Surround Processor Reviews

Outlaw Audio Model 975 Surround Processor

Analog frequency response in Bypass mode:
–0.65 dB at 10 Hz
–0.18 dB at 20 Hz
–0.06 dB at 20 kHz
–26.40 dB at 50 kHz

Analog frequency response with signal processing:
–0.65 dB at 10 Hz
–0.18 dB at 20 Hz
–0.06 dB at 20 kHz
–26.46 dB at 50 kHz

The above chart shows the frequency response of the left (aqua), center (green), LFE (purple), and left surround (red) channels at the preamp outputs of the Dolby Digital decoder. The left channel measures –0.14 decibels at 20 hertz and –0.10 dB at 20 kilohertz. The center channel measures +0.03 dB at 20 Hz and –0.12 dB at 20 kHz, and the left surround channel measures –0.18 dB at 20 Hz and –0.16 dB at 20 kHz. The LFE channel, normalized to the level at 40 Hz, is +0.60 dB at 20 Hz, reaches the upper –3dB point at 95 Hz, and reaches the upper –6dB point at 108 Hz.

There was no multichannel input to measure. The analog THD+N was less than 0.020% at 1 kHz with a 100-millivolt input and the volume control set to -09 dB. Crosstalk with a 100-mV input was –91.28 dB left to right and –93.81 dB right to left. The signal-to-noise ratio with “A” weighting was –121.85 dBrA.—MJP

Video Test Bench
The Outlaw sailed through our HDMI benchmark tests when processing an HDMI signal, though when transcoding a component input to an HDMI output, it failed both HD and standard definition Motion Adaptive tests (jaggies) with shimmering in the 20-degree area of the moving bar. Its ability to upscale standard-definition signals is solid but doesn't match the best solutions on the market. —DV