Meridian Unplugged - Powered by MrTechGuy.co.uk Forums Discussion Meridian - Systems Long cables options and audio quality

Seeking your experience ...

I want to make a second audio zone and these are the options I'm considering:

A) A 20 m long SL cable
B) Via a 218 or MS200 to a pair of DSP5000.
C) Dante AVIO AES3 IO Adapter Datasheet

So my question here:

1) What's your experience here about the Audio quality with that kind of cable length?
2) Audio quality compared to A)?
3) Audio quality?

Thanks for any info,
Robert

HI Robert,
Try it and send us your results.

Thanks for your help

HI Robert,

I've previously used an old video/audio distribution amplifier to distribute digital audio around the house using some legacy RGBHV video cables fitted under the floor. I've used the digital output of a MS600 (or the Zone outputs from a G68ADV) with cable runs of over 20m to the digital input on a G91A feeding a pair of DSP5000's. I've never had any concerns about the audio quality.

This system has largely been superseded by MS200 network zones (via CAT5) for Sooloos but I don't recall any audible differences between the networked MS200 and the 'distributed' digital input on the G91A/DSP5000 combination.

I don't think the length of a 20m SpeakerLink cable is an issue for audio, so the main factor might be based on what level of 'control' you want within the zone, where a 218 might be handy.

Brian

SpeakerLink over 20 Metres is not unreasonable.

Alternatively, you might investigate the possibility of utilising dual RJ-45 to Fibre Optical converters over longer distances.

The caveat is that I’m not aware of anyone who has done this.

Still, for <£60, you might discover that experimenting with 2 x TP-Link units might be worth the risk. If it doesn’t work, return the items to Amazon.

Hi Robert,

I can comment on this option ...

I used to have my rear rear speakers (DSP7200.2s) connected via a SpeakerLink draped across the floor (861 to DSP and then DSP to DSP) the cable lengths were 12 and 4 metres respectively.

However, this arrangement did not go down well at home, so I had to move them... which involved some tortuous cable routing (inside walls, ceiling void, and back down the walls again),
Now I have two 20 meter cat7 cables with each one running back to the 861, very reliable ... no SQ issues.

That said, I think this second zone you speak of will have a pair of DSP5000s, which have SPDIF+COMMS inputs not SpeakerLink ... so I'm not sure of the relevance of your option A (or C) in this setup.
Could you clarify please with more system details (what is the source and what speaker do you wish to use), I feel I'm misunderstanding something.

Regards,
Carl

In my room the left, center and right speakers have SpeakerLink runs in excess of 20 meters. The rear speakers are 15 meters. No sound quality issues at all.
I have heard of installations with SpeakerLink runs exceeding 50 meters with no problems.

I’m sure RJ45 (SL) cables will do the trick for the extended distance, but for the record, I have been using the TP link fiber converters successfully for several years.

What happens to control signals once you convert from SL RJ45 to fiber and back again? Does volume up & down work the same way?

I run Cat6a SL 75 feet to L, C, R speakers without issue, but never thought to use an optical connection.

I actually misspoke. I was thinking of the RJ45 signal to the end point. I will have to test the boxes and fiber when used as SpeakerLink.

I honestly don't think the TP-Link can work with Speakerlink (the audio side of Speakerlink is effectively balanced SPDIF and the control side of the communication is similar to RS232). While the TP-Link converts media from copper to optical (and v.v.), under the covers it's an ethernet receiver/transmitter that only understands L2 ethernet packets - the audio and communication signals from the Meridian would just look like noise.

Personally, I wouldn't want to try it in case the way the physical RJ45 connector is wired (the connector is about the only bit that's the same) shorts something out, leading to a very expensive experiment!

First of all-thanks for your help here - I like it.

Just to make it clear:
1) Audio room (main zone)
Trinnov AL32 source with Roon over the 271 interface for my Meridian speakers

2) Sleeping room (Second zone - no need to play simultan with zone1)
2xDSP5kC
Installed is a Cat 7 cable from zone1 to zone2
My concern was about the audio quality for the long cable, therefore I asked about the three choices A, B and C in my first post.

3) The effort for the different choices wasn't important at that point, as first priority are to get the infos about the absolute audio quality of the three options.

Conclusions after all the input and experience from the HH here.
As the sound quality with the Cat cable has no issues I will:
I will go direct from the 271 outputs (one of A/B/C/D) over the Cat7 cable to zone 2.
At the master speaker is a Reviver, so all audio and com are done for the master speaker.
Then one S5 cable from master to the slave, so both speakers are fully supported.

Option:
When I temporary install the AL32 (just for room calibration) in zone 2, I can optimize the sound here!
After that measurements the AL32 go back to zone1.
(All that is necessary as it makes no sense-not possible - to run 25m long microphone cable from zone 1 to zone 2)

So thanks again for your help here

At the moment I run this solution:
Network cable from router upstairs to zone2 into the MS200.
SL output from the MS200 to the Reviver input and Reviver outputs to the master DSP5kC.
Then the S5 slave cable from master to the slave.

Will report later about the sound differences and the difference remote service via iPad and MSR.