Meridian Unplugged - Powered by MrTechGuy.co.uk Forums Discussion Meridian - Systems Meridian Wish List

This thread should be broken into a Meridian wish list and a Sooloos wish list.....

Meridian Soundbar.

Like an M80 but the size of say a DSP5200.

Give it DAB+, Sooloos end point and allow it to become a DSP centre when you upgrade to a full M system.

Add Airplay and they could then get distribution through the Apple stores.

The headphone out could double up as a sub out. (wish they would add this to M80 firnware too, so easy to do).


Give it one coax in, one optical in and one HDMI audio in if folk feel it was needed.

Make it the same width as a 42" set and deeper rather than taller.


With Merdians know how regarding height and width DSP it could sound amazing and be a really compact system.

I don't know IF these will be addressed.

1. The high end DACs are now doing DSD and up to 32/384, i kind of doubt Meridian will be supporting these unless the market shifts greatly since it would require backpanel updates, but I'm really concerned about the future of Merdian right now. Yes, obviously most content is still 16/44 for music and 24/96 for high res music and Bluray, but there is an undercurrent of pressure to support DSD. And I know Bob Stuart apposes DSD, but, it's what the market for the high end does.

2. A nice M80 replacement. I could do without a DVD drive to cut costs and i think having the ability to have multiple sources like a computer via USB, coax and other connections in addition to adding AirPlay support for something in the sub-$3000 range would be nice.

3. Again, a really nice soundbar in the sub $4500 (I think it could be done if they used the same technology they use in the Mseries products and did up sampling/apodising filter support.

4. Bluray player? Maybe? If they did, I think they would have to wait until HDMI 2.0 is finalized, it doesn't make sense to do it with HDMI 1.4. IMO.

5. The definitive s/w app for the Director and Explorer devices for OS X, Windows, etc. to leverage the iTunes catalog. I think Meridian should make a nice $150 or less app that is not only easy to use, but great sounding with full functionality of being able to use a remote (BlueTooth and IR), having the best software to have the best sonic qualities. It's been a little nightmare playing around with all of the current s/w apps as there seems to be pros and cons with each. Side Note, with the Director, I've been going back and forth between Amarra and Audirvana. To me, Amarra sounds a little better, but Audirvana I can use a BlueTooth remote to adjust volume, play/next track, etc. Amarra doesn't support fully functionality. For some reason, I'm still at odds on a media player app.

M Bluray player? I'd be astonished. They'd need to buy in the guts of an Oppo, say, to get round the licensing cost. In which case one might as well buy an Oppo.

I would love to see a Meridian solution for a Movie storage solution. Like kalidascape yet more affordable date I say it. I really think this would reclaim their roots in the home cinema market.

I would definitely be interested in such a product so long as it's built on an upgradable architecture to 4k. This is really where Meridian should focus and reflect the roots of the company. The upgradability if the 800 series for example.

I really believe this would be a right direction for Meridian to take. I think they are making the right call to not go into the Bluray market as it's coming to the end soon enough.

I really HOPE that Meridian have sat the Bluray format out in order to FOCUS and deliver a game changer as they have done in previous decades. I think they need something with clout to put their mark on the industry.

+1 on the movie storage

If it is a possibility, being able to have a Sooloos style approach to movies would be fantastic!

Combine a HD621 into the box as well and everything could be controlled through it. (Ok that might be asking a little to much)

Kind regards
David

Additions to the Sooloos public API :

#1 Return content of play queue
#2 Zone off/standby
#3 Read volume and/or mute without first having to change/mute volume first(ie extra return states from $DPT ie !VMU and variation of !VUP/!VDN)
#4 Start swim - opposite of $PSD plus some functionality for managing focus
#5 Set/reset track picks

Resolve:

Fix bug with sending $VUP/$VDN in close succession or at volume extremes when no associated status is returned - prevents workaround to #3

User control of DSP at the speaker enabling room correction (bass, mid-range and treble) and subwoofer integration (cross-over frequency and slope) on an individual, speaker-by-speaker basis.

OK, I have a couple, apart from some of the already excellent suggestions here-

1. How about Trifield capability for the reference stereo setup (i.e. 818). This is totally distinct from full-on multichannel for movie soundtracks, etc. and would be a card which would add a digital centre o/p and requisite processing. Trifield is basically a stereo enhancement (according to M's literature anyway?) and it would be interesting to hear a reference version through the 818, especially since Sooloos is currently still 2-ch. Reasons are that it feels like it's been a bit abandoned, but if taken to 818 standards might be amazing, and it's something fairly unique to Meridian as far as I'm aware. Also for 2-ch users, it might be good to have a centre, even if you don't want surrounds and subs filling the room.

2. I've said this before, but I would really love to see some kind of MRC for stereo listening, again (purely selfishly as a card for the 818, perhaps in conjunction with the above. The reason is simple - stereo, 2ch people have room problems with bass modes, etc. too!

James

Your (2) is exactly the kind of situation I was considering with my suggestion as well as supporting better MRC generally by removing some of the load from a multi-channel pre-pro (though I had not considered the potential processing latency issues until after I posted). We of course already have potential in EBA.

Re your (1), don't underestimate the importance of the surround channels in Trifield. The 'Tri' refers, I believe, to dimensions rather than three speakers. As you point out in your post in the Sooloos Line Update thread - there is always the 861 for that...

I'm sure if you asked Meridian, they will tell you there is no audible difference in 'Direct' mode between a 818v2 and 861v8 using the ID41 as an input. Some might dispute that but if the factory thinks that, why would they want to miss out on the sale of a 861v8 by adding extra DSP to the 818v2?

Conversely, if the 818 is a joke at the expense of people who dispute the above, why dilute it?

Yes, that's exactly what I was saying in the other thread - that it's my understanding that the 861v8 in direct with Sooloos should sound the same as an 818v2 using the same, so it would be more cost effective for the o/p to upgrade his 861v6 than buy an 818.

I wasn't suggesting that the 818 is a joke at anyone's expense, I own one! I just think that there might be room for, possibly Trifield, and definitely MRC in a '2-channel' environment, that's all. The 861 contains a *lot* of other features above and beyond those, mainly to do with true multichannel movie soundtracks, etc., which obviously goes towards much of the extra cost.