Meridian Unplugged - Powered by MrTechGuy.co.uk Forums Discussion Meridian - Systems Which processor/direction is right for me?

hi. My first post on this wonderful forum (God knows I'm on plenty others, but this is a first). I have a quick background sketch before I ask the title question.

I have significant $$ invested in both a dedicated 5.1 hirez ITU setup (identical SP Tech Continuum/Revelation setup; large SACD/DVD-A collection) and a 7.1 movie setup (swap out surrounds for side and rear dipole Alon Centris's). I have a dedicated room, etc. But somehow over the past few years the quest for the latest and greatest audio codecs sent me to a very average sounding place (for 5.1 and 7.1; my 2 channel is heaven) for surround music. I used to listen to hirez (SACD/DVD-A) via a very analog signal path (Modwright Denon 3910 universal, tube-modded, etc. talking to any one of a number of processors in my multichannel life...none of which were Meridian though). My room is nicely treated (RealTrap bass traps, diffusors, first reflection zone panels, etc.) and is screaming for the musicality that comes from my 2 channel listening. Currently I only use the Modwright 3910 analog outs for 2 channel hirez; everything multichannel is via HDMI (Oppo 980H and Sammy 1400 blu-Ray, and my Onkyo Pro 885 processor). So, the good news is I get to decode everything known to man (except Ambisonics) including all the latest advanced audio codecs; the bad news is that hirez surround music sounds very very average.

I have two solutions. I need help on the second one!! The first is to have Dan Wright look into simple parts upgrades (opamps, etc.) to mod the Onkyo Pro's analog outs. The 885 fits the bill in all other ways, including having dual balanced/unbalanced outputs so I can run my side surround and dedicated hirez surrounds with the same output (although both the 4 channel side/back amp and the dedicated stereo hirez surround amp are NEVER on at the same time).

The second solution is less straight-forward but after much pondering is likely the best sonically, albeit primarily 5.1 discrete (7.1 via matrixing). It involves having my Oppo modded by Shawn, buying a Panny 55 blu-Ray player and having Shawn mod it too, and then finding a Meridian processor that has a) dual MHR 3xspdif inputs; and b) the ability to have balanced outs to everything and rca outs to at least the surrounds (else I would need to y-out the side/surround outputs I guess, and my current 4 channel movie surround amp is not fitted with XLR's; everything else is). Does this config exist in a G68AXV or XXV, or something else? Is there a version limitation to what I want to do if choosing an 861 via Audiogon, etc.?

BTW, the reason I'm not thinking CLUX with an HDMI switcher in front of it is because of the handshake issues it might have with my DLP projector, a Sammy 710 DVI-based pj. Currently I simply use an HDMI-DVI adapter at the pj and all handshakes are perfect. But the CLUX might throw up on this...dunno.

Sorry for the ramble. If this makes any sense I'd love some opinions or direction. Thanks,
Ted

Hi Ted and welcome to the forum!

All G6x processors have two 3x SPDIF inputs. Take a look at my "Processor 101" in the Wiki. The table of current G68 variants should help you with the numbers of balanced vs. unbalanced outputs.

http://www.meridianunplugged.com/wiki/index.php/Processor%20101

Edit: The AXV or newer AXD would seem to fit the bill. You may be able to find an AXV available second-hand, if this is important.

Ted
Keep it simple
Go back to basics
A pair of M DSP speakers with some M processer listened nearfield will restore hope.
Then go Trifield and relax/
Roger

VK,
Thanks for that. It looks like there are no variations in the G68 that allow dual surround outputs so i am relegated to y-adapters regardless (which is not a show stopper by any means). Also I will look into what cards are required in the 861 variant, but I'm a little confused by one thing. In a PM to Kal Rubinson (Stereophile, Music In The Round reviewer) he recommended I stay away from anything earlier than V4 due to MRC and 24//192 dacs. However, some reports, even by Kal in this forum, say that the Oppo, as an example, does not lock onto the 192k signal and that 96k is more useable. Are there reports back from modded Blu-Ray users that show that the 24/192 861 DACS lock on to 24/192 decoded PCM?

Thanks again,
Ted

Roger thanks but my 2 channel system (listened to 70% of the time) is a heavenly soundstage that I'll put up against anyone's anywhere. My SP Tech Revelations and Spectron Musician III Mark 2 monoblocks are incredible. They are going nowhere. The 2 channel signal path IS quite simple and straight-forward. It's my hirez surround that i'm working through. thx
Ted

Edit: here's my setup: http://www.audiocircle.com/systems/index.php?systemid=315

Ted,

Last I looked, the G68AXV has 10 total analog output channels: 4x balanced, and 6x unbalanced. These are configurable, so you can definitely have 4 surround channels using unbalanced connectors without resorting to Y-adapters.

If you want balanced all around, that would be the 861 configured with 2x OA13 cards (each card provides 4x XLR outputs).

Cheers,
- Ken

Ken,
Thanks. Wow, that would be great but it's not how I read it. I didn't realize any/all outputs can be reassigned to any output, just thought it was the Lz and Rz ones. In my reading there seemed to be no situation where both balanced and unbalanced surrounds exist in the same config. This does exist for things like main and center, but that's not my issue. If the 4 surround channels of unbalanced are left and right sides and left and right back they work for my 7.1 setup, but I still have no addtl outputs (bal or unbal) for my 2 surrounds in the 5.1 setup.

Ted. Get hold of MConfig, the Meridian configuration program, and have a play. I find that's the best way to see if things will work for you.

http://www.Meridian-audio.com/download/setup.exe

That's great advice.

I still like to understand better what Ted is trying to do.

Y adapters for surrounds. That will make a mess because levels and delays would be wrong.

Why isn't 8 Channels (Balanced or Unbalanced) enough. It's easy to drive unblanaced with a balanced output.

I am having trouble visualizing your difficulty. Do you have six surround speakers - two sides and two rears for your 7.1 setup, and two additional rears in different locations for your 5.1 setup?

VK,
Thanks for that link. I tried all variations, and tried to override default connnections, etc. To my novice eye the G68, in any config, won't do it (without y-adapters). And I don't know the program well enough, nor the 861 options, to try there yet. I'll keep reading and trying, though.

My sense is that I'm trying to put a square peg in a round hole. The lack of 7.1 inputs and the need to both use y-adapters and HDMI switcher(s) is a daunting one, but I'm not yet deterred completely. i want the best sound I can get, and will continue to ponder this. Thx
Ted

Ted,

I looked through your setup pics and you have a very nice playroom for your music and movie listening! I wish I still had a room that provided for as much flexibility and experimentation as yours!


Frank,

It appears that Ted uses a 5.1 setup with two direct radiating rear speakers for multichannel Music listening and a 7.1 setup with four dipole radiating side/rear speakers for Movie watching. In both "configurations", the same speakers are used across the front.


Regards,

Dan