Thrasher: Your 1-5 is a very good summary to me.

I also wonder what Meridian's intentions are with the 808.2, 808.3, and Sooloos. That included the significance if any of why apparently the 808.3 does not, like the 808.2, have the option of an 808.3i as well as just 808.3. Apparently also the ID40 is standard in the 808.3.

The Sooloos FAQ at on page 8 answers the question - Why is importing a CD and playing it back from a hard drive superior to playing it from a transport?

http://media.Meridian-audio.com/datasheets/Sooloos/Sooloos-FAQ.pdf

Answer - superior playback from the hard drive because of better clock/timing issues than playing from transport.

However, did Meridian eliminate the timing problems in the 808.2/808.3 or is this the admission they had not?

Also consider there may be a substantial limitation to Sooloos. Because of copyright it cannot import SACD and maybe also Bluray when Sooloos may get to storing video. What happens therefore if SACD and Bluray become more the standard release?