Meridian Unplugged - Powered by MrTechGuy.co.uk Forums Discussion Meridian - Systems DSP5500.2 vs DSP5200.2 5.1 HT setup?

The 3300 is a great speaker but I’ve not heard it in same room as 5200 but I recon it would give a 5200HC a run for its money or even beat it.

I was expecting the 3300 to be a modern 33, but I remember being taken totally aback when I saw it. It was not what I was expecting. The pictures do not do it justice. Far more than a 33/3100/3200 replacement. Almost a completely different line. More like a 5200 in non tower format.

Just my impressions on seeing/hearing one many years ago.

Thanks to all. Still thinking ))

And is it possible to make 3200+3300 as one center speaker?

5200 = front, 3300+3200 (2pcs) = center?

Yes you can,but what's the point?

I seem to remember advice from way back against using two speakers to make up a centre. I think it was down to having two tweeters, which would cause "comb effect" ie unpleasant phase effects in the treble region which are apparent when moving one's head even slightly at the listening position.

Cheers

George

I remember using two M30’s either side of my TV as a Center, to great effect years ago. Admittedly I had some lead for screening as otherwise it would distort the CRT image... People said at the time I may get Comb effect but I didn’t.

Suck it and see I suppose.

Greater SPL.

I’ve not seen or heard 3300s in the flesh, my only thought would be that, to my ears, the DSPs with wide range drivers instead of a true tweeter didn’t have quite the purity and subtlety of the classic DSPs. Those are only my impressions after listening to 3200s and M6s a couple of times (the 3200s in direct comparison with 5200s).

The 3300 makes a nice centre on a smaller system, it’s a very nice speaker indeed, but it definitely falls short compared to the DSP5200HC. The 5200 is cleaner and more present.

I have both, and have tried both paired with DSP5200 and DSP3100HC’s as mains.

The 3100HC as mains with 3300 centre works REALLY well (especially with L+R subs).

The 5200 mains with 5200HC centre just works perfectly, with a DSW.

Cheers,
Jason.

+1 I have demoed this setup and agree it’s very good.

I have always used two speakers as centers both before and after Meridian systems.

My main aim was to as close as possible try to match the centers to the left and right speakers, trying to mirror tonality and SPL, especially for HT where the center(s) play such a crucial role particularly with dialogue.

From my limited experience I have found that in most cases the front and left speakers dominate a single specific center, even of the same speaker level, ie 5200/5200HC, this would seem natural with the differing speaker configuration and volume output.

If there are drawbacks to identical center(s) to L & R speakers I have not found them yet.

Gerard.

Hi Gerard

Well, between your experience and Chris' above, that may give AntonP confidence to go ahead. I've never tried two centres myself, just recalling the discussion from a few years back (which, as Chris says, was probably about his own system plans at the time!)

Cheers

George