I’m pretty sure you cannot do what you want. If Meridian kit is comms connected, it acts as one. So if one piece of kit is on, they all are.

I tried this years ago with 500 series and that was the answer I got. Don’t see why 800 series would be any different although comms/SpeakerLink may have moved on but 861v4 won’t have.

If you don’t want this to happen, don’t connect via comms.

Yes, shame it works that way.

IMHO.

Meridian owner since 1992
Prime & PSU, Focal Elear headphones, Roon (ROCK 8Gi5 NUC), Explorer 1 & 2, F80. 200/203, various Sonos (via Roon).