Meridian Unplugged - Powered by MrTechGuy.co.uk Forums Discussion Meridian - Streaming Sooloos import4 minimal configuration

As I have about 2000 Cds not counting them of my friends,
Iam seriously interested to get an import4.
One question is,

1)Does it offer the same ripping quality as the Control:10?

2)Where I can find data specs manual?

3)Can I use the Control:10 and the import4(assuming that have HD drives) with the 861v6 and ID40 card as a minimal Sooloos configuration for one zone. Also all the equipment is all in one room.


Dealers here, please make offers to my PM- thanks

Robert

Robert,

You need a twin store or ensemble to complete the package. With the number of CDs you are talking about, you probably need two twin stores. You can do away with the Control:10 if you get the ensemble and then run everything with an iPod or your PC. If you go without the Control:10, you need the ensemble rather than the twin store to run the system core. With all that said, the Control:10 interface provides much of the magic of the Sooloos system.

Just for reference we managed to get slightly over 2300 CDs on a terabyte, general Rock/Pop rather than Classical.
Rick

Thanks Bill,

so the import4 have no HD for storage?
Why you suggest to ensemble which is more expensive and have less storage place as a TwinStore?
As I have all DSP, i do not need any analoge output.
A minimal system is Control:10 and TwinStore, is that correct?
Sorry about my questions here, Iam not very familiar with PC stuff.

thanks

Robert

You need at least one of each of the following:

1) Sooloos core - Control:10, Source One, Ensemble
2) Storage - Ensemble, TwinStore
3) Controller - Control:10, PC/Mac application, iPhone/iTouch, iPad, Crestron (via the source bridge).

Obviously, a single Ensemble takes care of (1) and (2) and a Control:10 would take care of (1) and (3).

Optionally, you can add additional zones with additional Control 10s, Source Ones and, of course, ID40 cards.

No it basically creates a Sooloos music 'backup' onto a USB attached hard drive storage system, like a Western Digital Passport for example. It doesn't act as a Sooloos 'working' hard drive storage like a TwinStore would. This backup can then be 'restored' onto your TwinStore.

Minimum (cheapest) system is as you suggest is Control:10 and TwinStore. (If you want a Control:10 in the system), or even cheaper is just an Ensemble.
Rick

New products in the pipeline will offer different combinations and permutations.

Thanks for all the inputs and "warnings"


Robert

I wish I remembered enough to offer more detail but there will be at least two new less expensive Sooloos products. If memory serves, one is a Control 15 (an all-in-one with storage) and the other a stand-alone end-point box (ID40-type) for non-Meridian systems. They had expected to show them at Tuesday's opening of Meridian's new Manhattan showrooms but the products (along with my 861v6!!!) had not yet arrived.

It is possible that other members of the press took better notes and are reporting on the Internet.

That's extremely interesting. Rick have you heard anything about these?

I was leafing through a hifi magazine last night in the supermarket and was struck by how many other "quality" hifi manufacturers are making server-based systems (Naim but also many others German companies) - and how none of them are as expensive as Sooloos. I am not in a position to comment whether Sooloos is proportionally "better" in any way, but if your comment about "less expensive" signals a general lowering of prices in line with the market, that could make a big difference to a lot of people...

Sooloos doesn't have to be better, though it has to be good enough. The luxury product sector is about ensuring that your product is perceived to be the best. And if it is not expensive enough, it won't be.

I've probably posted this before, but I remember hearing a story about a US sales/marketing consultant who raised the price of his client's (UK) products by a factor of six, simply because they were being perceived as "cheap". After he did, sales took off.

Sounds like how my agent fixes my fees. :-)

But seriously, I don't expect them to become cheap like Logitech, just that the gap between them and the rest of the higher-end market (Naim etc) seems hard to justify: there will come a point where what is offered is so commonplace that it seems like pricing from a bygone era...

Unless of course they surprise us with their next wave of products, which I hope they do.

I remain very interested.