When you said “shape to taste” I read more into it—like applying some EQ. Trinnov does have a “target curve” capability same as MultEQ. Ignoring that, I suspect that the lockout we see happening in the 972 is not a result of careful thought, but because that's what they happened to do. Maybe it was the easiest solution?

Sure, it's easy to design a product with room EQ and separate tone controls. Thus far, no one has bothered to design a product like that with Trinnov. In the case of a Trinnov product, it would have to be done prior to the Trinnov block, but that's not a problem.

Correct, that is what I meant: EQ or tone controls. My point (in response to what Marc had said about the 972) was that I could see locking out those features when using speaker remapping but not when using only room correction. Again, not so much for movies, where things are standardized, but more for music listening, where there is lots of variation in program material. Sean Olive blogged about the latter: http://seanolive.blogspot.com/2009/10/audios-circle-of-confusion.html

Anyone mention digital audio on zone 2/3... this is a major gripe of mine on the current/future onkyo models

The... thread... is... alive... again...

Nice point Wrong Hombre.:)

I am unclear as to how it works with zone 2 video/audio in receivers such as the onkyo x007 models, but on my 806 i cannot play anything from hdmi digital coax or toslink in zone 2, and the manuals for the x007s seems to say no digital audio output on zone2/3 in a fashion similar to the manual for the 806. I am building a home theater room with a tv for general purpose viewing and an electric screen for big movies. If the zone 2 can play video but no audio from hdmi, well then buying a prepro like this defeats the whole purpose of a zone 2 hdmi out, right? Am I missing the boat?

The second zone in most receivers and processors is basically a separate analog audio pre-amp. Doing more requires duplicating at least a DAC and possibly much more - you could handle up to PCM stereo if the second zone had its own DAC, but to go beyond that would require a separate audio processing chip for the second zone (decode DD, DTS, etc. and transcode down to PCM stereo to feed the DAC). Second zone video is often handled similarly (composite output requires composite inputs, component output requires component inputs) for the same reasons. That being said, I can see where supporting digital audio into a second zone could be pretty handy for some users. It could be done - it's just a matter of cost.

I don't know that I've seen any products that offer HDMI into a second zone yet. Multiple HDMI outputs typically feed two separate displays in the main zone (flat panel for normal use and front projector for movies, for example), while the audio goes to the same place either way. For your application (TV for general purpose viewing and projector with motorized screen for big movies), that's exactly what you'd need. Audio would go to the pre-amp outputs no matter which display you're using, and you would just toggle between the two HDMI monitor outputs.

So iirc the 998 is planned for 2 hdmi outs as layed out by gonk. I still reckon that zone 2/3 digital would help me at least, as I use my macbook to play music from itunes or pandora when I throw parties, and toslink would be preferable, just to cut down on cord clutter (and maybe a marginal benefit to audio quality), but analog outs from the macbook work as well anyway. It seems, however, with the increasing popularity of hdmi ( even considering the likewise decline of toslink and digital coax) that digital zone 2/3 would be a good feature suggestion nonetheless. So consider a feature suggested.

Yes, the two HDMI outputs should cover you for the projector and TV.

It's worth considering digital audio for second zone - but I wouldn't assume it would support HDMI. If we see folks start offering digital audio support for a second zone, it's more likely to be coaxial/optical only and probably just PCM stereo (no Dolby Digital or DTS). Grabbing HDMI audio for the second zone would require including a second digital audio processor and second HDMI transceiver under the hood, with a substantial extra cost and complexity. There may be a simple solution, but I wouldn't count on it.

I feed one of my iPod docks to the CD input analog channel and then out the Zone 2 output to the spare channels on my 7125 and then out to the back of my house for music at the pool. While it certainly isn't audiophile grade, it sounds great out at the pool.

The Denon i have in my livingroom has zone 2 digital audio that I feed my outdoor speakers with via an Adcom amp. Its really nice to stream my music outside while I work, and mean while my kid watches something else on TV via the same unit. The Denon is proving to be a solid machine while my 970 is looking at its third trip to Outlaw in the first yr of owning it.