Meridian 861.8

If you have to ask re Meridian, then . . . .

I was told $4,000 to upgrade from version 6 to version 8...

I guess that it is a matter of opinion in that I do not consider $4,000 reasonable given that most people with a 861 V6 paid +/- $15,000 for the V4 to V6 upgrade which means paying approximately $19,000 in 18 to 24 months for the V4 to V8 upgrade which does not seem reasonable to me...this is -- admittedly -- just my view...

I used the "Trade up to Reference" program a year ago to trade in my G68 for an 861v6. I really thought it wouldn't make much of a difference as I already had the DSP8000 speakers. I thought it would just "crown" the setup and provide for a nice integrated Sooloos ID40 streamercard.

But the upgrade to 861v6 was like getting better poweramps apart from the obvious soundquality improvement.

Now with the 861v8 and new masterclock, 40% less jitter on input/output cards. 24/192 XMOS based USB input. Improved ID41 Sooloos card. Linear PSU. Newest version of the apodizing upsampling filter. I can't wait, I really think we're all in for a nice soundquality upgrade ride again!

One can also buy the LPSU plus a 5 year 'health check' program for the v6 for around $1,000. Not sure the v8 upgrade isn't $6K rather thn $4K?

Are you kidding. That's highway robbery .

It is also now possible to add the ID40 card to the 861v4 as well as add the LPS (which, with health check, gives a new 5 year warranty).

Is there somewhere I can see all of the differences between the different revisions of the 861? I am considering picking up a used one but want to see if there is a "sweet spot" with regards to features and improvements that would be important to me.

Or maybe someone who knows the important ones from memory could summarize here?

Thanks!!

Enormous upgrade from 861v4 to 861v6. The v4 was getting pretty dated towards the end, and with the v6 has been extensively reworked (new clocks, new grounding, new boards, etc.)

The v4 sounds nice, but the v6 is special. (I've zero experience with the v8.)
Edited by Brucemck2 - 3/9/13 at 3:54pm

@hifiaudio2 - Duncan's Meridian Info at http://www.meridian-audio.info/showman.php provides information on all Meridian models. With the 861 series, each version comes with a standard set of cards, with other cards optional. You'll want to make sure you understand which cards you need/want for your particular circumstances. I think most would recommend not going earlier than v4.

v1 through v4 were upgradable to the next model with new cards. When v6 came out, Meridian said that it wouldn't be possible to upgrade the v4 to v6 due to some internal architecture changes (there was some skepticism about this) and offered a trade in program instead. With the v6 to v8 upgrades, Meridian has made a subset of upgrades available to the v4 - the LPS and ability to fit ID40 Sooloos endpoint. It's not a v6 as, for instance, it still doesn't have the speakerlink card which apparently includes improved internal clocking responsible for part of the claimed v6 performance improvement.

Cheers, Ian

I bought my 861 as a V3 more than a decade ago . Upgraded it to V4 2 years later . Part-traded it for a V6 a few years later but managed to hold on to it for a 2nd system . Just added the health check and power supply and ID40 card and it is now under new warranty till 2018 .
I think this puts the value back into it and I don't agree that V4 is too hugely behind the curve when it comes to other processors . It has Meridian's latest version of their Apodising Filter and runs Version 8 Firmware too .

M

Does a v4 have to go back to meridian for the new firmware, LPSU and health check to get the new warranty? I'd be interested in getting a v4, updating to room correction, and getting a new warranty. Hoping it can be done at a dealer local.

Since I have non-meridian speakers, and using it for home theater only, would I benefit
From a v6, or just stick with a v4 with room correction?

Stieger

When I upgraded from the v4 to the v6 with non-Meridian speakers (Salk) the improvement was large and unambiguous

What firmware are you running? I hear there is a new linear power supply that is alsi available, which, as part if a origram, provides a 5 year warranty! With a V4 + these nitabke updates, I may go that route ir v6.

Dies a v4 have MRC, or does that happen at 4.2?

Thx,

Stieger

I don't know, as I replaced the 861v6 in favor of an ADA Reference with Trinnov processing.

Does the v6 have the linear power supply, or v8 only? I am curious also if the HD621 does the audio switching too, or just video switching for hdmi. Really pondering the Meridian vs Theta, as their upgrade path seems a bit more obvious with Dirac, new processing card, etc., in the works. I have no clue if Meridian is planning new software upgrades, decoding of the hi-Rez audio codecs, etc., just seems like such a waste to have a player decode the audio, then pass to the Meridian. Correct meif I'm wrong, but I'd prefer to have Meridian products decode the audio...

Lossless audio is like me folding a document, so it takes up less space, and mailing it to your office.

Would it be "such a waste" if your secretary opened the envelope and handed you the document? Would the document be somehow better if you opened the envelope yourself?

The audio is lossless: doesn't matter if it is decoded in the player or in the pre-pro. Either way, nothing is lost, not a single bit.

I agree with you theoretically, but if there was nothing lost, then why buy hi-end processors - like the Theta with Extreme Dacs, if it would simply sound the same as my current Marantz, unpacking the details Of the codec? Wouldn't a hi-end processor pull out the finer details, etc, of the soundtrack and be true to what folks say when spending big bucks, " it has never sounded so good..."

If I'm wrong, cool. But if I'm spending "theta or Meridian" money on a processor, why would I want a $200'ish DVD player decoding the codec - really, I don't get it....?

Not arguing, just conversing...

Stieger

Yes, Trinnov's "spatial remapping", and, thier speaker and room correction, made a profound improvement in my system. (The room was designed by Dennis Erskine and Keith Yates, so it wasn't "wanting" in any traditional audiophile sense.)

Over the years I've used several brands of outboard parametric equalization devices, heavily modified DEQX units, a heavily modified Audyssey Balanced Pro unit, and Meridian's MRC in both an 861v4 and an 861v6. The results I get via Trinnov processing are in a different league.

You're talking asthough things like DACs and analogue stage don't make a difference to the sound. People buy different processors for what they do differently (surround processing, D/A conversion, room correction, etc), not for what they do the same (format recognition and decoding, bass management, time alignment).

So they all "do/unpack" the same? I guess I just need to read more - I thought Meridian's legendary algorithms were part of how they processed or decoded the sound, but if I understand what you're saying, it isn't the unpacking, but the post processing that Meridian's algorithm is so well known... Appreciate any additional clarity you can provide.

Does anyone know if the 861v6 has a linear power supply, or is that reserved for the v8?

Thx all!

Sure, it's not like Dolby reserves a special secret version of TrueHD decoding that it only lets Meridian use but refuses to license it to any other manufacturer. Format detection and decoding is a commodity; you just license it or buy the chips. Exactly, and that's the sort of processing (e.g., TriField) that is exclusive to Meridian, which is why people continue to buy their gear. It's not like their DTS-MA decoding is "more identical" to the original than any other manufacturer's decoding.

Awesome, thank you!

The V6 did not have a linear power supply but it is available either individually or as part of the V6 to V8 upgrade.

I started with a V4 about 8 years ago and have progressively moved to a V6 and now a V8. The upgrade from a V4 to a V6 was significant and the next upgrade to V8 was also, but not quite as big a jump.

I did the V6 to V8 upgrade in 2 stages. The first stage was to add the the linear power supply. I only did a brief listen before the full upgrade but I estimate that the improvement due to the power supply was about 80% of the full upgrade.

One of the most significant upgrades I have ever done (and the cheapest! ) was changing the filter to a Revelation one filter.

Full details of the filter are here:

http://mrapodizer.wordpress.com/order-filter/
http://mrapodizer.wordpress.com/order-filter/

Other than as a satisfied customer, I have no commercial interest in the Revelation filter