Like many on here, I am dismayed by the time it is taking for MQA to be launched in any meaningful way. When I demo'd the system a couple of years ago, I really thought I was hearing the future. Now, because of the inordinate amount of time it is taking for a substantial back catalogue of MQA material to become available, I fear it may well go the way of DVD-A...
I had been holding off upgrading my 818v2 to v3, intending to only do the upgrade once MQA was finally here, but Rick's post of the summer upgrade discounts got me thinking again...
To help me decide whether to go for the upgrade now, can anyone with direct experience, or indeed merely informed opinion(!), give their thoughts on these questions:-
1) Does the 818v3 offer tangible SQ improvements when listening to Sooloos / RBCD source material, over v2?
2) Does the 818v3 actually (heaven forbid) sound worse with such material, compared to v2?
3) If I upgrade to v3 now, will v4 be announced before the ink on my cheque is dry...?!
Thanks, Neil
Main listening room - DSP5200SE Satellite(!) listening room - DSP3200, AC200, 818v3, 500, 504, MC200, Humax Foxsat HDR (for recording radio), Slingbox Solo Townshend Elite Rock Turntable, Nakamichi RX-202E Cassette (for old times' sake)
Also most Meridian upgrades are cumulative. To go v4 you would have to be a v3 first.
www.cmbintegrations.com One step from the Presidency #1 Trinnov Altitude 32-8-16, 271, 8000XE, 7200SEHC, 7200.2, Seaton F18, JL Fathom F113, Revel w990's, Kef R7, ATI 528 Amp, JVC RS4100K, SI screen. Roon Nucleus+, Eno AG, Eno M link, 218. #2 Mark Levinson No5105, Ayre VX8 and CX8, Vandersteen Treo CT, Preamp varies. #3 Meridian Ellipse
800 Series Reference examples 808.3 to 808v6 was £4,000, now £3,200 808v5 to 808v6 was £1,500, now £1,200 818v1 to 818v3 was £2,250, now £1,800 818v2 to 818v3 was £1,500, now £1,200 861v6 to 861v8 was £2,500, now £2,000
Not on my price list. Anyways the costs are also cumulative. A v1 to v3 upgrade if one even exists as a single SKU is more costly than a v2 to v3 upgrade.
To keep the product current, keep it performing to its greatest potential, and to maintain its maximum resale value, it is of benefit to upgrade.
If there are no performance benefits to the upgrade then the frugal person in me would be reluctant to do so. This is clearly not the case with the 818v3 upgrade.
www.cmbintegrations.com One step from the Presidency #1 Trinnov Altitude 32-8-16, 271, 8000XE, 7200SEHC, 7200.2, Seaton F18, JL Fathom F113, Revel w990's, Kef R7, ATI 528 Amp, JVC RS4100K, SI screen. Roon Nucleus+, Eno AG, Eno M link, 218. #2 Mark Levinson No5105, Ayre VX8 and CX8, Vandersteen Treo CT, Preamp varies. #3 Meridian Ellipse
I've been going through the same thought process myself.
Sitting on the fence/waiting and waiting for more MQA content/Tidal inclusion.
After recently going back and reading some of the initial reviews from fellow Hitchhikers, it seems there is still quite a gain to be had, even with Sooloos/CD. Some reviews have also streamed MQA via TIDAL so I think it's a matter of when will it launch rather than IF (even if not through TIDAL).
This along with the Summer Upgrade discount and a delayed birthday promise to myself, has swayed me to go for it... you only live once
I've no doubt there will be a v4 with 'Hierarchical Converter Technology' from the Ultra DAC incorporated or something else before too long... but that's progress for you.
I just need to tell the wife now
Music Room: 818v3, DSP8000SE (SpeakerLink cables), iPad control Shunyata Denali Power Distributor, fed by SIgma NR V2 + Sigma digital(818) + 2x Alpha NR(DSP8000SE) Network Acoustics ENO filter + Rubicon Switch(powered by IFI IPower Elite)
Office: Stax SRS2020 via ifi Signature Spare: DSP5200 + MC200
Please let us know your impressions when you get the upgrade done, I too am waiting on this, and it needs to be significantly better (although that can be subjective, of course) on Red Book material and standard Hi-Def to warrant an upgrade at this point, with MQA still extremely thin on the ground and of an uncertain future.
One other possible reason, though, to upgrade is native DSD ability? Can this be utilised through Sooloos though (can DSD be stored on a Media Core?) or is a computer front end required separately, through the USB input?
One other possible reason, though, to upgrade is native DSD ability? Can this be utilised through Sooloos though (can DSD be stored on a Media Core?) or is a computer front end required separately, through the USB input?
Hm. A bit inconclusive on the other thread, but I think they were talking about ID41 not playing nice with DSD, weren't they? Or were the issues over SPDIF and USB too (in fact, can DSD even be streamed over SPDIF? I thought copy prevention didn't allow this.
Do you mean that if you convert DoP to DSD then ID41 will play it? Or are you playing the converted DSD files over USB or similar?
It's very odd to me that it's input specific too. ID41 and complete, headless, Sooloos integration is one of the best reasons for 818 ownership, imo, and it would be very desirable if it handled all file formats in a music library equally for proper integration.
Roon converts them to PCM for the ID41. I could also send them to the USB input via a £40 RPi Roon zone but I didn't want the faff of switching zones for tracks on the same 808 unit. It is just inelegant.
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