Meridian Unplugged - Powered by MrTechGuy.co.uk Forums Discussion Meridian - Systems Impressions of the 861v8

I recently traded in my G68 for a 861v8 so I thought I would very briefly post my impressions from the perspective of an analogue system user. I bought my 861 equipped with both OA18 and OA08 cards.

There are sound quality improvements in all departments. While I would describe these as subtle, collectively they significantly enhance the listening experience. Most important for me is a reduction in harshness at the top end. The hard edge on some female vocals has now gone. There are noticable improvements to the clarity of movie soundtracks also.

Build quality is suberb and I'm still getting used to the size of the 861 compared to my G68.

Any complaints? Yes, the display is a disappointment. Poor contrast, there�s a visible background glow even when brightness is significantly turned down. The �DSP processing mode' light which flags a multichannel input doesn�t dim with the rest of the display. No �standby� indicator light. I found the DSP processing mode light annoying so I�ve now programmed XBMC to blank my 861 display when a movie starts.

The display issue is a relatively minor gripe and I have no regrets about upgrading. I also now have 7 SpeakerLink outputs to consider using.