Surround Sound Processor Comparison Chart

Surround Sound Processor Feature Comparison Chart

Last Updated 6/23/2006

The chart below began in early 2002 a general feature comparison between the Outlaw Audio Model 950 pre/pro (and Model 770 7-channel amp) and some other surround processors on the market at the time. The chart started as a question raised in the Outlaw Forum, but it doesn't really achieve the lofty goals originally set forth there (while I was able to compare feature lists, it is very difficult to compare performance of the different units). Because there is more to the performance of a processor, amp, or receiver than simple numbers or bells and whistles, this chart cannot give the entire picture of what these units are capable of. This serves only to offer some insight into how the various competitors stack up as far as features and approximate cost are concerned. Lastly, I gathered this information from a variety of online sources, and there may be errors and omissions.

Update, 4/10/2006: As part of an extensive content update in the home theater section of my site, I'm making updates to this chart and the DVD chart as well as adding an HD player chart (HD-DVD and Blu-ray). Along with updating the units included in the chart, I've added some features to the chart: HDMI switching, HDMI audio support, whether input names are editable, and what type of remote is provided. The universal remotes specifically listed in the chart are the UEI Catalyst48 and Home Theater Master's SL-9000 (often offered as an OEM remote with the LCD display removed for receivers and processors), MX-500, and MX-700. An "x" indicates a proprietary universal remote, and a "." indicates a remote that can only control the processor. There will be a few new entries appearing in the coming year or so, including some additional audio formats (DVD-A and SACD as well as DD+, DTS-HD, and TrueHD) and equalization. The new chart has a few gaps in it, since Anthem's AVM40 hasn't started shipping yet and Emotiva's LMC-1 only recently started shipping.

Other Reference Sources:

Receiver comparison chart
DVD player comparison chart
HD Disc Player Comparison Chart
merc's pre/pro comparison chart: Outlaw 950, Rotel RSP-1066, B&K Reference 30, Anthem AVM-20
HTF receiver comparison chart

	Home Theater Surround Sound Processors (SSP's)
FEATURES
Tuner	x	x	.	x	x	x	x ¹	x	x	.	.	.	x	x	.	.
Phono	x	.	.	.	.	.	x	.	.	x	.	.	x	.	.	.
Headphones	x	x	.	x	x	x	x	.	x	x	x	x	.	.	.	.
Multi-Zone	x	.	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	x
Auto Calibration	x	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	x	x	.	.	.	v3
LCD Monitor	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	x	.	.	.	.
Universal Remote	Cat48	Cat48	x	MX700	Cat48	Cat48	x	SL9k	Cat48	Cat48	MX700	MX700	MX500	.	.	Cat48
Dimensions (WxDxH, in.)	17.38x 17.75x 7.75	17.2x 15.5x 5.9	17x 13 1/2x 4 7/8	17x 10.5x 5.75	17 1/4x 14 1/4x 5 3/4	17 1/4x 15 1/4x 5 7/8	17 3/4x 18 3/4x 7 3/4	17x 16x 5 3/8	17x 16.5x 5.7	17x 14.2x 5.1	17 1/4x 16x 5 7/8	17 1/4x 16x 7 5/8	18.5x 16.25x 6	17x 13x 3 7/8	17.3x 14.85x 3.81	17.3x 14.85x 5.65
Weight (lbs.)	28	23	17	20	27	30	45.6	23	18.3	19.8	18	22	27	20.5	17	36
Manual Online	x	x	x	x	.	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	x
Inputs/Outputs:
Editable Input Names	x	.	x	x	x	x	x	.	.	x	x	x	x	.	x	x
Audio Inputs	4	3	3	.	.	.	3	3	2	2	5	5	2	3	8 ²	8 ³
Balanced Audio In	.	.	.	2	1	1	.	.	.	.	1	1	.	.	.	.
Audio Outputs	2	1	1	.	.	.	1	1	1	1	2	2	2	1	.	.
A/V Inputs	6	5	5	7	7	7	6	5	5	5	6	6	6	4	5	8
S-Video Inputs	7	5	5	7	7	7	6	5	5	5	6	6	6	4	5	8
A/V Outputs	2	1	3	3	2	2	4	1	2	1	1	1	2	1	0	2
Monitor Video Out	1	1	1	2	3	3	1	1	1	2	2	2	1	1	1	2
S-Video Outputs	3	2	4	5	5	5	4	2	3	2	3	3	3	1	2	4
Composite/S-Vid Convert	x	x	.	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	x ⁴	x ⁴
Component Video In	3	3	2	3	?	4	3	3	3	3	2	3	3	3	2	4
Component Video Out	1	1	1	1	?	2	1	1	1	1	1	1	2	1	1	1
Transcode to Component	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	.	x	x	.	.	x	x	.	.
DVI Inputs	2	2	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.
DVI Outputs	1	1	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.
HDMI Inputs	.	.	.	.	?	4	2	.	2	5	.	.	.	.	.	.
HDMI Outputs	.	.	.	.	1	1	1	.	1	1	.	.	.	.	.	.
HDMI Audio Input	.	.	.	.	x	x	x	.	.	x	.	.	.	.	.	.
Transcode to HDMI	.	.	.	.	?	x	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.
5.1 Analog In	.	.	.	1	1	1	.	2 ⁵	.	.	.	.	.	.	2 ²	1 ³
7.1 Analog In	1	1	1	.	.	.	1	.	1	1	1	1	1	1	.	.
Coax Digital In	2	4	3	6 ⁶	7 ⁶	7 ⁶	6	3	3 ⁶	5 ⁶	4	4	6 ⁶	4 ⁶	4	6
Optical Digital In	5	4	2	5 ⁶	3	3	6	3	3 ⁶	2 ⁶	4	4	4 ⁶	3 ⁶	4	6
Coax Digital Out	1	1	1	2	2	2	2	1	1	.	1	1	1	.	1	1
Optical Digital Out	1	1	1	1	.	.	2	1	1	1	1	1	1	.	.	1
Balanced Pre-Amp Out	x	.	.	x	x	x	x	.	x	.	x	x	x	.	. ⁷	. ⁷
RS-232	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	.	x	x
USB	x	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.
IEEE 1394	.	.	.	x ⁸	.	.	x	.	.	.	.	.	x ⁸	.	.	.
DSP/DAC's
Dolby Digital 5.1	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	x
Dolby Digital EX	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	x
Dolby Pro Logic II	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	. ⁹	x	x
Dolby Pro Logic IIx	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	.	x	x	.	.	x	. ⁹	x	x
Dolby Headphone	x	x	.	.	.	.	x	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.
DTS	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	x
DTS ES	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	x
DTS NEO:6	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	.	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	x
DTS 96/24	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	.	x	?	x	x	.	.	.	.
THX	.	.	.	.	x	x	x	.	.	x	x	x	.	.	x	x
THX Surround EX	.	.	.	.	x	x	x	.	.	x	x	x	.	.	x	x
THX Ultra	.	.	.	.	x	x	x	.	.	x	x	x	.	.	x	x
THX Ultra 2	.	.	.	.	x	x	x	.	.	x	x	x	.	.	x	x
6.1/7.1 Surround	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	x
5.1/7.1 Stereo	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	.	.	.	x	.	.	.
Logic 7	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	x	x
HDCD	.	.	x	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.
DAC	192/24	192/24	192/24	192/24	192/24	192/24	192/24	192/24	192/24	192/24	96/24	96/24	192/24	192/24	192/24	192/24
Analog Bypass ¹⁰	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	.	x	x
Bass Management:
# of Crossovers	4	4	4	1	1	4	4	3	1	1	1	1	2	3	4	4
Adjustable X-Over	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	x
Price:
List ($)	1100	700	1700	3000	3700	6700	5500	2400	2200	5500	4000	6000	2500	500	6000	9000
Street ($)	1100	700	1500	2400	3500	6700	5500	2400	2000	5000	4000	5500	2500	500	5000	8500
AudioReview:
Rating	5.0	-	4.6	3.33	-	-	-	5.0	-	-	0	0	0	-	5.0	4.67
# of reviews	5	-	5	3	-	-	-	1	-	-	0	0	0	-	2	9