Meridian Unplugged - Powered by MrTechGuy.co.uk Forums Discussion Meridian - Systems how good is DAC/preamp part of G68?

Anybody did a test of G68 vs hi-end DACs and preamps?
After last evaluation of DSP7000 i have decided to keep conventional speakers for stereo (and ordered Vandersteen Quatro). I have only digital sources and do not plan to revoke vinyl.
Now i need to decide if G68 really limits me in regards of stereo. Will i gain substantially in sound quality if i buy in addition high quality DAC for stereo music and preamp with HT bypass.
What is your expirience?

Separate question - is 861 much better than G68 in analog sound. To what devices it can be compared?

I like my Audio Aero Prima mkII DAC/preamp better than the G68. In short, the AA gives more depth to the presentation.

What I gather from people here and elsewhere who've heard both is that the 861 may be very subtly better than the G68 for 2 ch. music, but is more or less in the same ballpark.

thanks for input. what other DACs have you tried? i am thinking about EmmLabs DCC2SE DAC/pre.

I use a TacT Mini in another setup, and had an EMM DCC2 briefly -- make sure you get the SE if you go that route. Also have a Cary 303/200 CD player that has a coax input -- I like really like the transparent, dynamic and even bold presentation of this unit.

so Audio Aero Prima betters DCC2?

IvanFX, why did you evaluate DSP7000 and not DSP7200 which is current? I'm not saying it would have had another outcome, but it is an improved design. Probably quite a bit more refined and transparent.

On regards to DAC's vs G68 etc. I have a friend that fed the analog outputs of his Benchmark DAC into his G68 and he experienced a subjective improvement vs connecting the digital source directly into the G68. The G68 is a very transparent device and lets the "character" if you will of the separate DAC go seamlessly through, very peculiar!

Also the digital balanced output of an 808.2 into a pair of DSP7200 might be a very strong setup. But I think you mentioned using the Sonos as transport in another thread so this might not be an option for you. I'm still waiting for an M solution Audio Video Client worthy, but for now my Trends UD10.1 will have to do. I have put every CD/DVD/Blu-Ray in case logic cases and will only bring them out for ripping.

Juggle around with CD/DVD/Blu-Ray cases is not something my generation fancies, we R.I.P. them

Because i leave in Russia and DSP7200 are not yet available for demo!

I didn't like DSP7000, but not for tonal balance or transparency. I decided they lack a bit in musicality and involvement (compared to Vandersteen Quatro, which i prefer).
For example, i have now Plinius SA-102 and Meridian G57 amps. Plinius is better in terms of transparency and sharpness. But i still prefer G57 as for its "drive".

Ivan,

I have done a test between an 861V4 analog out against a top preamp the McIntosh C2200 with great tubes and the 861V4 outperformed the dedicated Preamp in using the Trifield mode.

Is it fair to compare Stereo against enhanced stereo that includes the center speaker. Well, the result is what counts and the 861V4 as a preamp is very strong and no comparison from what I have heard to the G68. This is due to the Analog CArds OA13 192HZ XLR which is not offered in the G68.

So saying they are close is not possible. These cards are superb and I listen to analog Trifield and sold off my C2200 Preamp after A/B comparison.

One of the finest Preamps I have heard period.

Which G68 did you use? The G68XXV should have comparable 192kHz XLR DACs. Even the 568 on XLR outputs did very similar to 861 XLR.

George,

I said "I heard" not I tried......

I was told by Meridian Tech's that the AO13 Card and the 861 were superior to the G68 as I was interested in both and wanted to take a decision between the 2 based on analog performance.

I went with the 861 based on that reference.

However, the question was has anybody compared either the 861 or G68 to a good preamp and since I had, I put in my 2 cents.

The 861 as a Preamp is the only processor I have owned that actually crossed over and could do both after owning Lexicon 12B, and many other top Processors including Krell, Parasound, McIntosh, Anthem etc...

when you say "should be comparable" are you saying the AO13 is exactly the same as the G68XXV then ?

mine is G68ADV, so 861+OA13 is another possible way of upgrade. many good power amps work better through balanced input.

In every way I've tested the G68 it is the same as the 861. I would expect the XLR to be no different. I've owned an 861 with AO13 boards and the 568 did just as well on the Front XLR as the 861 did on XLR (this was driving B&W N803's with Krell KAV Amps). I would expect the G68 XLR's to be at the same level as well. The G68 has 192Khz on all ADC's and all DACs on all models. At even the $10k price point Meridian has to put their best foot forward in order to compete with other $10k processors like Lexicon. What you mostly get with the 861 is upgradability. But in many respects the G68 is ahead of the 861 because the 861 is overdue for an upgrade. A 568 is an 861 V3 in a fixed cost reduced box. The G68 is an 861 V4 in a fixed cost reduced box (several G68 models represent several 861 configurations). The DACs are similar in their speakers as well. It's really vintage that's critical. I suspect the low end 3100 has the same dacs as the 5200. But the 5200 is a better cabinet with bigger amps and drivers. I'm sure the 5000, 6000, 5500 all have the same DACs too but hugely different price points. If Meridian decides to put apodizing filters in their processors the 861 will probably be the first exclusive processor to get it. Those are the types of things you get with the 861. And probably 6 mo to a year later a new G68 model will probably get the same feature. The problem is the "pipeline" of the 861 staying ahead has been stalled for a bit with HDMI and Meridian regrouping/reorging.