Power Amplifier Reviews

Comparisons & Conclusions
The Anthem Statement P5, a massive 130-pound, 5-channel power amp, offers a good comparison with the Outlaw. I have reviewed the Statement P5 with my Dahlquist and Paradigm speakers and have high praise for it.

Some might think that comparing the Outlaw 7500 with the Anthem Statement P5 is unfair because the Anthem is $5000, compared to the Outlaw at $1600. Granted, the Anthem provides 325 watts per channel, and many of its specs exceed the Outlaw's, sometimes by considerable margins.

The sonic characteristics of the P5 are similar to the Outlaw 7500, but to a noticeably higher degree. For example, because of its far greater power output, the Statement P5 offered better dynamics and greater headroom. Equally important, it exerted exceptional damping control while driving the Dahlquist DQ-10s, delivering tight, well-defined bass response even without a subwoofer. The DQ-10s are not known for their bass response, but the P5 brought out the best bass these speakers have to offer.

If you need 325Wpc, the P5 is an outstanding choice. But don't overlook the value of the 7500. If your system requires less power or your budget is tight, I would buy the Outlaw 7500 and spend the rest on the Anthem Statement D2, one of the best preamps I've heard.

Editor's note: As of this writing, the Anthem Statement D2 does not decode the new advanced codecs such as Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio, which limits its appeal for some buyers. The new version 2 model apparently does decode these formats; look for a review as soon as we can get one.

Outlaw Audio is a direct-to-consumer brand available only from its online store, so you won't find its products in traditional retail outlets. This offers a big advantage—saving money. Since its products are sold only online, Outlaw doesn't incur the expenses of supporting a national dealer network, and some of these reduced costs are passed on to the consumer.

Peter Tribeman, the president of Outlaw Audio, explains it this way on the company's website: "The economics of this approach are simple. Using the Internet to offer consumers our own branded product results in A/V components that are priced approximately 40% less than comparable products, with no sacrifice in features or performance." Outlaw is not a manufacturer—it designs its own products and contracts with a manufacturer to make them according to its specifications.

On the other hand, you can't hear an Outlaw product demonstrated before making a purchase. As a result, many buyers rely on the opinions of product reviewers or testimonials from other customers for guidance. However, Outlaw Audio offers a 30-day money-back guarantee if you're not satisfied with a purchase. You pay only return-shipping costs. Sounds fair to me.

I'm very impressed with the Outlaw Audio 7500. This is indeed where the rubber meets the road, and the 7500 offers excellent performance and value at about $1.59 per watt. It's a great choice for a high-powered home-theater system. It's also made in the USA, and you can't argue with that!

Highs
Great value at $1599
Excellent dynamics and headroom
Multidimensional soundstage reproduction
30-day money back guarantee if not satisfied

Lows
No rack-mounting capability
No ability to hear the product before purchasing