Meridian Unplugged - Powered by MrTechGuy.co.uk Forums Discussion Meridian - Systems The new Meridian M6 loudspeaker

But it's a special "barium doped resin" not just any old cheap plastic so I suspect it won't feel like an airfix kit.

I assume this makes it 'dead'er than cheaper plastics.

Chris

That may be because we're used to seeing the guesswork of cabinet builders. I'm sure the design will have been done with Solidworks or an equivalent CAD package which can run analysis for resonance etc. The cabinet with therefore be more than up to the job and at the same time efficient in material use.

Those looks good, not crazy good but good!
It's still a conventional tweeter even if full range. The circular design and marketing announce lead to believe it's some circular tweeter but no.

I can see M going to change completly its higher range and going with exotic drivers like ribbon tweeters (they did that for their wall-in range) or even a circular � la Quad electrostatic speakers! I am not convinced by the high tech plastic, but at 18kg they surely pack a lot of plastic!

I am not skeptical about those ones, M released them so they must sound good. Why wouldn't they?

A large proportion of that weight is woofer magnetics and transformer.

I spent a brief time listening to and looking at the M6 at CES today. The room and set-up was inadequate for providing a real review. My initial impression, however, was less than favorable at the price point but as I said the conditions were poor. I don't get it. The speakers are short for floor standing models. Designed for Hobits perhaps.

They do look kind of cute. The material is a tight weave and so you get more of a smooth cone look than I expected and the led light fits nicely. Kind of reminded me of the beginning of a Christmas tree.

I guess they sounded ok. I wish M well on these but I won't be buying the M6 anytime soon.

Unfortunately I only had one day to spend at CES this year so the M6 won't get a second chance to make a good first impression.

Regards,
Gary

My take is that they have to be viewed as a bigger brother to the M80. I know the functionality is different but the cloth covering and construction give them more in common with the M80 than the DSP range. They are clearly meant as more of a lifestyle product (much like the M80) and so the sound is unlikely to ever compete with the DSP range. I doubt anyone on here is going to be blown over by the sound quality, although I doubt they would put out a total dud! Purely being part of this forum probably means you aren't going to be in the market for the M6!

That's my take on it all anyway!

I wonder if the M moniker fits with the M80 branding. Maybe the new M80 replacement will have speakerlink output to allow it to be connected to these speakers. Basically, the M80 replacement would either be used standalone or as an AC200 AudioCore type device - nice if it retained many of the features such as DAB of the F/M80 and added a Sooloos zone - as Bob said at the HH F80 launch, the F80 is the start of a range - this never happened but maybe there will be a couple of versions of the new M80 with different options.

I think they look alright, Fiona gave them the thumbs up, said they look far nicer than the current DSP range, much more female friendly, which made me laugh are the comments on here.
Ashe did mention that they still weren't as nice as the ones in the B&O window though!

Price wise they make no sense to me though, �6,000 for a small floor stander is too much.

I bought an Arcam FMJ-A22 amp with the DAC built in, a pair of Roksan TR5 ribbon speakers and a used Rel sub, which cost me �1300 and apart from very late night, low level listening this set up beat my 5200's.
I understand paying for aesthetics, for something that you can't get elsewhere, there will always be a premium for that, just look at how well B&O do, but �4500 for these before you have any control?

The problem for me is a few years ago you would have struggled to get separates that matched the quality of a pair of DSP5000's for cheaper, but these days there is some truly stunning value hi end kit out there. I heard the Bel Canto amp with DAC the other day into a pair of Logan's, total price �3700, and it was incredible sounding.

If you're going to do the 'lifestyle' thing you need to get it looking right, seriously sexy and desirable, I don't think Meridian have done that this time round, sure they appeal to Hifi buffs, but do they appeal to wifes and the guy who dropped a few grand in the harbours Hifi store when he moors up in Monaco?
I'm not so sure.

There is some seriously sexy kit out there these days, even cheapest stuff from people like Yamaha, I do wonder if M look at how other designs are going?
That ruby range sort of said it all to me, how they could think that looked sexy and desirable I will never know, they might of well done it in beige!

Who are the designers at Meridian these days?

My wife thinks they're every bit as bad looking as the 5200/7200/8000.

The only M speaker she has liked the look of so far is the 5K/5.5K shape (I showed it to her in silver).

She much prefers B&W's top line look.

Well, early last year, Bob claimed that Allen Boothroyd was still very much involved. I heard otherwise...

My wife made her usual not too polite comment when I showed her a picture of the M6. Mind you she hates my Wilson Benesch discos as well.

Focus groups anyone?