Meridian Unplugged - Powered by MrTechGuy.co.uk Forums Discussion Meridian - Streaming Sooloos - 2.1 Build 324 delivers 24bit/192kHz!!

Genius Rick - thanks also PerS1

I found the option to force 1x output.

Strange though - I've lost 24/192!! The system reset overnight. Now the HD tracks are showing as 48kHz ?!? I guess mine's now doing the same as yours Carl?

What can I do to tell the Control NOT to downsample or to set the Sooloos so it knows there's a 24/192 capable device at the other end of the MSL?

Much obliged as always...

It's ten years since that was written. Expect at least another ten years.

So, 10 years from now can we expect apodising of 24/96 files to their 192 kHz derivatives or would there be no value in that?

For me personally, 192 KHz files are a waste of disk space as I can�t distinguish between 16/44.1 and 24/96 files (derived from the same master) let alone any higher sample rates.

The other way to view this is that at last Sooloos catches up with where M were 10 years ago with DVDA playback of 2-channel 192k material. The fact that even through the 861, G68 and 568.2 via the 598's and 800's the input signal was always down-sampled to 96k.

It does raise the question of whether they will enable 96/24 5.1 playback anytime soon. Given that we have seen again the sorry state of DVDA players coming back from repair without DVDA playback it might just rectify some of that frustration and lead to a few more Sooloos sales.
I just hope that the ID40 has been designed with this in mind such that it's either ready for it now or is just a f/w change to enable it.

It would be nice of course to hear what a DSP would do with a 192k feed. Whether or not the DSP's ever get 192k isn't going to lose me any sleep. The 192k tracks that I do play sound utterly sublime even with the current 96k limit.

Hi Carl,

The restriction is to do with the SPDIF & AES/EBU standard(s) in that the maximum output is restricted to 24bit/96kHz - this is not a Meridian restriction and despite claims/spec's to the contrary, ALL rival Digital Media systems that use SPDIF (from the like of Linn, Naim, Olive etc.) downsample to 24/96kHz before outputting via the digital output of their source device.

Unfortunately for owners of other Digital Media systems, they do not benefit from MRE (Meridian Resolution Enhancement - Apodising, FIFO buffering & Upsampling) in addition to the 24/96 output.

I hope this explains where the 'issue' lies regarding the digital domain.

Regarding the analogue domain, I'm waiting for some information from Meridian about how the 24/192 output is handled, but I suspect the downsampling will occur in the DSP prior to output to the analogue outputs rather than after. I'll post as soon as I have clarification on this.

Kind regards,
Alan

In that case, the potential sonic benefits of feeding a 24/192 file as opposed to a 24/96 file (for digital output) are not immediately obvious (to me at least)

I upgraded the power cord on the Control:10 and I too thought it sounded better. Fuller, more solid image, better depth. Not sure why but I liked it so much I upgraded the power cords on all the Sooloos components. Can't say anything about the individual improvements from there as I installed all the new power cords at the same time.

You're correct, there's no real sonic benefit in importing a 192 as opposed to a 96 file for digital output.

The update has been made to allow collectors who already have 192 music to store this on the Sooloos along with their other formats. Allowing it to be played in the Sooloos system, and still available for 'Export' in the native 192 format when required.

Well that's my take on it anyway.

Rick

Agreed!

I have just confirmed that a 192kHz source from a MC200 appears as 96kHz on the display of a 808.3.

Is this the final state when using the analogue outs of the 808.3?

Clearly, this will depend on the capabilities of the MC200 / ID40 combination which I guess we don't yet know. The 808.3 states that it contains a 192kHz capable DAC however, we don't know whether the ID40 / other internal of the 808.3 are similarly capable. We do know that the resolution enhancement takes 44.1kHz material to 176.4kHz, so there must be some benefit from going to the higher rate internally within the 808.3, perhaps this is just to support associated filtering?

So far the main benefit is that 192kHz material is 'supported' rather than being capable of being played directly. Given, as others have said, that 96kHz through the MC200 / 808.3 sounds so good, this may not really matter.

-----

As I was typing this - I see Rick concluded much the same above...


John

Thanks Rick. I also agree that it simply means we can access these files at last.

Any thoughts on 5.1 into ID40 based on exactly the same reason?

Hi John - Interesting - at least you're receiving a 24/96 signal at the next point along the chain. At the moment the maximum I seem to be able to send is 24/48 to a non Meridian product.

I am wondering if I'm falling foul of MHR encryption? Without a capable receiver then the Sooloos refuses to output a hi-res signal - even though there's no valid copyright issues and despite my files being native 24/96.