Wow! If what you say is true it's a no brainer. Say NO to the DVD8. I now own an Oppo DV-980H universal player. For the price it's nice but it will stay only until I find something with better with 2-channel audio. The short list is the Cary DVD8, Arcam DV135 & Cambridge Audio 640D (due out in 2008). I'm not interested in having the Oppo modified. Have you talked to anyone at Cary about your findings or do you think they would blow you off?