March 2002 Reviewed by Vince Hanada	Outlaw Audio 1050 Audio/Video Receiver

Description Model: Outlaw Audio 1050 Audio/Video Receiver Price: $499 USD Dimensions: 17.2"W x 14.3"D x 6.2"H Weight: 36.3 pounds Warranty: Two years parts and labor Features Dolby Digital, DTS, Dolby Pro Logic AM/FM tuner with 32 presets Proprietary Zoran processor

Features (cont'd) 6.1 surround decoding Six-channel analog inputs Analog-direct input Center, surround, and subwoofer trim controls Gold-plated five-way binding posts Selectable speaker loading (4 or 8 ohm) S-video inputs (3) Composite video inputs (4) 15V trigger for operating an external device Six selectable subwoofer crossover frequencies (60Hz, 80Hz, 120Hz, 150Hz, 200Hz) Back-lit multifunction remote control

Outlaw Audio is located in Durham, NH and has a unique way of operating their business. First, they design their entire product line and then outsource the manufacturing. Second, Outlaw products are only available for purchase over the Internet, which according to the company, results in greater savings passed on to the consumer. This strategy appears to have worked for them. Today Outlaw offers seven products: the Model 750 five-channel amplifier, the Model 770 seven-channel amplifier, the ICBM 6.1-channel bass-management system, the Model 950 preamp/processor, the IR-1000 Internet tuner, a line of interconnect cables, and the subject of this review, the $499 Model 1050 A/V receiver.

Product description

Taking the Model 1050 out of the box, I immediately noticed that it is a hefty component, weighing in at 36 pounds. The front fascia is not finished in the usual black, but an attractive matte gray. The middle of the front panel is dominated by a green-on-black fluorescent display and a series of buttons, which control most of the receiver’s functions. The volume control is not a potentiometer, but rather an "electronic flywheel." As the volume is adjusted, the numbers on the fluorescent display reflect the change -- pretty standard operation. I did encounter one minor quirk: when I turned the volume up, the fluorescent display often didn’t ramp-up as quickly as I expected it to. However, I didn’t notice it as much as time passed since I used the remote control for day-to-day operation

The best way to describe the Model 1050 is functional. I appreciate being able to access all of the receiver's possibilities from either the front panel or the remote control. There isn’t an on-screen display, which is a Martha Stewart "good thing," since the receiver can be set up easily using only its front-panel display.

At the back of the unit, the 1050's quality shows. The analog connections and the five-way speaker binding posts are all gold plated. Seven analog audio inputs are provided using RCA connections, which should accommodate most systems. Three S-video and four composite inputs are included for video sources. There are 5.1-channel inputs for connecting an SACD or DVD-Audio player, and 6.1-channel outputs for connecting an external amplifier(s). A rare feature in this price class is a 5V trigger, useful for powering-up external devices such as stand-alone power amplifiers or projection screens.

In terms of connection options, the only deficiencies that I see are the lack of component video inputs and switching, and the paucity of digital inputs -- only three are provided, two of which are TosLink. In defense of Outlaw Audio, this receiver has been around long enough that, at its inception, component inputs were not a common feature. However, if your TV is equipped with only one component input and you have two component devices (such as a DVD player and a satellite box), this may be important to you. As far as the digital connections are concerned, I hooked up my DVD player, my laserdisc player, and my cable box to the Outlaw, and all of the digital inputs were taken up

The Model 1050 features the usual Dolby Digital, DTS, and Dolby Pro Logic options found in almost all other A/V receivers on the market. What sets this receiver apart from the competition in its price class is the inclusion of 6.1 decoding. Outlaw, in conjunction with Zoran Corporation (the Model 1050 is equipped with Zoran's ZR38650 multi-format digital audio processor), created a proprietary algorithm for extracting the center-surround channel from Dolby Surround EX-encoded discs. The receiver will automatically decode in 6.1 mode when a DVD with the Surround EX flag is present. 6.1 can be manually invoked with any Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack too, which makes this mode compatible with a lot of software.

The 1050’s 6.1 mode is not compatible with DTS-ES Matrix or DTS-ES Discrete center-surround modes. This may or may not be important to you, since there are currently fewer DTS-ES discs than Dolby Surround EX. There is a work-around for playing back DTS-ES discs, though. If you have a DVD player with a built-in DTS decoder, you have an option. Using the 5.1-channel outputs from my DVD player into the Model 1050, I can select the 5.1 inputs and manually select the 6.1 surround mode on the receiver. This does indeed extract a center-surround signal, but it is a roundabout way to achieve DTS-ES.

Other features of the Model 1050 include a sleep timer, a Dolby Digital night mode, a tuner section, and additional ambience-extraction DSP modes, entitled "Natural," "Jazz," "Hall," and "Stadium." I found the Natural mode useful for watching videotapes, with the other modes giving too much reverb for my tastes. The 1050 doesn't handle Dolby Pro Logic II.

How important is Dolby Pro Logic II? Well, it really depends on your setup. If you have a large videotape collection, Dolby Pro Logic II will give you a better surround experience than Dolby Pro Logic. For music listening, it can extract a center channel that blends better with the front channels than original Dolby Pro Logic. This is useful if your front speakers are not optimally set up, in which case a center channel can give you a better front soundstage.

Home-theater set up and listening

The feature that got me most excited about the Outlaw Model 1050 receiver was the inclusion of a 6.1 mode for Dolby Surround EX-encoded soundtracks. I did most of my evaluation using Axiom M3Ti SE speakers for front left, center, right, and center surround. I tried the M3Ti SE speakers for left and right surround duties, but I preferred using two Axiom QS-8 speakers with their Quadpole technology. A QS-8 was placed on each side of the listening position and the center-surround speaker was placed behind. The QS8s closely emulate an omni-directional radiation pattern, which blended well with both the front speakers and the single center-surround speaker.

When setting up the Outlaw Model 1050, a Dolby Digital signal must be present before you can set the center- and rear-channel delays, so make sure you slap a DVD into your DVD player before proceeding. The rear delays are in 5ms increments, which is a bit coarse compared with 1ms delay increments. The delay for each individual rear-channel speaker can’t be set by itself, so this receiver will work best if the left, center, and right surround channels are equidistant from the listening position.

I first set up the Outlaw receiver using Video Essentials for the regular 5.1 channels since this disc is not encoded in Dolby Surround EX (I let the Outlaw extract it). I manually adjusted the center-surround speaker level so that it did not dominate the rear sound field. After setting up the delays and levels, I invoked the 6.1 mode manually and played the "Voice Around the Room" and "Sound Around the Room" sequences from Video Essentials. The voice and pink noise seamlessly transitioned from right surround, center surround, and left surround. Although I had a good wraparound surround effect using the Axiom QS-8 surround speakers in the left and right surround positions in a 5.1 setup, the center-surround speaker completed the sonic "picture" in the rear soundfield.

The first DVD that I tried with the Outlaw Model 1050 was Fight Club, which is a Dolby Surround EX-encoded disc. Throughout this DVD, the center-surround speaker contributed to the subtle ambient effects, expanding the soundstage behind the viewer. For example, in chapter 28, when Tyler is speaking to Jack, random background voices can be heard from the center-surround speaker with subtle ambient sounds filling out the surround soundfield.

Another more obvious use of this channel occurs in chapter 25, when the crew of Project Mayhem grabs the police chief in a men’s washroom. The camera angle is from the perspective of the police chief, with the kidnappers surrounding him. Tyler’s voice can be heard firmly in the center-surround channel, which jumps to the left surround before he appears on screen and his voice is heard in the center-channel speaker. With the 6.1 surround mode off, the voice is diffuse, present in both the left and right surrounds, which didn’t mesh well with the on-screen action.

Another Dolby Surround EX DVD is Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc. This DVD has an excellent surround soundtrack, and also makes effective use of the center-surround channel. At the beginning of chapter 9, the sound follows a catapult as it launches a projectile. The sound moves from center-surround speaker to center-channel speaker. I listened to the same scene with the 6.1 surround mode turned off, and the sound of the catapult shifted to the left and right surrounds, which didn’t follow the on-screen movement. In chapter 19, during the coronation of King Charles VII, the center-surround speaker nicely enhanced the ambience of the choir in the church. Chapter 21 has a dream sequence, and the atmospheric effects sounded more enveloping with the presence of the center-surround speaker through the Outlaw Model 1050.

Using the 6.1 surround mode with DVDs not encoded with Dolby Surround EX generally gave good results. The extra rear speaker expanded the soundfield overall. This was evident watching the DVD Vertical Limit. In chapter 10, the climbers are in the midst of a storm, when an avalanche hits. The center-surround channel expanded the sound of the blowing wind behind my head. At times I expected the sound to collapse to the center-surround speaker, but this didn’t happen with the DVDs that I watched, demonstrating that the Outlaw/Zoran surround program is very well designed.

In standard Dolby Digital 5.1 and DTS 5.1, the Outlaw Model 1050 performed flawlessly. Dialogue was firmly anchored to the center speaker, such as in the DVD Malena. During the bombing scenes, explosions can be heard discretely in the surround speakers, placed right where they should be. The musical score throughout this DVD sounded wonderfully smooth. "Smooth" is a word that kept cropping up in my listening notes. This is a receiver that I can listen to all day without experiencing listener's fatigue, which can't be said of many receivers in its price class.

I thought the multiple crossover points available on the Outlaw Model 1050 were a brilliant touch. It sure made it easy to set up a variety of speakers. When using the Axiom M3Ti SE bookshelf speaker, I used a crossover point of 60Hz. For the NHT SB1 system, a crossover point of 80Hz was more appropriate. Finally, for the Energy Take 5.2 system, I found a crossover point of 100Hz worked best. By experimenting with the various crossover points, I found that different speaker systems could be optimized so that each model handled the appropriate amount of bass, with the subwoofer picking up the rest. This paid dividends of improved sound quality through each respective system.

Despite its modest power rating of 65W for all six channels, the Outlaw Model 1050 receiver never lacked for power with any of the speaker systems that I used. I’m not sure if the multiple crossover frequencies helped, but unlike some other receivers with higher power ratings, I was able to drive all of the speaker systems to satisfyingly loud sound levels without a hint of distress or congestion. Those of you with large rooms may need higher power, but I didn’t.

I hooked up my DVD-Audio player to the analog inputs of the Outlaw Model 1050 receiver to test its audio performance using a high-resolution multichannel format. I recently purchased Joni Mitchell’s Both Sides Now [Reprise 9 47620-9] on DVD-Audio. This is the first musically satisfying DVD-A multichannel mix that I’ve experienced. This receiver allowed the high-resolution DVD-A format to shine, without getting in the way of the sound. On the last track of the disc, "Both Sides Now," the orchestra and Joni Mitchell form a coherent front soundstage that was never tarnished by the Model 1050. The sound came through clean and clear. The 5.1 inputs are also very quiet; I could hear only a bit of hissing with my ear right up to each speaker. An impressive result.

Comparison

In comparison to two other receivers, an older Technics SA-AX6 with DTS and Dolby Digital and a Yamaha DSP-E492 with Pro Logic, the Model 1050 is unquestionably a better-sounding receiver in all respects. The Technics SA-AX6 has a higher noise floor, which detracts from the on-screen action during quiet passages. The Outlaw is way quieter. With regards to 5.1 DTS and Dolby Digital, the Outlaw sounds smoother through the high frequencies than the Technics. In addition, the Technics SA-AX6 was prone to lip-sync problems, where voices were out of sync with the on-screen image. This used to drive me nuts when watching DVDs such as There's Something About Mary. The Outlaw has no such problems. The sound quality of CDs using the two-channel analog inputs of the Outlaw 1050 was especially gratifying; giving a non-fatiguing presentation that belies its modest price.

In the Outlaw Model 1050 receiver, the two-channel analog inputs are digitized, which allows you to use a subwoofer with your main speakers. This is useful when you are using the Model 1050 for both home theater and music, since it will allow the subwoofer to be used both as an LFE channel and to augment the bass of your main speakers if needed.

When listening to CDs, I found my usual two-channel integrated amp, the discontinued Arcam Delta 290, more satisfying. The two-channel analog inputs on the Model 1050 added a hint of graininess to the sound by comparison. It’s important to note, though, that when it was available the Arcam retailed for about twice the price of the Outlaw.

Conclusion

Despite being introduced over a year-and-a-half ago, the Outlaw Model 1050 is still a refreshing face in the receiver market. Although it lacks the latest surround modes (such as Dolby Pro Logic II), it has what I feel is currently the one feature that I would want in a processor: a 6.1 surround solution. Neither Dolby Labs nor THX license the surround 6.1 algorithm on this receiver, but it works very well regardless of that. In addition, the user interface is great, allowing easy adjustment of the subwoofer, center, and surround levels on the fly without scrolling through countless menus. After spending a few months with this receiver, I can only conclude that the Outlaw Model 1050 receiver is a great sounding receiver at a remarkable price.

Manufacturer contact information:

Outlaw Audio Inc.
18 Denbow Road
Durham, NH 03824
Phone: (866) OUTLAWS
Fax: (603) 868-6634

E-mail: info@outlawaudio.com
Website: www.outlawaudio.com

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