Meridian Unplugged - Powered by MrTechGuy.co.uk Forums Discussion Meridian - Systems Previews of new products

Meridian encourage feedback from dealers on ideas, but keep the actual products close to their chest. We do have a constant dialogue on what products and features we would like to see. I think you have to trust that they know what they are doing when it comes to the actual performance, and maybe 'too many cooks'..
Rick

The AC200 and DSP3200 are there to fill the gap left by the discontinuation of their analogue systems.
It is an 'entry-level' system to allow DSP speakers, their core product range, to be available to a wider range of customers.
Rick

Ronnie,

I think that's my point. I can't see a 'G' series source User feeding an AC200 - seems like a total mismatch in both form and function.

Media players such as those you mention, yes but Sooloos (C15 & MS600) aside, there's no obvious M source partner (at the moment).

Come to think of, a lot was made recently of the new form factor of the MS600. "This is the new casing design for future products". How does the AC200 sit nicely with that? I mean Sooloos+AC200+DSP3200 or MS600+AC200+DSP3200 isn't exactly going to have outstanding WAF...

I thought a high, consistent, 'lifestyle' design form factor was precisely what the ex-B&O bods were going to bring to the party?

Also, considering Alan Boothroyd designed all of the above, C15 apart, how is he able to come up with such glaring inconsistencies, design-wise? I really don't get it...

Zander

To which end, we should remember that it costs a fraction of what the cheapest new Meridian surround processor costs.

I trust that the audio performance will be great, that's not in question. what I do not trust is the "vision" that all this comes from. they seem determined to annoy their existing customers.

It feels like Meridian are on the edge of being a really great audio company, but that they're determined to try and screw it up. The audio engineering side is great, but the product design decisions are frequently not (or so they appear to me).

dave

Zander
To my eyes, the curved Sides of the AC200 is one of the few things I get about it. It makes it a good design match for the curved sides of the D3200's and thus as a "Lifestyle" system (I'm fast beginning to hate that term!!

Of course, to make sense of it, it should have a Sooloos capability built-in

Coming back to that "High End Shop" video from several weeks back, you can imagine the conversation

Seller: Here is out High End Lifestyle system of Meridian D3200 speakers with AC200. Only $8,500 and it sounds absolutely superb

Buyer: Well will it play my CD's or Radio or Internet Radio??

Seller: Errrrr...........No, you'll need to add another device to give you those

Buyer: So, what music can I play for the $8,500??

Seller: Ammm.......None actually...............but over here we have our fantastic, all singing and dancing Sooloos, but that will cost another $7,500

I'm wondering if there may be a new sub (with speakerlink) in the works to go with the 3200's. Also, a single centre channel option would be great. I am trying to decide if the 3200's will be a step up from my DSP 33's or not. We'll have to wait for some specs. I'm hoping for power to at least match, if not better, my old DSP 33's or the current 3100's. Frequency response would also be of interest as mentioned elsewhere.

I am anxiously awaiting more news on these as I hope to upgrade this year!

Wayne

Ronnie,

Yup, right on the money.

The AC200 should have a source capability incorprated - Sooloos, CD - I mean even the M(!)80 has that (CD) and surely this is positioned as the next level up...

So I ask myself these questions:

1. Will they bring out a separate AC200-family CD source? Answer - no, because if that was going to happen it would have announced day & date with the AC200.
2. Can they add CD capability to the AC200? Clearly, no.
3. Can they add Sooloos end-zone capability? Now, that would be interesting. But if they were going to do that, why not do it 'today' at the same time...
4. Accepting it has a nice form factor, surely the addition of *any* external source box, M, Sooloos or otherwise only serves to denegrate its 'nice' looks? A bit like the iPod dock carbuncle scenario for the M(!)80...

Zander

I *could* use an AC200 in my living room as a hub with Sooloos, a SkyHD box, a DVD player, a Wii and a turntable as sources.

I won't, of course, because I own a 562V.2 and the AC200 adds nothing except (I assume) 24/96 A2D conversion and SpeakerLink.

..but if you didn't have a 562V then it would be pretty handy!

no, not a porsche/mclaren driving bank executive (sadly), but then this DSP3200 is the bottom of the range speaker. surely the banking exec is looking to spend his bonus[1] on a set of DSP8000's. the 3200 is surely designed to bring people into the fold. the great thing about the DSP speakers in general is that you could just have a CD player and a pair of DSP speakers and have a great 3 box setup. if the 3200's don't have a coax input then it's not the best introduction to the fold.



I do worry about it too. I only got into Meridian recently so I can't claim to be any expert, but Meridian is the kind of audio company that encourages an "all-in" approach to following the path, which is fine as long as you agree with the how the path is looking. but right now, I've no idea where the path is going or if Meridian even want me on that path, which is not encouraging.

I'm kind of bought-in to them at the moment, with a processor, HD621 and 3 speakers, but if my whole system got zapped by lightning (for example, not that I want it to) and I had insurance money to spend, there's no guarantee that I'd go for Meridian again. this is no argument with the sound of the Meridian gear which is very good. it's more a concern about what Meridian are doing and whether they would continue to support me as a customer.

dave

[1] not that I mean to be down on bankers.

I think speakerlink is the main problem with Meridian at the moment.

A pair of DSP speakers was all you needed pre SpeakerLink [DSP3200s], and now that is gone. Stupid move to drop the Coax inputs, they should have added more, not removed them.

A small DSP speaker along the lines of the 5000/5200 with 2 coax and 3 optical inputs and an analogue sub out would have sold in buckets I bet.