Meridian Unplugged - Powered by MrTechGuy.co.uk Forums Discussion Meridian - Systems New Product - Meridian Audio Ellipse

Not the most detailed of photos, but here is a picture of one out in the wild

Hifi Plus Munich coverage (need to scroll to near the bottom)

Some encouraging words as well.

I definitely think the hand of Allen is missing here.

I have been looking for just this product but have found that an F80 and Bluesound Node is impossible to beat for the price (recently did this combo for my mum for <£450). The functionality of the Node is great. Bluesound seem to be the only ones that give you sufficient presets and non-app means to reach them.

Irritating; they managed to include Tidal Connect but somehow can’t manage to update the 210 to include Tidal Connect.

I totaly agree with you.

How long have we been waiting for a successor to the M80/F80? Better late then never, I guess. I'd like to see how this stacks up against the Naim Mu-so, Sonus Faber Ombia and other premium "lifestyle" wireless speakers.

But frankly, I'd be more excited if Meridian came out with a speaker to complete against the KEF LS50W II, the Sonus Faber Duet and Dynaudio Focus 10. An updated and wireless version of the DSP3200, perhaps with a matching wireless subwoofer.

+1

Personally, I think a 3100/3200 hybrid (3200 cabinet, but dedicated tweeter + mid-bass driver, rather than the wideband driver). The usual wired Meridian connections, but also analogue and wireless. DSW works fine as a sub already, so no need to reinvent that.

As an option, an updated AC200, which is a nice design aesthetically, to do HDMI and other connectivity, and perhaps leverage a Meridian USP with 3-channel only Trifield (which also sells another speaker as an upgrade at a later date).

An updated DSP3300 would be more suited for this - with a display.

I’ve long thought an AC200 replacement along the design ethos of the Linn Selekt would be most welcome. Some of their units can be upgraded with alternative modules to facilitate a basic 5.1 based system.

Hi All,

We will be receiving our first shipment of the new Meridian Audio Ellipse next week.
I'm looking forward to hearing a full production unit as my auditions of pre-production models to date have been amazing.

For any of you who like the idea of the Ellipse, but would like to hear one just to be sure, then I'm happy to offer a full 30 day, no-quibble, money back guarantee.
I will even cover the cost of return shipping to us should you decide it's not for you.

Please PM or email me to place your order, £1,900 to include shipping.

Rick

Have these landed with you yet and if so what’s the verdict?

We've has ours and I would say it's a superb product. Obviously not cheap but nothing made in this country ever is.

The DSP technology is mightily impressive though and it creates a huge sound stage with the Bass and Space modes.

I'm definitely replacing my F80 with one.

Highly recommended.

Cheers

Richard.

I have just returned from Sevenoaks in Reading (Thanks Richard) after a very long lunch break to listen to this and so it’s quite fresh in the mind.

Though I haven’t yet bought one I am definitely going to do so in the next month or so once house renovations allow me a room to put it in.

I had wanted to listen to my F80 as a reference point this morning but that appears to have succumbed to the fuse issue, that being said it hasn’t been that long since I last heard it.

Meridian have pretty much taken the F80 and tipped it backwards, placing the drivers on what would be bottom. The old dimensions are very close (F80 - 408 x 230 x 185 vs Ellipse 410 x 219 x 163) so 2 cm wider, 1cm deeper and 2cm shorter if you were to place them side by side in the F80 stance. With this in mind it allows you to make a very clear comparison between what Meridian have achieved since the F80 and packing it all in to the same sized chassis is to my eyes a very subtle nod to this.

Out of the box settings wise it sounds superb but leaps up significantly in the Bass / Width(I think thats what it is called) mode set to Medium. If you were in any way impressed with the F80 you will be extremely impressed with the Ellipse. The soundstage pushes moves 5 feet out to the left and right and the bass extension drops down impressively low given it’s size.

Clearly it’s not going to go toe to toe with it’s bigger cousins in the scale department but on the detail and vocals it’s really really impressive.

Volume wise it goes loud and it’s only when it’s at levels that you wouldn’t sustain for long does it start to become less composed.

I listened to:

London Grammar - Hey Now (Does really well with the bass drop and the decay/detail on the opening bars is impressive)
Rag and Bone Man - Skin (State of the Ark Studios Live). This can be found as a video on Tidal and also on YouTube though the Tidal version is much better. The vocals on this are huge and on the Ellipse sounds amazing with a huge sound stage.
Dire Straits - Brothers In Arms - Really impressive and tons of detail.
Freya Ridings - Lost Without You - Really impressive, good bass and alot of detail on the pianos. I noticed a mis note partway through which I haven’t noticed before and just had to re listen to this on my Flare headphones and sure enough there it is.
Joe Bonamassa - Blues Deluxe - Guitars sound amazing and Joes vocals are front, centre and prominent, sounds great!
Deadmau5 - The Veldt - Wasn’t expecting much from this owing to the bass heavy content but what a surprise.

Essentially if you have an F80 and were curious, you can do absolutely no wrong in trading up, it’s a huge leap in performance. If you haven’t got an F80 but wanted a system that is both very pleasing to eye and would blend in to any room plus give you the impression you were listening to a much bigger system it’s a no brainer.

I bought my son a Denon CEOL N10 which is a little lifestyle system along with some Wharfdale speakers that probably cost around the £600 mark to put together but is a much larger system and more difficult to accomodate. This completely knocks the spots off it and at a fraction of the footprint. Granted the price differential but I actually think it is worth it.

Sounds like it’s a very good system, I can’t wait to hear one!

Comparisons-wise, though, you’re in Kef LS50 Wireless II territory, and a good deal of other competitors, so these would be fairer to compare than the Denon.

It’s a tricky market segment for a straight comparison. There’s only other lifestyle systems of a similar one box design and absolutely none of them come close and it’s a bit unfair to try and pick other multi box setups in that price bracket as 2k buys a lot of kit. It’s definitely aimed at those who picked up the F80’s at release and who are pleased with it. If you sit in this demographic and you’d consider a listen, you’ll be delighted.

My comparing the multi box setup is more a size/bulk to performance comparison.

If you had a room where the aesthetics won’t accommodate boxes or if the Partner Acceptance Factor is too… prominent, this would easily pass muster and you wouldn’t feel like you’d compromised much. If you can accommodate a proper stereo pair, one box systems are probably not going to be on your radar.

That said, checking the spec, it will go down to 40hz at -3db… vs 54hz at -3db for the KEF’s. Not heard the KEF’s though.