

Originally, I was going to buy the 750 Outlaw amp and use the 1050 as a preamp, but after hearing it, there is no need. Plenty of power for 6-8 ohm speakers. My old receiver was one of the first Pioneer Dolby Digital (hey that's all there was back then) and had 100 watts per channel. I have no doubt the 1050 is not only able to play at higher volumes, but sound much better doing it. To me, it sounded as good or better than the Dennon 3801 and was $300 less. Unless you want to get into the megabuck boutique
receivers (B&K etc.etc.) you can not go wrong with this receiver. One of the best bargains in the audio market. Wear the hernia belt when you put this in your rack however, it is built like a tank and weighs about the same.

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Dennon 3801

Its big, bad and beautiful. DVD processing is fantastic. Installation was straight forward. Customer service is outstanding. I thought to myself if I had bought the Yamaha V1000, I dont think I could even talk to a live person. Price! Marketing stategy! Company compassion for the best product for the $$.

I have Bose Acoustimass 15 speakers, which doesn't allow for a sixth speaker since they all connect to the Bose subwoofer. Apparently I can connect a bookshelf speaker to the rear channel, but I'm not sure of the sound reproduction. In order to use Bose speakers I had to turn off the subwoofer setting on the receiver. More to follow. The remote backlighting is great, although the layout of buttons should duplicate the buttons on tha actual receiver. The jazz, hall, and statium have not worked well with the radio stations, but I may need better placement of the antenna.

I would highly reccommend to anyone even if you have $1199 to buy a THX, DTS EX, 6.1 Surround Sound system.

Easy set-up; manual in English-English; Incredible amplifier headroom, purity, soundstaging, gorgeous treble, awesome bass

none detected because there's no phono input to discover if a vpi table with eminent technology arm could reveal shortcomings when compared to Muse, CJ or Krell amps, i.e., the 1050 exceeds the quality of a very fine Parasound CD transport.

If the above sounds over the top, wait to you hear this unit yourself!
I've played in orchestra's the past 40 years which include the National Symphony Orchestra at Interlochen, Oxford University Symphony, numerous pit orchestras for quality amateur and professonal operatic productions and even backed up Janis Joplin once.
Very few electronics satisfy my ears, and of course none compare to a live performance.
The Outlaw 1050 is about as musical as electronics can hope to sound with digital sources and without spending many thousands more. Telarc bass drums boom, cymbals not only crash but ring, trumpets are indeed trumpets and human voices so real and airy.
You want movie soundtracks? You got bullets wizzing past your head in the Matrix, explosions that move the sofa, let alone the windows, the actual sound of that stupid dog sliding down the garbage chute in "As Good As It Gets" (can you hear it's nails on metal on your receiver?) and the THX re-master of the Godfather: Brando's almost intelligible!

Now you're asking yourself, what's this guy got, Wilson Watt's with WHAAMS or Beta IRS V's? No, NHT super-Zero's, Super Center and HDP surrounds with the new Super Sub. Clever shopping and patient bidding gets them all for less than a grand and with the Outlaw 1050, about $1500 gets you audio and movie delights.

What do I know, try the Outlaw for yourself.

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Marantz SR 880 MkII, Denon 2700 and 3300

Clean sound, build quality, great customer service, no frills value, can't beat the price.

No front panel A/V connections, asthetics need help, display hard to see,

I am one of those freaks that researches every purchase to death prior to making a purchase. Believe me when I tell you that this is hands down the best value for a sub $1000 5.1/DTS receiver out there. I listened to them all and was about to pry my squeaky wallet open for a Marantz SR7000 when a friend sent me some information on this small electronics company based in Durham, NH. I then read the reviews posted on this site and decided to order one. The unit came three days later and the first thing that surprised me was the care in which Outlaw ships its products. It was double boxed in thick cardboard with plenty of bracing. After 10 minutes trying to get through the packaging, the next thing that struck me was just how heavy it is. Make sure you have a sturdy component rack. Careless placement of this receiver could result in serious injury to anyone between it and the floor. I had already pulled out my old Onkyo pro-logic receiver and had all my monster cables ready. I am by no means an expert audiophile, but I was able figure out the connections that needed to be made by following the manual. Once everything was connected, I followed the set-up instructions, which were pretty straightforward. Assign sizes to your speakers, set the delays, and set the sound level as the unit cycles a test sound to each speaker. I do not have a sound meter so I probably don’t have the settings exact. Okay, let’s pop in the perfect storm into the Panasonic RV-30 and let’s see what this baby can do……no sound. After a call to Outlaw’s tech. service, we determined that I did not assign an input to the source I was selecting. Once you assign an input, the unit will automatically go to that input every time you select that source. With that behind me, it was show time. All I can say about the performance is, WOW. Forget about previous reviewers who are concerned about the power output of this unit. I have always been suspect of the power claims of certain manufacturers. The power output of this receiver must be measured by listening. It is obvious this company put some serious engineering and money into the amp.. My listening room is 25x15 with a 22ft vault, not an optimal theater configuration. This unit has not problem driving my Paradigm monitors and PDR-12 to volume levels well in excess of anything I will ever need. There is no hiss or hum and when cranked without input. HT decoding is also flawless.

Now the complaints, for music, surround modes are included but are pretty much the same. There are no front panel inputs, the remote is back lit but ergonomics could be better (it also makes a faint high pitched buzzing sound when pressed), the front panel display is tiny and the thing is just not real attractive. Bottom line, who cares. For $600 bucks, it blows away most $1000 receivers out there. There is a lot to be said about eliminating the middleman and buying directly from the manufacturer. The only way to get one of these new is to surf to Outlaws web page or give them a call. If you do, you are sure not to be disappointed. Save the extra $400 you will spend on competing units and upgrade your cables, buy some DVD’s and enjoy.

Value definately gets a five. It does have a few flaws so a four overall.

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Kenwood, Onkyo 575

Great sound, features, value

none

I purchased the 1050 after many months of sound checking and reviewing written feedback on other brands/models in the $600. to $1000. price range.

Quite simply, the Outlaw 1050 blew me away after I had all the speakers/specs set up corrctly. I don't think you can find a better A/V reciever with comparable sound at this price point.

Although I did not do much comparison in terms of surround/video checks, I am fully impressed with the unit's video capabilitiies and performance. I picked up a huge center speaker (Klipsch Reference Series) with much smaller surrounds (Klipsch SS.5) My is only 10 x 22.The voccals are tremendous..Surround 5.1 is really nice. I have yet to try 6.1. Basic TV listening in stereo w/sb woofer is a joy. Most of my use has/will come from audio sources. I am using a pair of 8 year old Klipsch K 1.2 speakers that sound like they have been given new life. Strong separation and imaging...ample power.

After researching many AV's, the ability to adjust cross over freq's is unusual for a unit in this price range. If you like a simple face, no nonsense controls, and great sound, than this is the unit for you. Solid design, weight -heavy-, with a clear user manual... This model breathes quality.

Bonus: The Outlaw team is highly service oriented.

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Dennon

Build, operating temp, ease of use, remote

Buzz when using VCR

I ordered the 1050 on a Fri. and was pleasantly surprised to receive it on the Mon. after. I personally find it to be an attractive unit. Not a lot of flashy plastic crap like a lot of other a/v units. Setup was a little confusing for setting the delays for surround, but I figured it out. The main reason I got the 1050 was for increased two channel performance and I got it. I played several familiar cd's (Sarah Mclaughlin and Days of the New being the main demos) on my old Pioneer first then hooked up the 1050. The difference was immediately noticable. I got inhanced bass, so much so I had to check and make sure I didn't have my sub on, clearer midrange and highs that I thought I could touch. My speakers are Platinum Audio PT808s. I didn't know they were capable of producing bass at such low octaves, even though they are rated to 40hz. On instrumentals of the classical variety, in particular string music, it is a sound you can feel. I can hear the bows on the strings making the vibrations. When listening to Sarah I can hear breaths before singing. The acoustic guitars on Days of the New are clear and precise (when you can hear the pick glide on the strings thats clear).

Movies like the Gladiator, The Matrix, Titan A.E. etc. are fantastic. I don't have a rear center center surround yet, it's hard to get somebody to sell you one speaker. Perhaps I'll go to a center channel. Natural in the DSP mode is great for most TV watching. Some stations unfortunately don't provide ambient sound channels, ESPN being the main one, for the surrounds.

All in all I am quite pleased with the 1050 and in the future plan to purchase their 750 amp.

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Power, ample inputs/outputs, quality build

Possibly the instructions

I am using the 1050 with six NHT Super Zero's and an NHT Sub One. I was a little leary of 65 watts per channel after using an amp with 110 to the center, 100 to the front, and 50 to the rear. After getting the Outlaw and getting it set up all my concerns disappeared. The power of this unit is astounding. The sound quality destroyed my old system. I hooked up the Carver with it to see if it would add anything to it but it didn't so I boxed the Carver up. It puts 65 watts to each channel for a smooth, uniform sound.

The instructions left room for improvement but after a little investigation and button pushing I got everything setup and working perfectly. The trouble was mainly figuring out the various remote control buttons .Normally I don't have a problem figuring things out so maybe I was just having a dead-brain day.

Overall I am very, very pleased with the unit. It is large and heavy but still an attractive piece of equipment. I am looking forward to many years of enjoyment. You will not be disappointed if you choose this unit.

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Sound quality

reliability???

I'll start out with the outlaw trademarks. The sound was great, the apparent build quality (mass) was high, the customer service was great. Unfourtunetly I'm a believer in not having to ever find out how good the customer service is.

It was on back order when I placed my order, it took about 2 weeks and I recieved progress reports along the way. Everything was fine for 2 weeks when a button got stuck down rendering all the controls useless. I was willing to except this as a fluke and they sent a new one which I recieved in 2-3 days. #2 was doa. I really liked the sound and was looking forward to the arrival of my dvd player and trying 6.1. This time they tested one for me in CA before shipping it. It arrives in about a week. Everything is fine for a couple weeks then it goes dead same symptoms as #2. I call customer service a little peved (I'm norally a rock solid level person so this is pretty bad). Scott is a nice guy and had me calmed down before it was my turn to speak. They evidently had a bad batch of circuit boards that would crack after enough thermal cycles. He was going to send me #4 when I decided I had enough I wanted to watch movies and not wonder if the reciever will work the next time. I got all my money back (this time after they recieved the return of course) I bought a Onkoyo 484 and it is everything you would expect from a $280 circuit city purchase. Blah. I spent the difference and a $100 more to build some nice 2 ways and a 10" sub.

Just my experience this fall hopefully things are staightened out now. great sound, passes tha mass test, but I lost confidence in the quality.

Fine Dolby/DTS, variable crossover (bass management), 6.1, sleek black appearance (personal taste), simple setup, excellent manual, stout build, nice price, delivery speed (exactly one day from online order to my front door, in spite of my error), no compromise customer service

Astonishingly mediocre music reproduction (to my ears), unbelievably weak tuner, poor remote (buzz, design), no detachable power cord, loud power-up click, few digital audio inputs (but how many does one really need?), DSP modes are ineffectual, no upgrade path or plan, made in Malaysia (personal taste; from reading the description of the 750, I assumed America), shipping fee is essentially an audition fee

Price $644 (includes shipping and handling to Suburban Chicago)

Gear
NHT SuperTwos
NHT SuperCenter
BetterCables.com (recommended)
Toshiba SD-1600
Sony WEGA 27"

Room
12x18, (approximately 12’ high)
Couch and chair

Additional notes

Where possible, I will avoid reporting my perception of tone quality (e.g., warm or cold), as I tend to think that such conceptual comments are meaningless beyond my ears. They have the specious virtue of being neither accurate nor wrong; and I would not want to tell anyone what I think they should be hearing. There are more than enough brick-and-mortar retail "consultants" who are willing to do this for you.

Buying online may be an alternative, depending on your means, needs, and circumstance. I tried very hard to develop a relationship with my local retailer, but found the going excruciating and, at times, humiliating. The information one receives is valuable, but certainly not worth the sacrifice in dignity one sometimes must undergo just to audition a piece. I have yet to uncover the source of these airs, but have long since stopped worrying. The difference between online savings and cultivating a relationship with my local dealer became so wide, I felt that I simply had to buy online.

Enter Outlaw. The shipping fee as auditioning fee seemed a reasonable compromise considering my difficulties. Even though I mistakenly ordered the 750, the Outlaws handled my error, processed the order correctly, and shipped the unit that day! I was stunned by this kind of service. With Outlaw, I have no reservations saying that you will not have to compromise your customer service expectations.

The unit arrived the next day, well-packed and double boxed. I noticed dust on the binding posts, which bothered me. I paid full price, but was this a B-unit? In considering their service, I concluded, "No." This is a first class organization. As I say, these are good and reasonable people. I saw no need to challenge the authenticity of the piece.

Setup is simple. If you have some experience with VCRs and other such technical equipment, you will not likely make a mistake. Some Outlaw owners lament the lack of onscreen setup, but this is an unnecessary extravagance in my opinion. Design should maximize the amount of circuitry devoted to sound. Bass management is an important features for me, and I was glad to see that I wasn’t stuck with a factory set crossover frequency. The manual was excellent in detail and presentation, managing to be user-friendly while avoiding condescension. For the new enthusiast, I recommend downloading it for the read.

For me, hiss was not as big a problem as some reviews suggest. It was effectively inaudible until I intentionally tested for it. (Volume up to max with no source.) I have not noticed any cross talk, but I have not played two sources at once. As reported on their web site (www.outlawaudio.com), volume output is linear (where others are logarithmic). I have had to turn the unit up to 70 to receive full benefit of digital decoding. (Again, the room is 12x18 and 12’ high with only a couch and a chair to accompany the gear/cabinets.) This is ten units away from maximum. In my experience, bass was no problem.

The remote is below average. I was skeptical of reports of the noisy remote until I used it. The buzz is a noticeable interruption during quiet passages in music and home theater play. I find it almost maddening. Imagine a bee passing by as you listen to the closing bars of the first movement of Pathetique, and you will have some idea of the magnitude of this problem (for me). The remote is also difficult for me to navigate in the dark. To produce the lighting effect, you need to press a button; but how do you know that the button you are about to press won’t activate a disruptive function? In the end, I had to abandon the remote save for times when I needed to adjust the volume.

I don’t know why they bothered to put the tuner in the box. Previous reports are spot-on regarding its poor reception. In the morning I listen to a 50,000 Watt talk radio station that is located approximately 25 miles from my home. The station is barely audible on the 1050, but clear on my boom box and clock radio – and neither have antennas. Repositioning the unit and the antennae does nothing. This result is fact, though possibly the fallout of some as yet unknown cause.

To me, the unit lacked "musicality," an important feature for my 60:40 listening habits (60 percent music, 40 percent home theater). I realize that the CDs I used may have handicapped the performance possibilities of the 1050, but I see little utility in measuring relative quality against reference CDs I rarely play. I hate the Eagles; I used music I listen to. And time after time, I found myself dissatisfied with the results. For example: in my opinion, the musical soundstage should seem closer to the listener with increased volume, but (in my opinion) increasing the volume of the 1050 only increases volume. (And I have to push the receiver above 86 percent of its volume capability to feel as though I am hearing what I am hearing.) Again, to put my comments in perspective, I caution the shopper: the CDs were pressed from source material I know to be limited, e.g., Lomax’s field recordings of Muddy Waters. But to be fair to me, it’s what I listen to.

In contrast, the 1050 is fine for home theater applications, and probably more than enough for modest home theater needs – particularly when I consider the price. Here, the soundstage seemed to improve (to me). Positional information was conveyed with clarity, and I noticed some detail I had missed before in such movies as The Matrix. For example, I was delighted to hear the squeak of Carrie Anne-Moss’ boot, following the aftermath of the lobby massacre. In my opinion, details like this cannot be overestimated. In this case, the squeak is part of the running physical gag the directors intentionally plant throughout the movie. (Compare this to the squeak of the squeegee when Reeves is being chewed out.) Being able to hear it accurately ("accurately" to me means reproducing a sound as I know it should sound) lets me in on the directors’ joke – effectively including me into the movie. Without the squeak, I miss the joke. This is the power of sonic detail.

As of now, I have not returned the unit. I am two weeks into my purchase, and plan on continuing my note-taking, listening intently for another seven to ten days. I regret to say that I lean towards returning the unit, particularly when I consider the good people at Outlaw. The problem is that I cannot overcome my overall dissatisfaction. I just don’t think I can live with the unit. The click/pop on power-up continues to disconcert me; the DSP modes are all the same to me; there is no upgrade path for such developments as Dolby Pro Logic II; the remote occasionally infuriates me; and music play does not meet my expectations.

In closing, I hope this has been a balanced commentary. I have tried to be as accurate in relating the details of my experience as possible. Again, I urge the buyer to consider the above comments within the context in which they are offered. Your impressions may (and probably will) differ. To my way of thinking, you should welcome this difference. In order to make a purchase decision, you need conflicting views in order to weigh them against personal experience, as these give you the diction to articulate to yourself and to others what it is you seek in a piece. Gather as much research as possible, but be cynical in analysis. With respect to the entire audioreview.com site, I recommend you take the ratings and comments with a grain of salt. Save for those reviews that take a more reserved approach, you will see that a majority of the numbers settle nicely into a 4.5 – between a 4 and a 5. No piece can be entirely bad or good.

Be skeptical. Trust yourself to make the right decision. And most of all, believe what you hear.

Best,

Samuel Des

Value ***1/2
Overall ***

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Auditioned the H/K 510, Onkyo 787, Denon 3801