This is why, some years ago, I took the decision to move to an 818 and streaming. It wasn’t because I loved streaming or that way of owning/listening to music, it was because I’d invested a lot in CD players which, when the drive or laser diode failed, were rendered useless. These were not Meridian CD players I hasten to add, but the principle is the same.

I’m not sure there’s any great mystery here. People are simply moving over to streaming en-masse, making spinning CDs (however desirable) a bit niche. If Meridian weren’t selling enough relative to the non-CD drive equivalent 818, I can see the logic in slimming down the product line.

I hope they use the extra resources to do something very cool and new.

HC: 861v4/ID40/LPS, DSP5000, DSP5000VC, DSP3100, SW1600, HD621, Oppo BDP-105, Sony VPL-HW55ES
2-Channel: Oppo BDP-105, TEAC VRDS-7/Trichord Clock 3/PSU, 551, Quad 303, Harbeth Compact 7ES-3, Kimber cables, Russ Andrews mains and supports.
Previous Meridian: 5000C, 5200SL, 7200.2, 6000, 562V.2, 568.2mm, 800v4, 808.2i, 818v2/v3, 861v8, 502