About the SMS-1

As those who have been following the Outlaws for a while know, we have always had a strong interest in delivering products that deliver powerful and accurate bass reproduction.

o The Model 1050, our first receiver, offered a choice of six crossover points at a time when other products had only a single, fixed crossover frequency.
o Our first processor, the Model 950, was the first to offer a “triple crossover” so that front, center and surround speakers no longer had to be bound to the same crossover.
o Introduced over four years ago, the unique Outlaw ICBM (Integrated Controlled Bass Manager) remains the de facto reference standard for analog bass management to properly integrate DVD-Audio and SACD players into home theater systems. Acclaimed by reviewers and used by professionals for their own evaluation studios, the ICBM has become so well accepted that it is readily identified by its ICBM name as the preferred bass management system without the need to refer to our Outlaw brand name.
o Our new Model 990 Processor is one of the few processors, and by far the most affordable to offer a four-way crossover so that “main” and “back” surrounds can each have their own crossover frequencies, along with separately selectable crossovers for the front left/right and center speakers.
o The breakthrough Model 1070 receiver is the first 7.1 receiver to offer a choice of full, four-way, digital bass management, fixed analog bass management or complete bypass for the “7.1 direct” analog inputs.
o Most recently, our RR 2150 “RetroReceiver” is the first and ONLY stereo receiver to include built-in, selectable analog bass management for the subwoofer output.

Having provided the products that optimize the utilization and routing of bass frequencies we were able to help listeners overcome the inadequacies in source products such as DVD-A players with no, or poor, bass management. Our powered subwoofers, the LFM-1 and the LFM-2 then made tight, accurate bass something that everyone could afford.

Unfortunately, one barrier still remains in many home theater environments: the challenge of overcoming bass reproduction problems caused by the listening room itself. To solve those problems we first looked at developing our own external EQ system. However, it quickly became obvious that our resources were best devoted to other new products. We then examined virtually every available system from internal room EQ software to external EQ systems. Although there are a number of good approaches, the one system that has always risen to the top in both our own evaluations as well as those of respected reviewers and acoustic experts is Velodyne’s SMS-1.

In head-to-head tests, the SMS-1 was the hands-down winner in more ways than one. It is flexible, yet easy to install and calibrate with any subwoofer. Simply place the precision microphone that comes with the system in your favorite listening position and then connect it to the SMS-1. Next, connect the SMS-1’s video output to an open input on your receiver or surround processor so that it may be routed to your video display. From there, it’s all automatic! Just press the button for “auto-setup” and watch the show as the graphic display measures room conditions and then corrects for bass problems and optimizes response.

With eight bands of digital parametric equalization the SMS-1 vastly improves any listening room or home theater. It also handles up to three different subs simultaneously, making it a piece of cake to squeeze every last bit of performance from any subwoofer configuration you could throw at it, including our LFM double sub combos.

The difference in overall sonic presentation made possible by this product is no less than astounding! (Of course we’re biased and will say that it performs even better when used with our own LFM products) Perhaps the best way to explain just how much improvement the SMS-1 makes in a system is to say that after some in-home testing, Outlaw Scott refused to take it out of his system and return it to the office without a huge bribe and some significant threats from the rest of the Outlaws.

After determining that the SMS-1 was the way to go we approached our friends at Velodyne about the possibility of designing a customized version for sale by the Outlaws. However, it soon became apparent that there just wasn’t anything that could be improved and that it would take over a year to even attempt to develop a new product based on the SMS-1. It then occurred to both Velodyne and the Outlaws: “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”, or put simply, why mess with success?

The end result of these discussions is that we have decided to break our normal rule of developing and designing products strictly for our own use and arrange a first for both Velodyne and Outlaw. Velodyne has agreed to allow us to offer the SMS-1 to our customers through the Internet, and for the first time ever; Outlaw will now offer a product from another company. For those who will ask, yes we do compete with Velodyne when it comes to speaker products. However, we have always had the highest respect for their products and their integrity in the marketplace. On Velodyne’s part they also admire what we have done at Outlaw. And for the very curious, yes, they have also evaluated our subs. Let’s just say there is a lot of mutual respect between our respective companies.