My room does not really allow for 7.1, but I have it all the same. I'm using two B&W solo speakers, small and neat, ones purched on the back of the sofa, the other on a piano stool in the fireplace (not ideal at all), but it makes a difference, and very quickly melts into the perfection that is Meridian.

What can I say about the 861 v 568, oh how I wish (not really) that I had never heard the 861 in a room I know well. I've heard the 861 in two dealer demo rooms and thought NO DIFFERENCE, why bother. But then I heard it in the house of a good friend and I had the 568 over to do an A/B.

The 861 just reaches deeper into the material, music just sounded so natural, it stopped you in your tracks, it was just amazing. Put the 568 back in and oh dear, still a truely great product, but not the genius that is the 861.

This is so sad, but not a day goes by that I do not think about owning an 861, I know I should get out more(-:

I have heard a number of high end processors in the 861 price range and to be honest they did not sound as good as the 568, so am I unhappy? No, I just want an 861!

If all you care about is HT then the Tag is a fine processor, very similar to the 568 for DVD, music is not anywhere near as good.

Martin.



[This message has been edited by mgarthwaite (edited 08-26-2001).]