Yes, I’m familiar with the Gaya. Not my thing, but I can understand why others might like them, very much a taste thing.

I think what irritated me as much as anything with the DSP9 was the presentation of MDF being groundbreaking and innovative and the BS about curved spaces looking less obtrusive, when these are clearly more obtrusive than the older design… etc., etc.

I’m as averse to unfounded marketing BS as I am to the looks.

I would have found it easier to swallow the new shape of it had been well justified by an explanation of solid engineering reasons it had to be so. I imagine if Bob S/Richard H had presented it would have been very different.

Who is the head of engineering and design at Meridian now?

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