Meridian Unplugged - Powered by MrTechGuy.co.uk Forums Discussion Meridian - Streaming MS200/MS600/ID41 comparison

Just a quick report. First some disclaimers:

- Testing was totally non-blind. Tough

- I used Toslink from MS200 and Coax from MS600 because I didn't have time to mess around with getting two SL Sooloos systems and the ID41 to all work at the same time through the same processor.

- The testing was done through an 861v8 which as the top M processor is likely to be most immune to the differences in jitter. Differences may be more apparent with other M processors.

I could detect a difference between MS200 and MS600 (both set to upsample as usual) but only in some material. Acoustic recordings (such as Rattle's Mahler 2, a CD I've owned since 1989 and which I use as one of my main test discs) show a more substantial image and better imaging with MS600. However, listening to non-acoustic (Melody Gardot, another oft-played test disc) the difference was not really detectable. As mentioned, into a different processor the difference may be clearer.

The jump from MS600 to ID41 is clear in all material. The ID41 gives a huge soundstage, clearer imaging, better separation of instruments, and more realistic timbres.

Summary: if you have a 568 or G-series processor and want to get the best out of Sooloos, audition the MS600 against the MS200 in your system. Depending on your system and listening preferences, it may be a worthwhile upgrade. Or not.

PS: In analogue, into my Stax headphones, the differences between MS200 - without Prime PSU - and MS600 are obvious. For analogue usage the MS200 is convenient but the MS600 is far superior, sounding wonderful into the Staxes.

Thanks for sharing, Ludwig.

Great comparison - thanks for sharing!

Super helpful. Thanks!

It would be interesting to examine the differential between the MS200 and the MS600 straight into big DSPs. Is it possible that the 861v8 is tending to mask the differences because it deals very well with what is presumably a lesser quality signal from the MS200?

Do you think that upsampling has a similar effect in apparently reducing the differences between sources?

Nice review. Thanks for sharing.

I believe you had an ID40 in your old 861v4. To the extent you can compare, where would you put it?

Thanks

Can either the MC200 and MS600 be used with a ID41 (i.e. connected to 818 ID41)?
If so, is there a difference in SQ between the MC200 or MS600 as a source to the ID41)?

Hi

Any Sooloos Core/Store combination can be used with an ID41.
So yes to the MC200.

However, the MS600 is a Sooloos Source (Audio Endpoint) and thus would not be used with an ID41 card, unless of course one wanted a second Sooloos zone for an independent system in another room.

Regards,
Carl

Carl,

Thank you for the quick response. I did get a little lost there. My question should have been whether there is a difference in the SQ between the MD600 and the MC200 when used just a a source to the ID41 card?

It's a short answer, no.

Regards,
Carl

Cool. Thanks.