Meridian Unplugged - Powered by MrTechGuy.co.uk Forums Discussion Meridian - Systems Interesting Discussion 861v6 v ADA

I am the person who started the thread on AVS. I had an 861 v4 with a HD621 and then did the upgrade to a version 6.

I was not impressed especially given the $16k price tag for the upgrade. I had thought about looking around for another SSP but wasn't about to throw more money at something else. I had heard some good things about the ADA piece and found out that you could get a 30 day free test drive.

I hooked up the unit and I was impressed with it from the start. My opinion of it before I hooked it up was that it would probably sound good for movies and suck for music. I was half right. It was good for both.

For ME where the Meridian had this overall ambiance, it lacked detail. Where every channel on satellite sounded the same on the Meridian, for the ADA the good channels/content sounded good and the bad channels/content didn't sound as good. Some people may say look what Meridian can do. I will counter with Meridian adds color and its own signature where the ADA is more neutral.

When listening two 2 ch stereo, I found the same thing. More detail with the ADA.

Now you can debate this all you want and pick sides, and politicize this, but the bottom line is this, everyone has their own opinion on what they like. I like what I like and have the conviction to go out improve my system that suits me. I am not a neophyte. Take a look at the equipment in my HT below.

I read through some of the posts and most have never heard the ADA and yet they are offering their opinions on how the unit sounds and how no one can beat Meridian. Other people are commenting about inputs/outputs, double bass and know nothing about what they are saying. It's like your sticking up for your girlfriend. Btw, I do not use their equalization or bass management. I run everything through a QSC 322 as I did with the Meridian gear.

I will also say that I voted with my wallet. If I didn't like the ADA and preferred the 861/HD621, then why would I take such a financial bath?

Lastly, if anyone feels so strongly on my Meridian pieces, put your money where your mouth is and buy them as I still have no takers at $13k for the both pieces.
Ken

If I recall, the analog comment on AVS was referring to sources not downstream amps/speakers. I think the 861 handles the latter very well, but if I were a turntable afficionado, I'd look elsewhere too.

I know plenty about double bass and it's offered as a major "feature". At least how it's written, it certainly looks like that. I think Meridian can too but I think they reluctantly put it in for "demo" purposes.

I also was well aware of ADA's existence and to be honest their Web site stinks (which is ONE measuring stick I use). Because you can't find a darn thing about the unit you actually have. You said you had a Mark IV and I found a ONE Mark IV (unbalanced) on their site. So I assumed that's what you had. If there is a spec sheet on their site I'd appreciate posting a link.

However I find it a little odd when someone says they could not get enough slam out of an HD621/861V6. Or Detail for that matter. This just tells me they had a huge setup problem. I just know it's not that bad. And as others said, movies just are not that hard to wow you with.

I can certainly understand preferring subtle differences and coloring (they all color sound to some level) of one system vs another. It just doesn't add up that with proper amps and speakers you could not get an 861 to sound extremely good. Regardless if you prefer the ADA. It just doesn't add up in my own opinion.

Your right though. Everyone has their own opinion on what suites them.

And I wish you the best of luck. Someone has to buy the competition to keep Meridian on their toes.

I have absolutely no Doubts a Krell, Lexicon or ADA can't sound excellent as well. I just really like how Meridian goes about it. More so in the past than now though, I must say. When was the last white paper.

Well, the AVS thread has pretty much gone down the old crapper - too bad!

Ken, I'm shocked you cannot move the 861/HD621 combo for $13K - shoot, makes me wish I'd waited a bit ....

I'm also feeling an increasing urge to get hold of a Mach IV loaner and hear it and decide for myself (which is the only thing that really matters).

Also, I am the one on AVS who originally suggested equipment interactions as a possible reason why your experience with 861v6 was so different than mine. NOT to take a swipe at your kit, but to suggest that one must at least consider it as an influencing factor.

I also think the suggestion that there is anything wrong with your 861v6 is almost certainly not the case - you should lend it to Joel

It will be intersting to see and hear where Kal comes down on the v6. In the 'wow' camp or the 'meh' camp.

Damn it, 13k. Like Simon said I should waited as well. That's life.

Wow $13K for both is an insane bargain. It will sell, I would not lower it further.

I personally would rather spend that on a Fiddle these days

Ken,

I voted with my wallet and the 861 v6 will be here in less than one hour. Your price looks great and I am surprised it hasn't moved yet. I nearly, very nearly bought the Classe SSP 800. Good luck with your sale and enjoy your new kit.

You are right. I went back and checked. My memory had combined that quote with a portion of the next making me remember incorrectly. Your grade is lifted from A- to A. Congrats on a great system by the way, nice gear.

Gary

As I've pointed out at avs before, I'd blame a bad matching of components for any such problem. That can be very time consuming to get it right and it would not only require to change a single, but multiple components like amps, speakers, maybe cables to get everything right. This happened to me many times before. That is why I think that active or digital speakers will be the future of HT and maybe even 2-channel music. There's been huge progress the past few years in that area from many manufacturers including Meridian, Adam and Dynaudio to name a few.

Between the v4 and v6 there is a huge sonic difference. At this point I could never go back to the v4, but maybe it doesn't match to well with some other equipment... who knows.

I've used both (among others, in several systems) and always found the v6 to be more detailed than the Mach IV. I know two Mach IV owners who have both used it in the HTs and both ended up replacing them with a v6/HD621 combo. One put the Mach IV into his living room system (tv based) and added a Trinnov to it, the other put it into the entrance area of the HT for music playback and console games. Both are still happy with it.

There are differences between the v6s as well, the digital (SpeakerLink), balanced and unblanaced outputs. It's a little hard to compare the digital to the analogue outputs now, due to the possible difference the AC12 + hooked up external DAC makes. But even the difference between the unbalanced and balanced output cards make quite a difference. Similar to the v4, I found the unbalanced cards underperforming and somewhat disappointing. I'm not even sure why Meridian bothers still offering the unbalanced outputs.

I appreciate the "civil" replies It did get crazy over "there". No reason to slam anyone over what equipment they have. We are all pretty fortunate to be able to afford any of the equipment we all own regardless of the brand.

The ADA website does leave a lot to be desired as does their manual. If Joel didn't give me a hand it would have been a major PITA.

On the other hand, if you call them with an issue they are on it right away. Their customer service is very good. That cannot be said with calling Atlanta. You call M and you get a recording and maybe you will get a call back the same day.

The version I have is the Mach IV "B" for balanced.

I couldn't honestly say why I didn't hear out of the Meridian what other people say they do. On the other hand Joel had similar findings as I did, albeit he doesn't have the V6.

The setup for my HD621/861 was correct as I sent it to Jason at Meridian and Joel checked it as well.

With regardless to associated equipment, you are taking liberties with this. Take a look at the list below. There is nothing out of the main stream and I am sure that there is a wide array of different equipment that people own with their Meridian gear and it would be odd that I am the only one with equipment that doesn't play nice together.

Lastly, I didn't hate my Meridian gear, I just like what I have now better.
Ken

Do remember that ncpl had a v6 unit which ended up being swapped out as it didn't sound quite right to either him or the dealer. Perhaps you had another Ken?

Cheers

George

I guess it's possible. I had wondered that in the past. I believe I had the first or second one in the U.S. I also thought of the aggravation of telling the dealer it doesn't sound good, then the same to Meridian and then they come back with "We played it, and all all the discrete information are in the proper channels and there is nothing wrong with it, etc, etc"..

I am totally happy with what I have now. I have yet to ever buy anything without first playing it in my room first. I have sent more things back to the dealer than kept. I know what I like and what I expect. Again as stated before, what one person likes, someone else may not for whatever the reason is. Hopefully the reason is the sound, not just because of the name.
Ken