Meridian Unplugged - Powered by MrTechGuy.co.uk

Operating off my preferences, which would be the best MUSIC Setup for the Budget, then I would likely opt for

Pair of DSP8000's for about �12,000 to �15,000 (depending on Age and Colour)
Their Performance has been covered in copious posts, so I won't belabour again here

An MC200 for about �1,600
This will play both Ripped CD's and importantly, the expanding catalog of High Res 24/96 material that is becoming available

If the User already had an existing library of Ripped CD's, then it would be possible to achieve very similar results using a Squeezbox Touch for �250.......and then spend the budget elsewhere

On Average, after spending on the above two items, I would have achieved very good quality stereo and still have about �5,000 left over to play with

The next choice would be whether the User wanted Optimize that Stereo System even further.......or else start building a Multi-Channel system

Assuming the user wants to watch Bluray's, DVD's etc., then

a Trio of DSP5000's.......a Centre and a Pair of D5k's.......Total Cost of about �2,200 for the Three
Yes, the D5K2's are better, but I think most would struggle to hear the differences when they're on Surround duty

I'd also bear in mind that these are the likely items that will be upgraded first.......and there will be less monetary depreciation of the D5k's

The 861v4 for �2,000 that is currently for sale in the Restaurant
A GREAT Value Component for Trifield, DD/DTS Processing as well as Multi Channel Steering of 24/48 from Bluray

Having said the above, given the above Speaker Combination, I still think the best Sound Quality for MUSIC will be Direct to the Front L&R D8k's.......I would only use the D5k's for Movie Surround duty........that would change as the SUrround speakers are Upgraded sometime later on

Then I'd scrimp and scrape til I came up with

�500 for an Oppo Bluray Player.......either the new 9x models......or save a few hundred on the slightly older, but still very good, 83 model

�750 for an HD621 for Lossless Bluray Soundtracks

All told, I'm at about �21,000 for ALL the above items.........close enough in this "imaginary" world..........in the Real world, people usually expand their budgets by 25% anyway, when harvey comes to push

But, different strokes for different folks.......

Used:

DSP8Ks.

HD621.

AppleTV.

5200hc.

Why would you put a 5200HC in this setup? How would you control it? Does the apple TV provide a better audio option to squeezebox touch (in your opinion?)Would you store your files directly on the Apple TV>?

Tom I apologize for the blatant omission, so, with the funds left over I'd be happily forced to buy 2nd hand G68 and that would offer me Trifield while controlling the 5200HC.

I store all of my media (music and movies) on a Synology NAS that serves everything up to both my AppleTV and my Dune media player. My AppleTV goes HDMI into the HD621 and gets the benefits of latter's dejittering and apodizing etc etc before it gets more of that in my the G68 and then finally in the DSP speakers.

I like the AppleTV because I'm on my laptop all the time and iTunes is my preferred method of control, despite having iPads and iPhones which never get used to control my media.

20 K � ??
3 DSP6Ks �9k
568 II �2k
IMac �1k
518 �300.

"M offer the best Music server on the market"

For me it's the user interface that has tempted me, not the necessarily sound quality - potential or actual. I'd be confident that a Weiss would hold its own in the lab, as would some of the American gear like PS Audio.

I can understand custom wound transformers and cyro treated valves commanding crazy money but I struggle to comprehend the cost of the 861v6 ID40 combination... especially when you consider that by the age you can actually afford to buy one most peoples hearing is well past its optimum and better suited to a single ended 845.

One glaring difference is M's limitation to 24/96 over SPDIF/MSL. I'm actually very happy with the sound from my Transporter in my set up and find the whole Squeezebox system complete genius - I just fancy playing with a touch screen to see what all the fuss is about...

As for the speakers I have discovered the purity of sound from open baffles and electrostatics - all types have their good and bad points but in my domestic environment in a typically UK sized living room then the Quads really work very well indeed. If I had a huge American style ranch with open plan areas etc I'm sure the 8k's would tempt me.

A pair of 8k's in my hi-fi room would be like going to the supermarket in a Ferrari - OK, can be done but not the best in the car park...

Each to their own...