Meridian Unplugged - Powered by MrTechGuy.co.uk Forums Discussion Meridian - Systems DSP Speaker Ranking

I'm not sure if there's an easy answer to this question, but is there a clear ranking of all the Meridian DSP Speakers when compared to each other? I know that for the current models it's:

1. DSP8000
2. DSP7200
3. DSP5200
4. DSP3100

But what about the older models (e.g. DSP7000, DSP5500, DSP5000) ... where do they slot in?

Now that I've had a 861v4 for a few months and now have a HD621 on order, I'm tempted to upgrade my speakers. To maximise my investment, I would buy secondhand and am therefore keen to understand how they all compare.

Hi Dave

Over the years (IIRC), the available DSP range has been:

DSP 33 > 5000> 5500 > 6000

Then 33 > 5000 > 5500 > 6000 > 8000

Then 33 > 5000 > 5500 > 7000 > 8000

Then 33 > 5000 > 5200 > 5500 > 7000 > 8000

Then 3100 > 5200 > 5500 > 7200 > 8000

Then 3100 > 5200 > 7200 > 8000

The data sheets for each speaker are in Duncan's Info site, and will give you a date for when each model was released. Hope that's a help.

Cheers

George

So, if I read the above correctly, the ranking is:

1. 8000
2. 7200
3. 7000
4. 6000
5. 5500
6. 5200
7. 5000
8. 3100
9. 33

Is this correct? I assume the Mark II models would simply slot in slightly above the Mark I versions, but below the next model up in the above list (or would the above list only apply for the latest version of each, with Mark I versions being further down the list)?

MkIIs were sometimes only a change of display, eg the 5000 and 6000 in their MkII guise changed from a 7 segment LED display to a dot matrix display, along with revised screen printing on the glass of the latter. Everything else was the same.

The 7000 is an interesting one though, some felt it to be very similar to the 5500, and some felt it to be inferior to the outgoing 6000. One poster did recently express a preference for the 7000 over the 6000, but if you look at the designs, you can see that the 6000 has more in common with the 8000 than the 7000 does (which in itself is closer to the 5500 driver array). I've also read opinion that the 6000 nudges ahead of the 7200, and I personally preferred the 6000 to the two demos I've had of the 7200. It's all subjective though!

The 33 and 3100 have also been rated as pretty much identical in performance by some on here.

Cheers

George

My opinion based on listening to these Speakers in my room

1) 8000

3a) 6000
3b) 7200

4) 5200

5) 7000

6) 5500 (but only up to Medium volumes)

7) 5000

9) 3100

10) 33

And no, there are no numbers missing!!!!............if the number is not there, then it means that I consider the leap to be that significant

All IMHO of course..................and others will differ

Thank you George/ Ronnie for the additional insights. It sounds like I should seriously consider looking at the DSP6000s, especially as it seems that they're a similar price to the DSP5200 (if not less). Although, I must admit the newer designs do look much better!

Sonically, are upgraded speakers the same as their later versions (e.g. D6000s vs DSP6000 MkII), as I noticed they sell for less. I assume this is due to cabinet chnages?

Hi Dave

Sonically, an upgraded model will sound identical to a native model, but most people prefer to buy one which left the factory with the latest spec, rather than being older and updated, hence the price differentials.

I was careful above to note "the DSP speaker range", for the reason you've now spotted...the D6000 was an earlier model and whilst physically the same, was different wrt the electronics. It became the DSP6000, later had 96/24 capability added, and later changes moved it to MkII. Same with the DSP5000...it started as the D600 > DSP5000 > DSP5000 96/24 version > DSP5000MkII.

Also DSP 5500 > DSP 5500 96/24 > DSP 5500 MkII.

Meridian offered staged upgrades which could get you from very early spec up to the latest (albeit you had old cabinets) but they were costly and on the used market it makes much more sense to buy the actual model you want in the first place. It's doubtful if Meridian still hold upgrade kits for speakers which have been out of production for some years anyway.

Cheers

George

As Ronnie pointed out, it can be very room dependent. My 6Ks (D6000s upgraded to 18bit DSPs) didn't sound quitte as tight as the 7Ks in the HT in the basement; even with MRC they were a bit boomy. Once I moved them to a much larger room with a 14 foot celing and reinserted the 518 that had been lying idle in storage, they were magnificent - still are. The 8Ks turned out to be a lot more tameable within the more constrained space of the basement, and so relegated the 7Ks to rears. Point being, rightfully placed though they are in the above chart, my experience is that the 6K can sound worse than the 7K in the wrong room.

It may or may not be relevant, but most(all?) newer models offer upsampling of inputs and some offering apodising on that. So a CD etc source connected directly will benefit.

I assume this wouldn't benefit me if everything is connected via a HD621 then through 861v4?

As per Ian's post, my ranking of the DSP6000 and DSP7200 as being within a hair's breath of each other is based on BOTH Speaker Pairs receiving Upsampled Music, I.e. 88/24 from a (likely Meridian) CD Player or from a Meridian Processor like the 861v4 you mention. Comments also apply if the Music is High Res 24/96

In either of the above scenario's then I give an edge to the D6k's over the D7K2's. Both are very good performing speakers, and each have different Strengths and Weaknesses. Most people would be happy with either.

However, if feeding the D6k's / D7K2's with 16/44 material, from a Media Player or regular CD Player, then the Performance Edge goes back to the D7K2's (IMHO), due to the Apodizing / Upsampling in the D7K2's

Hope that clears things up and again, all IMHO

My vote for the ranking is nearly identical to Ronnie's, however I would put the DSP7000s and DSP5500s in nearly the same position as I felt there was very little difference between the two. Since you are considering buying second-hand and mentioned that you are keen to maximize your investment I think you would be better with 5500s over the 7000s since the price difference between the two on the used market is substantial.

For what it's worth, I would go so far to say that the DSP6000s are the best speaker value I've heard considering their current used price. A trio of 18-bit speakers was advertised in NYC several months ago with a 561 for USD $4K! When you consider that you are getting high-quality drivers, amps, and cabinets, in addition to a speaker that was class A rated for many years, I think it's a no brainer and an absolute steal!

John