Meridian Unplugged - Powered by MrTechGuy.co.uk Forums Discussion Meridian - Systems 808.2i

The phono connectors use round holes, but SpeakerLink needs square ones. Part of the problem for not offering an upgrade is down to a lack of a square drill

Yeah, I don't quite get it. Even if Meridian charged "cost" or something to keep their customer base happy, in the long run it would pay off. Meridian wouldn't lose money or make money but they'd keep their customer and reputation of the 800 series up there. You think their customers will go out and buy another? They have managed so far todo it with 861 but I don't understand why they have not with 808. Meridian is great keeping stuff up do date where they can. But if it's costly they don't. But I think it costs them more in customers AND dealers losing faith.

Once burned, twice shy?

As a 808i owner who just bought mine 2 months ago, I am shocked and horrified

No updates, but thats the reason I invested in to Meridian ??

Its a great sounding machine, but I also have the 861V4 and use the 808i as basically a transport.

Do I need the 808i or would any good transport do the same (and for less)

I can accept that physically upgrading each machine is uneconomical, but I don't see why M can't instigate a "favourable trade in" programme in this instance. dCS offer a range of factory serviced, preowned kit which they have (sensibly) taken back as customers have moved up the range. I would have thought that offering such a service as part of the overall "800 series experience" would make good commercial sense for this particular audiophile market segment?

Perhaps customers' 808 > 808.2 concerns offer the ideal opportunity for Meridian to test "select trade-ins" as a marketing strategy?

Cheers

George

I would agree that marketing your equipment as upgradeable and then abandoning your reference is truly not what I would expect from Meridian. I think having a strong trade-in program would be the best way to go. The negative marketing received from abandoning its customers is far worst than maybe a break-even trade-in program for previous reference owners.

With that said, I sold my G08 and was planning on getting a demo 808i but ended up getting the new 808i.2 from my dealer. It just arrived late Thursday.