Meridian Unplugged - Powered by MrTechGuy.co.uk Forums Discussion Meridian - Systems 218 vs 818 into 5200SE/7200SE

I am new to the Meridian world. I am shopping for 2nd hand 5200SE or 7200SE to get my feet wet. Is there a difference in sound quality between the 218 & 818 if only using Roon + DSP speakers as opposed to using analog outputs?

Yes the 818 will sound better. Less so if you use a separate PS with a 218 using a modification described elsewhere here...

The 818 also handles higher res inputs on it's coax, SpeakerLink and USB inputs if that's of interest to you (though what goes out to the speakers is a little more of a mystery).

In a direct comparison, 818v3 is better. Many say that if you add a good external linear PSU to the 218 it is better sounding than a stock unit, I can’t comment on this as I’ve not heard it myself. YMMV.

Mesmo - The specs look the same on the data sheets. Am I missing something?

I do realize the 818 has a USB input that the 218 is missing. That alone might make the decision for me as I still use a PC with JRiver more often than Roon.

Also - how do you like the DSP9? That might be my ultimate model if I decide to rebuild my main system around a Meridian DSP speaker when I move next year.

I have had the 218 playing 24/192khz over optical (and coax if memory serves me right) after reading somewhere on this forum that its is capable of doing that. As for comparison in sound quality the 818 sounds better then the 218 when I compared them. Although others stated that the sound the same.

I still have a pair of 5200SE and love them as amazing for their size and price, but the 9’s are something else.

After more than a year of almost-daily sonic adventures with these beauties, I can’t help but grin and shake my head in disbelief. Wonderful speakers.

One thing I would mention about the 818v3 is that the Network (Roon) input sounded much better than the USB input. If you go down the 818v3 route, budget for and use Roon to get the absolute best sound quality from it.

That said, ultimately a better DSP makes more difference than the endpoint. E.g., if you had the budget, I suspect e.g., 7200SE+218 will likely be better than 5200SE+818v3… DSP9 is probably on a different planet. I haven’t head the 9s yet, but having heard the 8000XE, the new DSPs are really amazing, I must say.

There are so few reviews of the DSP9. Could you describe the difference to the classic DSPs (including SEs)?

Here’ a re-post of what I said here last November:

“I’ve been living with the serial #3 pair for 10 months now … and am still amazed every time I fire them up. Coherency from the top down to the bottom of the earth anchors the soundstage with such realism that I’m often startled by unexpected sounds that appear out of nowhere anywhere around me.

-And none of the subwoofer setups I’ve enjoyed over the years ever gave music that kind of tangible foundation to establish the live performance venue, or whatever sonic space engineers had created in the studio. Really Unreal!”

The all-frequency coherence and surprising clarity deliver a 3D soundstage which seems to become even more tangible with my eyes open…

Very cool.

How do you find them tonally vs 5200SE?

After getting some sleep, I see now how my description can just read as hyperbole for someone who doesn’t know the sound of Special Edition. Another attempt:

1) XE, including the 9s, have new analog electronics and software platform which provide greater clarity. -And much more amplifier power to deliver music with solid presence and authority.
2) New drivers include the midrange and a beryllium tweeter mounted in a custom waveguide which conspire with the active crossovers to appear seamless, even off axis. I find DSP9 easier to place in the room, less picky about toe-in for example.
3) There are 2 DACs for the 4 “subsonic” woofers so that the left pair move in concert with the right pair inside a sealed enclosure. Again, more coherent. SE have ports which can make them somewhat more efficient but detract from the tight bottom end that I find so thrilling. No, they don’t move as much air as their larger brethren -but that compromise allowed me to get this substantial investment past the Financial Committee. While still large (and heavy) from my spouse’s perspective, they aren’t monsters dominating our living room.