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