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E.g. TI PCM1792, Wolfson wm8740, etc.

...or does Meridian roll their own in-house DAC, like MSB Tech or dCS Righ DAC?
Anyone...?

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The DAC chip (or chips or chipset) was (were) not identified in JA's 808.2 review earlier this year. Anyone know what it/they is/are?
E.g. TI PCM1792, Wolfson wm8740, etc.

Unfortunately, I couldn't determine which DAC chips the Meridian uses.
John Atkinson
Editor, Stereophile

Is this due to the internal layout/design, rendering access to PCBs or components inaccessible?
If so, how about simply asking Meridian? Maybe you've already done so and they did not acknowledge. Usually, I've found Stereophile to be fairly up-front in its reviews when a manuf. is dodgy about "revealing" design or topology. Of course, they have that right. But secrecy does more harm than good, IMO. For one thing, it often means the maunf. is relying on a single technological aspect for benefits rather than a comprehensive, multiple-strategy design approach. E.g. (and as you seemed to acknowledge in the review), the superiority of this CDP's sonics was difficult to attribute to what may seem "obvious" at first:

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If so, how about simply asking Meridian?

You could do that too. JA isn't an errand boy. Though who knows he might be nice enough to do your research for you.

Meridian America Inc.
8055 Troon Circle, Suite C
Austell, GA
30168

Phone: (404) 344-7111
Fax: (404) 346-7111

Actually, I have queried Meridian directly (email) as well as posted the same question on other sites/blogs/forums (e.g., Robert Harley's blog).
Thus far, no reply.
As far as "JA isn't an errand boy". The answer to this important query would, IMO, be far more trustworthy if we get answers straight from the horse's mouth, rather than a mere subscriber or forum member like me.