Agree with VK.

First, this is described as a Sooloos feature, not a general 800 feature.

I think "mediates" means that the core converts DSD to PCM, which is mathematically straightforward to do with minimal artifacts (my Oppo does it). And with MQA they can now do it at higher than 96 kHz, if they can do MQA encoding in real time.

But it doesn't have to be real time, could do it at import into Sooloos.

They could MQA encoding of high rate PCM at import time too, if necessary.

I can't imagine DSD will go through the system and to DSPs, because M is a PCM system through and through. It is not about limitations in protocols or legacy implementations. M does a lot of processing: bass management, MRC and Trifield in the processor, crossovers and boundary conditions and EBA and other stuff in the speakers. Can't do that with DSD. Can't even do volume control.

This is why there are almost no pure DSD albums: can't do mixing, it all has to be converted to PCM or analog, processed, and converted back to DSD. Pure DSD is as impractical as direct-to-disc vinyl of my youth.

Music room: 818v3, DSP8000SE, Roon/Intel NUC, microRendu/LPS-1 into Geek Pulse Xfi into Audeze LCD-3
HT: G61R, HD621, MS600, Oppo, Avantgarde Solo
Library: MS600, Bel Canto, Mark & Daniel
Other: SonicOrbiter, GeekOut, Audeze EL-8