Im a long time Mac owner & ive tried the MVP861 in my system in my home,i compared it directly against my MVP851 & MVP841,i do not watch video on any of my Mac gear so i can only speak about redbook playback,video & ht is not my cup of tea.
I found that there are very little sonic differences between the MVP851 & MVP861 when it comes to cd playback,both players sound the same & both players will play scratched & worn discs very well,the remote is well laid out & well built & can control the player functions from many differfent angles,as with all Mac gear the player is built like a tank.
If redbook playback is your main goal the better move would be to buy a used MVP851 from audiogon for less than 2k or if you must have the MVP861 than also go after a used model,dealer markup on new Mcintosh reaches obscene amounts, unless your loaded or getting the dealer to knock 40% off msrp buying brand new Mac gear makes little sense
