Meridian Unplugged - Powered by MrTechGuy.co.uk Forums Discussion Meridian - Systems What was your first piece of MERIDIAN kit? How did you get there now?

My story is I bought my first pair of real speakers from a Belgium guy who drove all the way near paris to deliver them. I was turning 18 and those M2's were so nice sounding. I still miss their incredible deep bass sometimes; also when watching movies I recall many a time when the soundtrack was so real we couldn't differentiate it from reality, spooky!

When one of the M2's died I tried to buy lesser expensive piece of kit. I went with bi-amplified studio monitor (Genelec, Yamaha, Samson, Adam) and I swear to you that I began to dislike listenning to music. The sound was clear but not involving and headaches were easy to get.

When listenning in various hifi rooms from other makers I was always underwhelmed by the sound. My ear was educated. That's when I realised I was addicted to M sound, so I bought new amps and tweeters for the M2. Then no luck I didn't like the sound of it.

Then I bought a pair of M30, the sound was ok but not as good as the M2.
Finally I decided I could treat myself a nice reward for living this long and bought DSP3100, soon followed buy the venerable 561 and a center speaker. I tried as center a M60C, a M2, a M30, a DSP3100VC (nice sound but too massive in the room) and finally bought the DSP3100HC.

Now I am happy, only thing I want to change in the future is maybe a cheap 861v4 when I meet a good unit.

Cheers and happy new year!

First Meridian purchase M10 loudspeakers with 101B and 104.

Still use two 104's

Regards I

Long ago I had a good year and a decent bonus so decided to upgrade from Toshiba Tuner Amp and Celestion 44s (vinyl days). Choice was between Quad gear, NAD player, an Italian valve amp, KEF speakers and M products, After due deliberation the M proposition was irrefutable and irresistible, I was hooked. A pair of DSP5Ks and a 500 Transport was entry point. Have subsequently been accused of being irresponsible, irresolute, irresponsive and irrespective, however the M condition is irrevocable, irrepressible and irreversible.
Apologies if this is irrelevant

Primary path: 541->565->568>568.2MM->G68

I first heard M at the Bristol Sound & Vision show when they released the DSP6000 speakers and spent the following years saving hard for some high end hifi. The impact of this demonstration with 3 DSP6000s up front using Trifield has never left me and keeps me hungry to build my system. I know the shows often get a hammering on the forum but the right demo really can reach a huge number of people that can seriously become customers. I had never even heard of M before the show.

Anyways, I started with an Arcam and B&W set up as M seemed too far out of the price range but when the G91 was released I just couldn't resist. Its flexibility allowed me to get a big chunk of M sound at the right price, selling my Alpha 9 CD and Alpha 10 Amp to accommodate it in my remaining system of Alpha 10P power amp and B&W CDM1SEs.

The saving then began again and I had just enough money to get the DSP3100s when they came out, adding a 3rd DSP3100VC a year later to get my own Trifield set-up. With a small diversion to invest in a too good to miss C15 I am again saving to get closer to that first Meridian experience, possibly considering used DSP7200s or a couple of SW1600s (if I loose my saving discipline!) to increase the presence and depth of my sound-stage.

I personally think M should always demo their best possible set-up at shows to get the blown away interest I got. I then used the dealers to hear what was more in my price range and best suited to my space.

Hey great thread by the way

My first Meridian kit was a second hand 207 Delta Sigma. Still going strong but now passed onto my son with a pair of D600's

Processor: 565 > 568 > G68 > 861v4 > 861v6 > Death!

Player: 508 > 598 > G98 > 800 > Sooloos (eventually)

Other: 518, 519, 562, HDMAX421, HD621

Never owned a Meridian speaker.

Hi Guys

Happy New Year to all.

My first experience was around 1981/2, I think, when I went to a HiFi show at the Queens hotel in Brighton. I had a Technics system, belt drive turntable with MS Pageant series 2. I bought the system in 1979/80 at Richer Sounds London Bridge and actually met Julian Richer.

Meridian had a stand and the sound was a revelation. I'm not sure, time has probably misted my mind, but I thought I had a personal demo from Bob Stuart. Whoever is was, took their time, appreciated the enthusiasm of a 21/22 year old and I promised myself that one day I would have a Meridian system. Christmas 1996, 15 years later, after a demo listening to Dire Straits, Money for Nothing, which blew me away after Technics V7 and CD, I purchased a pair of rosewood M60's, a 501 with 516MM fitted and I was persuaded to add a 506 16 bit. All this was purchased from Phase 3 in Worthing for the royal amount of �3,050 and loaded into the back of my Golf.

After another demo, using the same track, (DSP sound is another step up), I then moved to DSP 5000's front, centre and rear in 2005 with G68D and G98DH and a 42" Yamaha Plasma, again from Phase 3.

Things have changed a little, but I still have my M60's, which sound lovely, currently driven by a 565 and 598DP, in our bedroom. The main system is still the G68, G98 and Yamaha with DSP5K's front 18 bit with 24 bit centre. It is not as good as the original 2005 set up, to which I added a side pair of 5K's, that was awesome. The 18 bit are a bit mellow, not as clear as 24 bit, but still very good.

I had another 24/96 system for a while, 5500 at the front with 5000 on the rear. That was loud and exciting, but ultimately tiring, consequently I actually prefer the 5000's, (which is what Gerry advised in the first place in 2005).

Sorry, it wasn't intended to be a trip down memory lane, but it does cover the last 30 years!

Cheers

Jon

206B bought 2nd hand after meeting Bob and Alan in the days when they did the roadshow of hotels demos around the UK. They did the Stanneylands Hotel south of Manchester in 1990/91. I'd never heard anything like the D6000 they used.

Utterly compelling evening. Cost me many thousands since

200 transport new. It was a while before I could afford anything else...

First heard 6000s in the US in the early 90s. Instant lust - but I just couldn't justify the spend.

Then a few years later back in the UK, about 1995 or '96, I bought some ex-demo 18-bit DSP5000s, stuck them next to a bulbous 36-inch Grundig and my whirring Pioneer Laserdisc player, and have been chasing the dragon ever since.

First experience was M1 speakers with a 101B at a friends brothers house in 1987.

First purchase was the 506.20 I still have and use on occasion.

Steve.