Meridian Unplugged - Powered by MrTechGuy.co.uk Forums Discussion Meridian - Systems Integrating SE speakers with G61R using bits and pieces

Working with a friend to try to use connection remnants of my previous G61R + LPS system to integrate his DSP7200SE fronts and DSP5200HCSE into a good but now budget-constrained surround system. Looking for input on whether the connections will work as shown below:

System config:
DSP5200HCSE set as master, all other speakers slaves
G61R L/R coax out to AC12 SPDIF in
G61R Comms out to AC12 master DIN comm in using C5 cable
AC12 SL out to left DSP7200SE, and then SL out to right DSP7200SE
G61R to DSP5200HCSE using center coax out to digital input on DSP5200 and comms out to 511 patch box using BNC to DIN cable and then 511 to comms input on DSP5200 using DIN to BNC cable.
DSP5200HCSE comms out to 511 using BNC to DIN cable
Connect legacy DSP surrounds & subs with G61R using S-leads & 511 as future finances allow.

This arrangement isn't optimal (611 box would be cleaner for sure) but would be the least expensive route given available resources.

He wants to purchase a 218 down the line to connect the fronts for MQA capability, so please let us know what connections/cables would suffice for that (and free up the AC12 for a more elegant DSP5200HCSE connection). With the 218 feeding the DSP7200SEs we know left DSP7200 becomes master, not the center channel. Open to suggestions, thanks in advance.

In this situation, you don't need to have the AC12's at all.

G61 coax BNC comms to center, BNC coax comms from center to first 7200. SpeakerLink from first 7200 to second, this connection will carry comms and digital signals
G61 RCA digital to center and RCA digital to first 7200.
Set center as master, set first 7200 as slave left or right coax, set second 7200 as RJ45 left or right slave.

When or if he buys a 218, set both 7200's to RJ45 in and set up D2 for the input from the G61. Set the ir mode of the 218 for auto. 218 will output SpeakerLink to the 7200 and the G61will be on D2

Bruce, Can you easily switch from SL input (218) to coax D2 and back again using only the remote control? If so, how is that done?

I also own a 61R without SpeakerLink, a 218 and SEs across the front, but use AC11 and mechanical RJ45 switches believing that the 75 ft distance between electronics and speakers calls for SL sound quality over SPDIF coax. Justified?

Pretty sure that properly set up all could be done with the MSR remote. I would have to mock it up to be sure. of course the 218 can be set to passthrough all other sources on the Coax digital in. Doing so requires a comms return and setting all the other sources in the 218 to digital in, leaving only SLS set to default

Bruce, thanks for information, especially about using MSR to toggle between RJ45 and D2 inputs on 7200 with a 218 in the mix.

I am confused about setup using BNC comm out from 5200 to 7200- I don't see a comm return path from the center master back to the G61, so unsure how the G61 will be able complete the comm network to control the whole system consisting of fronts, center, surrounds and subs. In my previous legacy systems, the comms from all the DSP speakers connected through a 511 S-patch box which included a S-lead return from center master comm out. That's why proposed setup used BNC to DIN conversion cables and home run from G61 to 7200s instead of daisy-chain off 5200. Old Dog Can uses the 611 for his legacy-SL mix of speakers, but same principle. Could loop be completed with a comm out from slave 7200 to 511 using a BNC to DIN cable? (but we don't have anything long enough).

What am I missing here?

Hi,

With regard to the comms return, Bruce was referring to a system with a 218 included. To get MQA to the speakers, the 218 has to be installed between* the processor and the front speakers (i.e. the L&R output from the processor goes into the 218). This setup requires a comms return back to the processor in order to properly control the rest of the system. You also need to make some adjustments to the delay times to the speakers to account for the addition of the 218.

(*I'm not sure if that is still the case with the new SE speaker firmware _ any thoughts Bruce?)

Brian

The wiring scenario I suggested is for daisy chaining comms which negates the need for a patch box which is completely apprpriate for a DSP front three. The 511 patch box made home running comms easier.especially. when using oem Meridian cables. BNC coax cables are cheap and easy to make to lentgh so a clean installation is possible. The locking BNC connectors cannot be pulled out and master/slave cables become irrelevant. If you use the 218 in a D1/D2 configuration delays are not an issue. When you use it as a passthrough, that is when a comms return comes into play and the speaker delays need to be adjusted.

My experience is limited to a 2 channel SL system and several non-SL home theater systems using oem cables to legacy speakers, so glad to learn what I was missing about SL and BNC connections. Also good to learn that for multichannel you do not have to first pass through front RCA outputs from G61R into 218, as was my impression from earlier threads dating back to the introduction of the 218. It looks like it is possible to run 2 parallel systems: a MQA system using SL from 218 into RJ45 input of 7200s and a multichannel system using G61R front RCA coax out into D2 on 7200, with MSR toggling between the 2 systems. I am not clear on how you "type" the 7200s so they know how to behave within these 2 systems.

What I think is missing so far in the discussion is how to connect the G61R not just with 3 SL- enabled speakers up front but also with a full surround system using legacy sides/rears/subs. Can that be done without a (511 not 611) patch box and at least some oem comm cables?

You can still daisy chain comms for as many soeakers as you sustem needs. The 7200's can be type as 6 or type 1. They will sound and react the same either way. I believe type 6 only allows them to be configured as sides or rears. In any case they will still respond to the left and right digital speaker as appropriate.

Hoping to bring clarity to toggling between a stereo 218 SL system and a mixed surround with SE fronts:

Left front Master has SL from 218 and coax input from 61R plus BNC for comms from 61R, outputs all to right front including BNC

Center has coax in from from 61R and BNC from right front, BNC comms returns to 61R

-or the SL in star configuration can also serve from 218 and a device like AC11 for center

Sound right?

Sounds about right.

Bruce, because of my patch box/home run experience limitation, I am unsure how to implement the daisy chain method. You showed how to daisy chain front 3 SL speakers. For legacy surrounds and subs which only have DIN comms no BNC like some of the ones we have (e.g. DSP33, DSP5000C, D1500), it doesn't seem possible to continue daisy chaining off the slave DSP7200 comm output without converting from BNC to DIN at least once somewhere in the chain before proceeding through the rest of the chain with legacy DIN comm cables. One place I could see that happening without a long BNC to DIN conversion cable (which we would have to get made) would be a BNC comm out from slave DSP7200 to BNC comm input on a centrally placed SW1600 which has BNC comm in and DIN comm out (would connect to another sub or surround next in chain). Since the digital outs from each channel on the G61R are connected as "home runs' to each surround/sub speaker pair which are located at some distance from the G61R (up to 45' run for rear surrounds), we would be using S-leads anyway carrying both digital and comm since we already have a good supply of long S-leads. So I am unsure about the advantage of daisy chain vs home run plus 511 in this mixed SL-legacy system. Need more enlightenment!