Meridian Unplugged - Powered by MrTechGuy.co.uk Forums Discussion Meridian - Systems 861v6 experiences

I should add that for CD playback its via my Kaleidescape K Player 5000 over digital coax into the coax on the 861. I found out that this player is resampling CD audio when it outputs over HDMI. It fails the DTS CD test but over coax or optical it works fine. Go figure. So for CDs I am using the new apodizing in the 861.

Also I would like to note that the MRC worked much better than with my old unit- I had to change the sensitivity to 2.5v but aside from that the results it produced are actually very close to what I had gotten after several rounds of tweaking the V4's automatic settings.

So is the MRC all new and are all the DSP modes reworked? I don't know, but I think the answer is either they are either all new or substantially improved.

Finally, there are a ton of moving pieces here:

1. new processor
2. new connection from HD621 to processor
3. change to the DSP and MRC settings
4. change in getting to the digital speakers- now we have AC12s in there

so is it possible there was an improvement from one or more of these things- maybe my DSP mode settings were not as optimized as they could be- possible but not likely as a helpful person from The Mothership paid a house call years ago to show me how to really tweak the Trifield settings (depth, width etc) and Im still using his settings. Maybe the MMHR ethernet link from the HD621 to the 861 is that much better than the 3 coax smart link from before. Thats why I say these are my impressions but I really think the V6 is delivering wonderful results.

Finally thank you to my fellow HHers who worked out the way to hook up the coms. It worked flawlessly going out of the 861 coms to the master speaker and then back to the 511 patch.

A suggestion for Meridian: If someone is ordering more than one AC12 unit, I think you should include the 511.

Hi Jerry,

Thank you for taking the time out and writing this review of your findings.
I`ve been sitting on the fence with respect to upgrading to the v6 for a while now waiting for a HHer with a 861v6 and DSPs (idealy 8Ks) to chime in.

Regards,
Carl

Hey JerryL
May I aske if u can give us your Tweaked Trifield settings - would be nice to try them out.

all the best

PerS

Couple things.

I strongly suspect +3dB Tweak applies to V6. But I have not personally checked it.

But if for some reason Merdian changed it (I won't say "fixed" because I suspect they would claim nothing is broken, and I would have to agree).

But if your material has headroom (and a lot does) +3dB on top of Full Scale may still sound even better. It's the reason why a 518 made it a dynamic adjustment which is what I wish Merdian would add to Processors.

So just be aware what's going on here (or hear)

Second is Trifield WIDTH fixed or not?

Regarding variables in comparing, when I compared 861 to G68 I took my existing 861 config, edited the MSL file and downloaded it to G68.

If +3dB can make such a difference imagine what all the variables can do. Delays, Distances, Crossovers, Largeness, Widths etc. can make very significants changes. Even each run of MRC. Too many variables for me to verify. So I downloaded old config. They are 100% compatible.

You need to compare apples to apples. I'm glad you mentioned there are multiple varibles goning on though. It doesn't mean it's not V6 your hearing differenmces but I go to great efforts to know what I'm comparing. I only mention this because so many folks like to dismiss my G68 sounds as good as 861.

P.S. There is a WHOLE lot of stuff Merdian can do in Sooloos land now !!!

I hope they thought about metadata driven gain, volume and DSP preset choice when developing SpeakerLink and the ID40 card. I wouldn't bank on it though.

Exactly. I think it's possible even with MHR that they can switch between Music and Movie now. Can't they?

If you read the release notes for the recent changes in HD621 firmware, you'll see that Meridian recently extended the SmartLink metadata. No reason it can't do it again, but the processors need to be able to interpret that metadata.

Good points George.

I can't compare apples to apples and submit that most people can't do it either. Its just nearly impossible to eliminate human fallibilities when doing these comparisons. I suppose you could use the computer software and analyze the outputs but, absent some real scientific setup making the true apples to apples comparison is just impossible. What we can do is make it as close as possible- which I did not do. I simply do not have the time to do a true A-B test that would narrow down all the variables. On the flip side, I've lived with my V4 setup for quite some time, have tons of experience listening to it, so I am very familiar with the sound.

I will try going back and forth with the +3db.

I'm not sure what my Trifield settings are but I believe I have the width set to its max setting and the depth to -1.5. I spent some time listening to more music yesterday and I might move that width setting in a notch or two and I want to play with the depth to see what I think. I will say using the old settings produces a sound that is superior to my memory of the V4.

As to MSF files, I was advised to not simply move over my old MSF file but to start from scratch. So I printed out my V4 settings and I created a new MSF file by hand except for the initial fetch from the V6 so I could grab its configuration.

I think you are even handed and I would not dismiss your favorable impressions of the G68.

Carl, I think you would have a nice difference with the V6.

Btw, I put on a random movie: Disney's "The Rookie" and I have to tell you that my impression (that word again) is the sound is clearer and this is just a DD soundtrack. Its almost like they lowered the noise floor. My reaction to it was like the first time I heard the new high res formats on the V4- clearer and what felt like greater dynamics. I wouldn't say the V6 makes the older DD tracks sound as good as the new lossless ones but it does give them new life. And the new lossless tracks are that much better- if you would have told me that they now have Dolby TruHD +, I would believe it.

Jerry,

would you mind actually checking if the width parameter actually does anything ? If you do this via the MSR and you swing from one end to the other and it should be obvious as the sound stage changes.

It has been almost 2 years since this worked in the 568/G68/861.

Would be nice to know when these processors will get a fix.

Thanks

Right. If I recall the width should go from 100% center and No Mains to 100% Left/Right Mains and no Center. It's been so long since it worked I'm not 100% sure. But it should have very strong effect from one end to the other, no subtle. I think if you use a similar paramter under PLIIx, it works like that.

I will do this later or tomorrow. We have a big family day today. Happy Mothers day everyone.

One other thing, yesterday I played some Foo Fighters and Green Day and whereas with V4 I never felt emotionally engaged by the presentation in Trifield- it always felt like it was missing some of the energy and coherence Id get with headphones- wow- with V6 I was just simply encouraged to make it louder and this is definitely music that falls into "if its too loud, youre too old". It was just stunning. Important note: I like my hearing so I dont play my system at ear piercing levels but yesterday I did "crank" it for a little while. Sometimes you have to say......

Jerry,

Do all US delivered 861v6's include 2 OA18 cards?