Meridian

[nomismo]

Ok i'll stick my neck out and ask if anyone else on the Wam are using or interested in Meridian equipment.

Any one there then, lets hear from you you opinions/views.

 

[crimsondonkey]

I exhibited a big pair of DSP 6ks at Scalford recently. They were surprisingly well received despite not necessarily being deemed as in vogue on the Wam.

Shame as I have moved them on - I live in the midlands too.

 

[SergeAuckland]

I've used Meridian equipment since the mid -80s. Originally M2s with a 207 CD player, 204 tuner, then DSP5000s with D1500 subs, 201 Pre-amp for analogue sources and a 206 CD player.

I've now changed the 'speakers for active B&Ws, but still have the 206 CD player, now hardly ever used, the 204 tuner, also hardly ever used and a 501 pre-amp.

When I was dealer briefly in the '80s, Meridian was one of my main brands. Sold a lot of MCDs and MCDpros, a fair few Component Pre-amps and M2s and M3s.

S.

 

[Purite Audio]

Big fan of Meridian, early 80's I had M2's in Yew they were gorgeous, then M10's. also in Yew, perhaps not as aesthically gorgeous

but great fun, component amp, their first CD, then 506,588 ending with 808 .

I would buy my Yew M2's back in a flash, or a pair of M1's which I never owned but always sounded great.

Keith.

 

[tkimages]

I moved on from a full Linn active system to a Meridian DSP system and have never regretted it for a moment. The only downside is the cost of upgrading so it looks like I will be with my DSP 5200s and G08 for a long time now Would love to hear the SooLoos system, but once again, the cost is very high, so Sonos it is for the foreseeable future.

 

[Beobloke]

I exhibited a big pair of DSP 6ks at Scalford recently.

Still can't believe I managed to miss them! :doh:

One day I hope to return to this thread as the proud owner of a pair of DSP8000s but it'll be a few years away yet...

 

[psi310398]

I had a Sooloos Ensemble which had by far the best interface for file-based music I have experienced but I sold it when I installed a Naimnet system into my Netstreams-wired flat. The Naim file system is quite clunky by comparison. Compromises, compromises. Still not sure I did the right thing.

The Ensemble does crop up second hand around £1000-1200. I believe it can use the meridian proprietary comms system to drive DSP speakers direct.

P

 

[Maverick]

I have recently moved into a very modest Meridian system.

Started with a CDP = 506.24 which after hearing one (Andy831) I just had to have to replace my Marantz CDP, it sounds wonderful

then via Wam I acquired a very late 501 pre (501V - seemingly quite a rare thing) as I couldn't find a 502 anywhere, this sounds very nice indeed & excellent condition

being able to level inputs is a neat trick as the system also doubles in the family room for a 2nd tv (NO consoles though) it is simple for others to use the remote

power presently is Quad but am hopefully about to buy a 556 power amp as experience suggests my speaker respond to more power very well and 557 is out of my ££ range, if this is a step too far then Quad 606 is probably the next step.

FWIW

Paul

 

[Mr_Sukebe]

Went through a couple of 203 DACs a few years ago. OK until you compare them to a genuinely natural sounding DAC, at which point the 203s sounded rather synthetic.

Owned a 500 transport until I started using a streamer. Lovely bit of hardware, though for some reason it HATED the Mana amp stand I had. Hated it so much that the oil rig had to go.

More recently, went through a 568.2 to a 568.mm and now have a G68. IMO as good as a high quality stereo DAC, but then also adds in a high quality pre-amp, surround sound capabilities and with the G68 a seemingly benign bass room correction capability. From my own perspective, a positive bargain when you compare to the cost of having separate boxes trying to do the same.

Added a HD621 to enable HD audio from BD. Bugger all use for stereo music and streaming, but mine does make movies sound ace and nicely sorts out multiple HDMI inputs for my projector.

More recently, added a "Sooloos" MC200. Technically, I think it's a optimised small form factor PC, with an industrial reliability hard drive and built in upsampling and apodising. From a useability perspective, makes everything else I've come across look like iron age techology, even the wife loves it's usability. No, it wasn't cheap, but as it was s/h, it's not THAT much more than a good NAS or Imac, runs quiet, and does include Meridian apodising, which I do believe adds value.

Prior to Scalford, have to say that I was rather skeptical of their DSP speakers. The DSP6000s made me think twice and I've now been back to listen to their 7k and 8k range. Presently looking to setup a home dem on some DSP5200s to see how they would compare to my existing horns.

 

[f1eng]

I have used Meridian kit on and off for decades. All I have at the moment are M33s as rear speakers in the video system. I am not using the DVD player or processor at the moment but they are both superb.

I have a Sooloos Control 15 which I hate. I mainly listen to classical music, and of all the streaming systems I have used it most consistently gets the tagging wrong for classical. It is extremely versatile and if I had a spare 30 minutes to an hour to re-tag each ripped CD correctly, so I can find it and the tracks play in the correct order, it would be great. It sounds excellent.

It is perfect for pop music and for when you are looking for ideas on what to listen to next, but I almost never am. I haven't switched it on for several weeks.

I had expected it to be the best streaming solution but, like most it isn't too good for classical without massive intervention and in that respect it is the worst I have tried. It actually tagged one CD as a different recording of the same work, wrong orchestra, wrong conductor, wrong record label...

 

[mroe]

I recently purchased Meridian 24/96 DSP5000 which are an absolute revelation with a Sooloos MS200 direct into the speaker (and an MC200 to store all my CDs). By far the best hifi I have owned and an absolute bargain to boot, given they cost 1,200-1,500 versus the current DSP5200 which are 3,000-4,000 second hand and 7,000 new. Sold all my Sonus Faber and Meridian amps to reach this point.

The convenience and accessibility of Sooloos had increased my music listening by an order of magnitude.

My son has a pair of immaculate 18 bit DSP5000 in his bedroom which connect directly to his computer. Cost 500 and must be the audio bargain of the moment.

Mat

 

[surayne]

The older DSP speakers are great, I had a pair of DSP5000s for a while and was very impressed.

Their power amps are absolutely first-class. I love my 559, it drives pretty much anything and remains neutral.

 

[herbertgoat]

In the early 80s I had a pair of M1 loudspeakers in black ash. Bought second-hand but still a fair wodge for me at the time.

Front end was a Pink Triangle PT Too, hooked up to a Meridian MCA1 (Meridian component amp) used as a preamp only. I changed this to a Pink Triangle PIP preamp after a while, which was significantly better to my ears - much more open.

With the arrival of children and other factors I made the stupid decision to sell the M1s. To this day I'm convinced I haven't heard any loudspeaker that compares, but the brain has a way with memory so who knows....

Since then I've used several makers (Acoustic Energy, Arcam, Linn, Cyrus etc.) but found Naim and PMC to provide the most satisfying and long term systems to my liking.

Having been converted to streaming media for several years now I thought it might be a good time to look at Meridian again, and picked up a second-hand pair of DSP5000s in a nice rosewood finish.

I also "downgraded" from a Naim streamer to a Squeezebox Touch, so my whole system is now just the DSP5000s with the SBT atop the left hand speaker.

Have to say it's absolutely wonderful, and I'm hooked again. The elegance of operation and quality of sound is superb

I'm now on the lookout for a pair of DSP7000s if anyone is lusting after a pair of 8000s

 

[SergeAuckland]

Rather than change the DSP5000s for something larger, I added a pair of D1500 subs and that worked really well with the SBT feeding Input 1 and my ADC into Input 2 for all other sources. I kept those for something mlike 15 years until I fancied changing to my currwent B&Ws. I gave the Meridians to my son, as all his music and films comes off a Media Server, so perfect for that.

I still would love a pair of M10s or M100s. I don't know if they would be any better than I have now, but they would look great.

S

 

[Purite Audio]

So would I!

M1's aren't all that common, I should have kept my M10's aAaaagh if if if !

Keith.

 

[Geoff101]

I bought a set of M20's a few months back and for what I paid, I think they're great. They would do better in a bigger space than I have to offer them but the vocals are lovely and they have surprising depth for their size.

They were my first experience of active speakers.

I also have the component pre-amp that came with them but I don't use it as my Tag AV32R has pre-amp duties and doubles as a DAC.

Geoff

 

[wazza69]

Can I ask - what is the house Meridian sound like compared to say Naim or Linn? Always wanted to hear some but never come across any at the Dealers close to me or shows

 

[Mr_Sukebe]

Can I ask - what is the house Meridian sound like compared to say Naim or Linn? Always wanted to hear some but never come across any at the Dealers close to me or shows

My personal opinion is that the Meridian style of presentation is a lot more "laid back", natural and accurate in it's presentation. On initial listen, a Naim user would probably find it a little bland. Working the other way around, I now tend to find Naim gear sounding synthetic and "unnaturally enhanced", almost like a girl who's been given too much bottox and other plastic surgery.

To further expand that, when I owned Naim, I thought it sounded great with some music (well recorded stuff) but was virtually unlistenable with poor recordings due to being too forward sounding, particularly so on compressed music). I find the more laid back style of Meridian allows a far more consistently "great" sound across pretty much anything.

 

[wino2020]

Well, I'm actually listening to a 200/203 at the moment with Naim kit, half empty glass of red on the table and Clapton at the Albert Hall! Fab! I think Meridian and Naim complement each other well, with the Naim giving that bit of bite which Linn might not, though I suspect this depends on what vintage of Linn you're talking about. Tonight I'm auditioning a Chord pre with the 250 and it sorts out all the (relative) forwardness perfectly. So much so that I need to remind myself that my kit is almost 25 years old!