Meridian Unplugged - Powered by MrTechGuy.co.uk Forums Discussion Meridian - Systems Meridian UHD722 Trade-up promotion announced

I don't need to be patronised thanks. I bought into the Meridian ideology so don't need to be sold it. I already have it.

The fact that the 271 exists and has analogue inputs says much. I would rather an all digital solution but that is not exactly comparable in terms of costs and so is not affordable. So where is the compromise in the real world? I would suggest that aside from the obvious theoretical, which may or may not translate into something tangible in the real world, that any perceived compromise is just that until one can directly compare the two solutions. Has anybody outside of Meridian and maybe a few select partners/individuals done that?

I certainly have not but I am not naive enough to think that the G61RSL is so fantastic that any compromises caused by a DA/AD can't be made up for by other things in the system. Technology moves on and the G61RSL probably can't be considered either state of the art or class leading anymore. If there is a compromise then maybe it is more of an issue with an 861? Then again in 861 territory I wouldn't be considering a Marantz....

As it stands there are 5 options as I see it:

1. Keep things as they are.
2. Make HDMI 2.0 / 4K sources work with the G61RSL and forgo the audio formats that they bring in which case I can it much cheaper than a UHD722 unless I don't have an HD621 which I, and I suspect most other Meridian processor owners, do.
3. Put the UHD722 cost into an analogue 'compromised' 271 solution but gain lots of functionality if nothing else.
4. Put the UHD722 into a digital solution.
5. Move away from Meridian altogether.

If I want 3D audio then only options 3-5 are in the running. 4 is too expensive and 5 is undesirable which leaves option 3. What are the real world compromises with this? I doubt many can answer with experience including me but I suspect they are less than some would think and I lose nothing by having a listen. In any case this is way off the point now so I will stop but I still contend that the UHD722 looks damn expensive when the practical alternatives are considered. Like I said I can do similar UHD722 functionality much cheaper but if I want to spend that kind of money then a 271 opens up a world of 3D audio and is a different beast altogether. Why would I spend the money on a UHD722 to be constrained by my legacy EoL processor with its support of legacy formats? Lets be honest here when to get things like MQA I have to bypass it altogether I have to question its future so why would I want to buy into a UHD722 at the cost that it is just to try and keep it going a little longer? If I am happy to be stuck in a non 3D audio world my outlook might be different......

Many thanks,

Anthony.