Outlaw Audio working on Dolby Atmos Processor

[BaerGriggs]

From their Facebook page:

Fellow Outlaws:

With Dolby’s announcement that the Outlaws are an Atmos licensee we wanted to take this opportunity to comment on our future product plans.

From the time we first heard home Atmos over 18 months ago we knew it was something we wanted to offer. We can now confirm that we are currently hard at work on our first Atmos product, an all-new, Outlaw exclusive, high-end surround processor. This unique product is still many months away with an estimated release date late in the second quarter of 2015.

If you have been reading the online forums you are already aware that Atmos is a very complex format, particularly with regard to the firmware. While some companies have begun shipping Atmos products, a number of major brands still have “Atmos-Ready” models that are waiting for a final firmware download. In addition, content will be gradually rolled out this fall as studios get up to speed.

With product quality, performance, and reliability being the essential qualities of any Outlaw product, we are deliberately taking a measured approach with regard to development and introduction date.

As befits a true high-end Atmos processor, it will be capable of 7.2.4 and will include other key technologies such as HDMI 2.0 with HDCP 2.2 and will utilize premium, audiophile grade components throughout the design. To accommodate those features and more, this state of the art processor price will be substantially higher than the Model 975. However, we will offer special programs for owners of current Outlaw processors so that present and future owners of the Model 975 can experience its award winning performance while being assured of an attractive pathway to this new processor.

To give you a brief insight into our plans, we are already at work with our factory team and US-based hardware and software consultants on the product architecture. This advanced product is based on a new dual DSP platform, an ARM processor, and will also include streaming capabilities plus some other technologies. Designed by us and built to our specifications, it will be a flexible, but easy-to-use product that will meet and in some cases exceed the needs of the most demanding home theater enthusiast. Even at this early stage, we are confident that this new product will be unlike anything else both in terms of features and performance.

As important is it is for us to address the inevitable questions that will surface from Outlaw being listed as an Atmos licensee, please remember that we are many months ahead of shipping. Therefore, it is important that we now enter a quiet period.

Having been down this road before, we feel that this acknowledgement is the right way to give you a view into our ongoing development activity so that when we are ready to release more information it will accurately detail our schedule.

The Outlaws

This is amazing news to me, I had been looking very hard at a multichannel Outlaw amp in the next year or so. The Model 975 processor they have now seems like an amazing value but I had always wanted something with a bit more in the features department. I really hope this means they're thinking about a processor in the $1.5k-2.5k range. They actually sell high-end Marantz processors like the AV8801 in combos with their amps for a decent discount, but I'd prefer to pick up an Outlaw-branded one if possible.

[observerHD]

I just hope that they don't forget about us retro audio guys that hanker after a bit of analog music from time-to-time via our analog turntables playing your vinyl collections, and allows for a clear path analog input and stereo pass-though with only the volume control in the middle.

Unfortunately the 975 does not offer this, as its apparently (per Outlaw support) not possible electrically, or by any future firmware update. Or else I'd have bought one already given the potential upgrade offer.

i.e.
No: Turntable->Phono Stage->ADC->Audio Control->DAC->Power Amplifier->Speakers
Yes: Turntable->Phono Stage->Volume Control->Power Amplifier->Speakers

[Funky54]

Originally Posted by observerHD

I just hope that they don't forget about us retro audio guys that hanker after a bit of analog music from time-to-time via our analog turntables playing your vinyl collections, and allows for a clear path analog input and stereo pass-though with only the volume control in the middle.

Unfortunately the 975 does not offer this, as its apparently (per Outlaw support) not possible electrically, or by any future firmware update. Or else I'd have bought one already given the potential upgrade offer.

i.e.
No: Turntable->Phono Stage->ADC->Audio Control->DAC->Power Amplifier->Speakers
Yes: Turntable->Phono Stage->Volume Control->Power Amplifier->Speakers

Completely agree! This is why they lost my business last I upgraded. I like them as a company, but vinyl trumps all other concerns.

Unless true bypass with analog bass management return, they are not an option.

[2pacalypsenow]

That Would be nice since I had to buy 2 amps for Atmos a 7ch and 5 ch now I have 1 channel wasted

[solarrdadd]

Originally Posted by 2pacalypsenow

That Would be nice since I had to buy 2 amps for Atmos a 7ch and 5 ch now I have 1 channel wasted

well, since nobody makes an 11 channel amp and yes, I'm talking external dedicated power amp not a receiver. it's not really wasted per say, think of it as available headroom for the other channels should they need it.

I also have a 5 & 7 channel amp (currently running a 7.1 setup) as I plan to upgrade to ATMOS/DTS:X with a 7.1.4 setup. I don't think of that one channel as wasted, i think of it just as I mentioned above, but, that's me.

[prerich]

Originally Posted by solarrdadd

well, since nobody makes an 11 channel amp and yes, I'm talking external dedicated power amp not a receiver. it's not really wasted per say, think of it as available headroom for the other channels should they need it.

I also have a 5 & 7 channel amp (currently running a 7.1 setup) as I plan to upgrade to ATMOS/DTS:X with a 7.1.4 setup. I don't think of that one channel as wasted, i think of it just as I mentioned above, but, that's me.

You haven't seen this then I take it

http://www.crutchfield.com/p_022MXA5...9356065&awdv=c

[schan1269]

Originally Posted by 2pacalypsenow

That Would be nice since I had to buy 2 amps for Atmos a 7ch and 5 ch now I have 1 channel wasted

I guess people quit making mono, stereo and 4 channel amps...

[schan1269]

Originally Posted by prerich

You haven't seen this then I take it

http://www.crutchfield.com/S-rYjklBm...9356065&awdv=c

That thing only pulls 650w off the wall.

Once 11 channels is figured in...

[solarrdadd]

Originally Posted by prerich

You haven't seen this then I take it

http://www.crutchfield.com/S-Qc8XC76...9356065&awdv=c

nice! perhaps more folks will start making some 11 channel amps for people who want to go 7.1.4 of course as soon as ATMOS in receivers and pre-amps start to support more than .4 then...........

thanks for posting that amp. it will probably help out some folks I'm sure!

[BaerGriggs]

I really wish we could hear some more info about this product soon, Outlaw hasn't really given any more details since making this announcement almost a year and a half ago so I'm not really holding my breath. I'm going to be in the market for a high end processor in the next year or two so I'll be checking every so often still.

Right now the Marantz av7702mkII looks like my favorite pick so far but not 100% on it yet. I have a Emotiva XPA-5 lying around that I got for next to nothing from a local seller so I've at least got my first half or so of amplification covered.

[solarrdadd]

Originally Posted by BaerGriggs

I really wish we could hear some more info about this product soon, Outlaw hasn't really given any more details since making this announcement almost a year and a half ago so I'm not really holding my breath. I'm going to be in the market for a high end processor in the next year or two so I'll be checking every so often still.

Right now the Marantz av7702mkII looks like my favorite pick so far but not 100% on it yet. I have a Emotiva XPA-5 lying around that I got for next to nothing from a local seller so I've at least got my first half or so of amplification covered.

that's the pre-amp I'm looking to go with in the next couple of months. I'm set power wise, I've got an XPA-5 and a UPA-700 currently powering my 7.1 so power wise I'm set. I'm also going to get 4 ceiling speakers to rock a 7.1.4. keep us posted Griggs and i'll do the same!

[BaerGriggs]

Originally Posted by solarrdadd

that's the pre-amp I'm looking to go with in the next couple of months. I'm set power wise, I've got an XPA-5 and a UPA-700 currently powering my 7.1 so power wise I'm set. I'm also going to get 4 ceiling speakers to rock a 7.1.4. keep us posted Griggs and i'll do the same!

Looks like we might have a very similar setup by the time I'm all decked out!

Just from looking at your gear list, are you looking into picking up something like the Axiom M3 in ceiling speaker for your overheads? I'm waffling in between going the in-ceiling route or using the Atmos-enable speaker attachments that you can place on top of some towers for your overhead effects that just bounce the sound off the ceiling. The in-ceiling way would be more ideal in my opinion but I've also heard good things about the tower attachments as well; they're designed in such a way that it really does add a lot of height to the sound even though it's not directly above you.

For the moment I'm thinking about just buying the entire line of Elac speakers that Andrew Jones just designed last year, I've heard nothing but great things about them and the price point fits really well into my HT budget. I could put together an entire 7.1.4 system for about $3,000 by using his full line of speakers/subs which I think is quite reasonable for having 12 different sound components!

[solarrdadd]

Originally Posted by BaerGriggs

Looks like we might have a very similar setup by the time I'm all decked out!

Just from looking at your gear list, are you looking into picking up something like the Axiom M3 in ceiling speaker for your overheads? I'm waffling in between going the in-ceiling route or using the Atmos-enable speaker attachments that you can place on top of some towers for your overhead effects that just bounce the sound off the ceiling. The in-ceiling way would be more ideal in my opinion but I've also heard good things about the tower attachments as well; they're designed in such a way that it really does add a lot of height to the sound even though it's not directly above you.

For the moment I'm thinking about just buying the entire line of Elac speakers that Andrew Jones just designed last year, I've heard nothing but great things about them and the price point fits really well into my HT budget. I could put together an entire 7.1.4 system for about $3,000 by using his full line of speakers/subs which I think is quite reasonable for having 12 different sound components!

no, I'm going the cheap route for ceiling speakers. I live in an apartment and I'm going to surface mount the speakers on the ceiling. I found monoprice has some 6" ceiling speakers that have a separate enclosure (roundish) that I can surface mount to the ceiling and put the speakers in those. I'm not too worried about the matching of the drivers for the .4 also, the axiom speakers would cost me close to $1k for four of them and the tweeters on the axiom ceiling speakers cannot be aimed.

my money in this will go to the new Marantz pre-amp and for as long as my trusty SXRD holds on, i'll be living with 1080p and a beautiful 1080p it is until it fails. then, i'll be going 4K all the way and 65"

i'll be sure to keep you posted buddy, please do the same!