This would be best placed behind a switch on the forward feed rather than relying on ARC. Functionally the VanityPRO appears identical to a 722 except for the switching part being missing and the DSD transcoding to LPCM being added. If it would extract those 8 channels from a DD+ or higher bitstream rather than from LPCM embedded, it would indeed be interesting. I'm still of the opinion that you're better off with a Vertex2 or VRROOM and a HD621, but YMMV. Of course if you're not using a Meridian Processor, the absence of forced MHR would be an advantage, but then you wouldn't be reading this anyway.

Lounge: G61RSL, DSP3200, DSP3300, DSW, HD621+Vertex2, SBT, Kef Ci60.
Office: DSP33, D1500, SBT
Archive: 568.2m, 562v3, 562v