background image

Model 976 7.1 Channel Preamp/Processor

19

 Connecting Video

  Blu-ray Disc Player

In some rare cases, a user may wish to connect an 
older video source that includes DVI output for vid-
eo alongside separate audio output. In those cases, 
a DVI-to-HDMI cable may be used to connect the 
DVI output to one of the HDMI inputs. Audio must 
be connected separately; see the Analog and Digital 
Audio Inputs section for that connection. Note that 
the DVI source must support HDCP to allow the 
Model 976 to accept the digital video signal. 

HDMI

The Model 976 includes fi ve rear HDMI inputs 
and one front HDMI input. Inputs HDMI1 through 
HDMI4 may be used with UHD 4K video sources 
such as UHD Blu-ray Disc players, streaming media 
players, and cable/satellite receivers that support 
4K video and HDR (high dynamic range) video 
output. Inputs, HDMI5 and HDMI6 (front input) 
support up to 1080p HD video.

Connect the HDMI output of the source device 
to one of the HDMI inputs on the model 976. This 
is the only connection you need to make from 
the source device to the Model 976. Note which 
HDMI input you connected on your system chart, 
because you will have to confi gure the input later 
through the on-screen menu. For UHD 4K sources, 
verify that the HDMI cables are rated for 4K HDR 
video.

The last 15 years have seen a radical shift in how 
video signals pass between devices in a home 
theater. The Model 976 refl ects this change. Be-
fore making connections to any video devices, it 
will help to understand how the Model 975 routes 
the video portion of the signal through its video 
section. 

For UHD signals, the Model 976 will pass HDR and 
Dolby Vision signals.

All HDMI inputs can be assigned to the CBL/

• 

SAT, DISC, GAME, MEDIA, SERVER, and AUX 
inputs.
The audio selections are fi xed for the 

• 

BLUETOOTH (BT) and TUNER (TNR) inputs 
to the bluetooth and tuner respectively. For 
video, you may select HDMI IN 1-6.
The video selection for TV is fi xed to NONE. 

• 

For audio, you may select coax, optical, 
HDMI ARC, analog stereo, and 7.1 analog 
inputs.

HDMI Jacks

The Model 976 has fi ve rear HDMI input jacks and one 
front HDMI input jack for connecting to the video and 
audio outputs of your video devices. Note that inputs 
HDMI1 through HDMI4 support 4K UHD video and HDR/
Dolby Vision.

HDMI Output Jacks - 4K UHD

For sources with HDMI output that off er HD resolution 
or 4K UHD resolution, connect to any of the fi rst four 
HDMI inputs on the rear panel of the Model 976

HDMI Output Jacks

For sources with HDMI output that off er HD resolu-
tion only, you may use any of the six HDMI input jacks, 
including HDMI IN 6 on the front panel near the volume 
control.

Summary of Contents for 976

Page 1: ...Model 976 7 1 Channel 4K HDR Preamp Processor model 976 INFO OSD ENTER SOURCE TUNER PSet PSet SET UP MIC STANDBY TUNE MODE SURR MODE HDMI IN 6 VOLUME 6 IN 2 OUT 4Kx2K Owner s Manual ...

Page 2: ...ing a lightning storm or when it is left unattended and unused for long periods of time unplug it from the wall outlet and disconnect the antenna or cable system This will prevent damage to the unit due to lightning and power line surges Power Lines An outside antenna system should not be located in the vicinity of overhead power lines or other electric light or power circuits or where it can fall...

Page 3: ...nthepossibilityofpowervariationandelectri calstart upnoiseaffectingyoursoundsystem Power Cord The removable power cord that is shipped with the Model 976 is specifically designed to be used with this product DO NOT use any other power cord as that may reduce the unit s performance and possibly create a safety hazard In particular DO NOT use standard IEC type power cords designed for computers and ...

Page 4: ...Copyright 2017 by Outlaw Audio LLC and may not be duplicated or reproduced by any means whether physical electronic or otherwise without prior written consent from Outlaw Audio LLC OutlawAudioandtheOutlawAudiologoareregisteredtrade marksofOutlawAudio Inc Dolby ProLogic TrueHD andthe double DsymbolaretrademarksofDolby Laboratories DolbyLaboratories Inc Allrightsreserved DTS and DTSDigitalSurround a...

Page 5: ...Menu Navigation 24 Main Menu 25 System Setup 26 Input Setup 27 Speaker Setup 31 EQ Adjust 32 Audio Setup Chapter 3 System Setup 33 Power 33 Selecting a Source 34 Volume Control 34 Muting 34 Changing the Surround Mode 35 Switching to Stereo 36 Adjusting Tone Controls 36 Adjusting Lip Sync Delay 36 Activating Night Mode DRC 37 Adjusting Channel Levels 38 Engaging EQ 38 Listening With Headphones 38 S...

Page 6: ...waudio com or via telephone at 866 OUTLAWS 688 5297 IMPORTANT The Model 976 is shipped from the fac tory with the following default settings Output Configuration 7 1 Loudspeaker Size Small All Crossovers 80 Hz Volume 40dB After reading the rest of this manual please refer to pages 23 32 to adjust these settings Chapter 1 Contents 6 Model 976 Features 7 Accessories 8 Model 976 Front Panel 9 Model 9...

Page 7: ... For correcting any faults in your listening environment with separate controls for each channel Separately adjustable crossover points For the best possible bass reproduction different crossover points can be set for front left right center surround and surround back channels Brushed aluminum remote control Controls the Model 976 Low voltage trigger output Provides automatic turn on off of compat...

Page 8: ...as the incoming audio format TUNER button see pages 33 and 39 This button selects the radio tuner The front panel display will show which band AM or FM is active and the frequency of the station currently tuned Pushing the button again will toggle between AM and FM TUNE MODE button see page 41 Toggles between stereo and mono FM tuning modes when the tuner is selected source and the FM band is sele...

Page 9: ...see page 21 These 3 5mm mono mini jacks provide a continu ous 12VDC signal that may be used to control op tional external amplifiers from Outlaw and other brands as well as other compatible accessories Accessory Power Ports see page 20 Use these USB ports to provide 5V power to ac cessories such as phones tablets or external hard drives Do not connect a data source to these ports AM Antenna termin...

Page 10: ...el 976 s setup menu Cursor Control Pages 23 26 and 37 These buttons control the cursor when navigat ing the setup menus In addition the Up and Down buttons cycle through the radio preset stations Sync Page 36 This button provides access to the AV sync con trol for the active input Volume Up Down Page 34 Press these buttons to raise or lower the volume Night Mode Page 38 Press this button to enable...

Page 11: ...the Model 976 remote is a hinged lid on the battery compartment Slide this end cap toward the back of the remote and let the end cap swing open to reveal slots for 2 AAA batteries Load the batteries with exposed ends matching the and marks on the inside of the end cap Slide the battery cover door back into place The door should click when the cover is locked Test the unit by pressing any key If th...

Page 12: ...r configuration and surround format chosen See examples above Note The channel icon display graphically repre sents the active audio inputs and outputs of the Model 976 Illuminated letters indicate the audio channel s being received from the selected source while the illuminated red boxes show the output mix being sent to the speakers The source is either passed through unchanged box around the le...

Page 13: ...st called AC 3 when it ap peared in the 1990s on LaserDisc and it was the first format to provide true multichannel digital audio for consumer use When the DVD specifica tions were established a few years later Dolby Digital often abbreviated DD was included as the default audio format Dolby Digital offers up to five discrete full range channels left right center left surround and right surround a...

Page 14: ...ACD used an encoding technology called DSD that uses pulse density modulation SACD players with an HDMI v1 2 or higher output may output a native DSD bitstream The Model 976 can decode a DSD bitstream to PCM Note Not all disc players support SACD or DVD Audio playback See your player s specifications Dolby Pro Logic II IIx Movie This mode takes two channel movie and TV content such as Dolby Digita...

Page 15: ...speakers is critical for creating the best possible surround sound playback When connecting any speakers be sure to read the instruction manuals that came with the prod uct and check your power amplifier s instruction manual for proper hook up of the loudspeakers Front left center and right speakers These speakers should be placed at the same relative height from the floor and a similar distance f...

Page 16: ... with too little bass and areas in between You may have to move the subwoofer and or the prime listening area to improve the bass response Be aware that every surface you place the woofer close to one wall floor two walls in a corner will increase the overall apparent bass in the room But this can potentially lead to boomy and muddy sounding bass Recent research has found that using two or four ma...

Page 17: ... wires down the center Chapter 2 Contents 17 Connecting Audio 19 Connecting Video 20 Accessory and Antenna Connections 21 External Amplifier Connections 21 Power IR Control Connections 22 Power Connection IMPORTANT NOTE We strongly recommend that before you connect any loudspeakers to your amplifiers you complete all needed connections and setup procedures to your Model 976 as outlined below This ...

Page 18: ... may still be some legacy sources that use either analog audio coaxial digital audio or opti cal digital audio Stereo Analog The Model 976 includes four sets of stereo analog audio inputs These may be used with legacy audio sources such as turntables cassette decks and any other source that only provide left right analog audio outputs Connect the left and right analog outputs to one of the four se...

Page 19: ...K sources verify that the HDMI cables are rated for 4K HDR video The last 15 years have seen a radical shift in how video signals pass between devices in a home theater The Model 976 reflects this change Be fore making connections to any video devices it will help to understand how the Model 975 routes the video portion of the signal through its video section For UHD signals the Model 976 will pas...

Page 20: ...treaming of audio from a smartphone or tablet to the Model 976 Note Only connect or remove the Bluetooth receiver when the Model 976 is turned off FM Antenna Connect the supplied FM antenna to the terminal labeled FM 75Ω The Model 976 s coaxial antenna terminal is designed for push on type antenna cable connectors The supplied FM antenna is for indoor use only For best signal reception you must fu...

Page 21: ...to power the subwoofer and then con nect the subwoofer speaker itself to the amplifier IR Input and Output The Model 976 includes IR input and output ports that can be used with external IR remote sensors To use the Model 976 s remote when the Model 976 is concealed connect an external IR sensor to the IR Input A 3 5mm mono cable may be connected to the IR output to pass the IR signals through to ...

Page 22: ...replacements are available if needed CAUTION Before you plug the power cord into an AC wall outlet confirm that all connections to the Model 976 have been made correctly WARNING Never disconnect the power cord from the Model 976 while the other end is plugged into an AC outlet Doing so may cause an electric shock Always connect power by plugging into the AC outlet last and disconnect by unplugging...

Page 23: ...vices and the video display We recommend that you perform the setup through the on screen display OSD which can be seen on a display connected to the Model 976 s HDMI Out 1 output Chapter 3 Contents 23 Menu Navigation 24 Main Menu 25 System Setup 26 Input Setup 27 Speaker Setup 31 EQ Adjust 32 Audio Setup Make sure the Model 976 amplifier s and display are turned on Set the display to the HDMI inp...

Page 24: ... the Model 976 s inputs Speaker Setup Configure the speakers that are connected to your Model 976 EQ Adjust Adjust the equalizers that are pro vided for each speaker channel Audio Setup Configure treble and bass set tings Pro Logic II Music settings DTS Neo 6 Music settings and similar audio options Exit Setup Exit the Main Menu Note While the menu is active all audio output is disabled and the in...

Page 25: ...lected will continue to be passed to the HDMI output Set to Off to only allow HDMI output from the Model 976 when the unit is on The available choices are On Off Night Mode This mode affects soundtracks produced in Dolby Digital Dolby Digital Plus or Dolby TrueHD It employs dynamic range compression DRC which quiets the loud peaks in a soundtrack while retain ing the same volume level for dialogue...

Page 26: ...1 analog inputs Video Input Select from HDMI inputs HDMI1 through HDMI6 Note This option is disabled for the TV input The default Video setting is also NONE for the Bluetooth and Tuner inputs Audio Input Select HDMI default to get audio from the assigned HDMI video input Select Coax1 Coax2 Opt1 or Opt2 for a coaxial or optical digital audio input Select Analog1 through Analog 4 for a stereo analog...

Page 27: ...gement settings and run the Auto Setup routine Speaker Config Sub Menu There are five speaker options in the Speaker Con figuration menu Front Center Surround Surround Back S Back and Subwoofer The Front speakers can be set to Large or Small The Center and Sur round speakers can be set to Large Small or None The Surround Back speakers can be set to Large Small or None but can only be set to Large ...

Page 28: ...subwoofer to where your head would be positioned when you re in your favorite listening seat Measure to the nearest 6 inches if you re using English measurements or to the nearest 1 10th of a meter if you re using metric Write these numbers down If you re still in the Speaker Configuration submenu hit the MENU button to back out of it If you re start ing from scratch hit MENU then hit ENTER to sel...

Page 29: ...hes the level of the front left speaker Repeat the process for all other speakers in the system For any speakers that were set to None in the Speaker Config menu adjustment of level trim will be disabled on this screen If you are using a subwoofer you may find that its level control needs to be adjusted in order to achieve a balance with the other speakers Re adjust the subwoofer level control if ...

Page 30: ...en play ing a stereo audio source with small front speakers Default value is 0dB The available choices are 5dB 4dB 3dB 2dB 1dB 0dB 1db 2dB 3dB 4db 5dB Auto Setup Sub Menu A special set up microphone was provided with your Model 976 To use the Automatic Setup routine plug this microphone into the front panel Set Up Mic jack and place the microphone in the preferred listening position at approximate...

Page 31: ...band with the up and down navigation buttons select it with the Enter button and use the left and right navigation buttons to place a cursor behind the Freq Gain or Q setting Once a setting is selected use the up and down navigation buttons to adjust the setting s value When finished press Enter again and use the up and down navigation but tons to highlight additional shelves or bands Frequency Th...

Page 32: ...le standard speaker layout for channel mapping when surround sound is mastered DTS defined seven possible speaker configurations that may be used in the mixing stage By specifying the configuration that most closely matches your speaker layout DTS will attempt to re map audio channels that are flagged as belonging in one of the other layouts The DTS stan dard includes seven speaker configurations ...

Page 33: ... 38 Setting Sleep Timer The Model 976 lets you select from as many as nine sources which are labeled Cable Sat Disc Game Media Server Aux TV Bluetooth and Tuner The first seven of these can be configured to carry signals from any audio or audio video source device you wish To find out how to config ure those inputs see page 26 To select a source Press one of the dedicated source buttons Cbl St Dis...

Page 34: ...rround sound modes and changes the surround mode from the one currently selected The modes available will depend on whether the incoming signal is stereo or 5 1 6 1 7 1 and what speaker configuration you are using If you are unsure about which mode you want to use refer to the Audio Formats and Listening Modes section of this manual pages 13 and 15 If the Model 976 is receiving a stereo 2 channel ...

Page 35: ...nt is selected If the Model 976 is receiving a 5 1 signal and you have a speaker system using back surround speakers 7 1 pressing the SURR MODE button when 5 1 material is playing will let you expand the two surround channels into four surround channels With Dolby 5 1 material you can access three surround modes Dolby PLIIx Movie Dolby PLIIx Music Dolby PLIIx Game When DTS 5 1 or multichannel PCM ...

Page 36: ...u may have more or less DRC effect depending on how the engineers produced the soundtrack On activates DRC for all Dolby soundtracks Off deactivates DRC entirely The Model 976 has bass and treble controls that can boost or cut in 2dB steps to a maximum 10dB These controls can be used to fine tune the sound of your system for all material or just for certain movies or music that need a bit of tweak...

Page 37: ...nt panel display because both audio and video inputs are interrupted when the on screen display is in use As noted on page 28 it s possible to rough in the channel levels by ear but better results are possible by using a sound pressure level SPL meter You can use either a dedicated meter like those sold under the RadioShack and Galaxy brands or if you have a smartphone use an SPL meter app Search ...

Page 38: ... Once configured this EQ can be engaged or disengaged during playback Setting Sleep Timer The Model 976 s front headphone jack works with any standard headphones equipped with a 1 4 inch plug or headphones equipped with a 1 8 inch plug and used with a1 4 to 1 8 inch adapter IMPORTANT NOTE We strongly recommend you reduce the Model 976 s volume to a low setting of 30 to 40 dB before you play any ma...

Page 39: ... on the front panel until the display showsTUNER Alternatively you can press TUNER on the front panel to jump directly to the tuner input Press theTUNER button on the front panel to switch to the other band To tune a radio station manually using the remote control 1 2 Press the tune button to go to a higher frequency or the tune button to go to a lower frequency Each push will change the frequency...

Page 40: ...r entry of preset 1 enter 0 then 1 on the remote The Model 976 allows you to select radio stations directly if you know the station s frequency The Model 976 offers 20 station presets that can be used for both AM and FM stations Tune Stations Directly To tune stations directly by frequency 1 2 3 4 Select the tuner source Select the band AM or FM you want to listen to Press the DIRECT button on the...

Page 41: ...bly be clearer Select FM Mono To select FM mono 1 2 When you are listening to an FM station press theT MODE button on the remote con trol orTUNE MODE on the front panel The sound will change from stereo to mono and the front panel display will show the mode as shown above So switch back to stereo press theT MODE button on the remote orTUNE MODE on the front panel again The front panel display will...

Page 42: ...e clean ers as they may damage the finish of the metal parts Avoid spraying insecticide waxes polishing agents or any aerosol product near the unit Cleaning Chapter 6 Contents 42 Cleaning 42 When You Are Away 43 System Reset 44 Troubleshooting 45 Specifications 46 Model 976 Connection Record Chart 47 Outlaw Audio Limited Warranty If you will not be using your home theater system for an extended pe...

Page 43: ...ttings including speaker setup input setup and tuner presets For this reason we strongly recommend that you record these settings on the chart provided on page 46 of this manual so that it is easy to restore them after resetting the processor To reset the unit 1 2 3 4 5 Turn off any connected amplifi ers Simultaneously press the INFO and SOURCE buttons on the front panel until the front panel disp...

Page 44: ...ons on the remote a few clicks in either direction to see if sound improves Change the antenna position and see if sound improves Check the connection between the antenna and the Model 976 s antenna jacks to make sure it is connected and in good condition Make sure you re using an FM antenna for FM and an AM antenna for AM Unit produces a flashing picture no picture audio popping or crackling soun...

Page 45: ...nter Frequency Range 100 Hz 10 dB Treble Center Frequency Range 10 KHz 10 dB FM Tuner Section Sensitivity IHF 10 dBu typ 50dB S N 13 dBu typ S N Ratio Mono 70 dB Stereo 67 dB Distortion Mono 0 2 Stereo 0 3 Stereo Separation 40 dB typ Adjacent Channel Selectivity 70 dB 400 KHz IF Rejection Ratio 120 dB Frequency Response 20 Hz to 15 KHz 1 5 dB Sensitivity 20dB S N 300 uV S N 45 dB Selectivity 25 dB...

Page 46: ... Opt 2 Analog 1 Analog 2 Analog 3 Analog 4 7 1 Direct Lip sync delay ________ ms Device Video HDMI 1 HDMI 2 HDMI 3 HDMI 4 HDMI 5 HDMI 6 Triggers Trigger 1 Trigger 2 Lip sync delay ________ ms TUNER Device Video HDMI 1 HDMI 2 HDMI 3 HDMI 4 HDMI 5 HDMI 6 Triggers Trigger 1 Trigger 2 Lip sync delay ________ ms SPEAKER SIZE CROSSOVER SPEAKERS Distance Trim AUDIO Front Center Surround Surr Back Sub Lg ...

Page 47: ...d labor covered by this warranty If necessary repairs are not covered by this warranty or if a unit is examined which is not in need of repair you will be charged for the repairs and or the examination If non warranted repairs are needed we will notify you of the esti mated cost and ask for your authorization to perform said repairs You must pay shipping charges incurred in getting your Product to...

Reviews: