I reckon that upgraded 861v4s will not be the same as new 861v6s. This is no different to previous 861 upgrades where, for instance, you didn't get the very latest analogue output cards, unless you specifically asked and paid for them.

It's also worth remembering that Meridian makes running tweaks to all of the 861 cards so that, for instance, the IE42 in an upgraded v3 will not be identical to the IE42 in a new v4... (sorry guys) This is why I'd be very wary of buying "bargain" 861s which have been upgraded from v1 or v2 status.

Finally, I'm sure the cards are all distinct, even though the backplate (not backplane) is joined for the IE44 and OE14. It will be interesting to see if the OE14 SpeakerLink output card is now mandatory for all *new* 861s.

Roon Developer and ex-moderator of this Forum
I am #25 in the HH1 photo of fame.