I just spend $290 on a sony Multichannel SACD player.
Hopefully the new IA45 card is ready soon. I was told the old one produced too much heat to have it work reliable in the (passive cooled) 861.
I assume they have maid this card expecially for SACD, though the Meridian info says: DVD-A, SACD and (35 mm ?) film projectors.

A IA45 in a box like thing that outputs MHR sounds good. It would however need also a passthrough connection for 598. I guess they could make it if they see a big enough market for it.

I have also not yet a preference for either DVD-A or SACD, simply to few titles i really want to have on high resolution. That is also the reason for the quite cheap Sony SACD player (in a Sale, like 60% off - i have the impression sony is dumping SACD players over here in Europe)
SACD discs are however very expensive in my country. Also very few shops actually have them in the shops, if i ask the look suprprised and ask "what do you want, we do not know that" (both DVD-A and SACD)
In generla it is a sad story for high res multichannel over here.

Jaco

Sold all M equipment