Meridian Unplugged - Powered by MrTechGuy.co.uk Forums Discussion HiFi & HT Chat Meridian processor/HD621 and Linn DS Akurate

Anyone heard both of the above and have some thoughts on the differences?

Aren't these different types of kit? One is a music streamer and the other a processor. They are not really comparable.

From past experience, Linn and Meridian equipment have very different sonic "signatures" from one another. You will probably like one make much better than the other so comparison is a bit pointless. You just have to listen.

Sorry, you're right, I should have been a little more specific in the comparison.
What I was thinking of were the following options:
1. SB3/HD621/G68(or G61) vs
2. Linn DS Akurate
Ignoring the functional differences, I wondered if anyone had listened to both in the same system and had an opinion on the sonic differences?
I do appreciate that each manufacturer has it's own sonic signature and prefered method of presentation, just wondering about other people's views.

You are still comparing very different pieces of kit and it's not straight forward connecting a SB3 to a HD621. You will get more info from the Slim forum on the Squeezebox vs Linn argument, e.g.

http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=60169

the HD621 is just for HDMI input which the squeezebox doesn't have. if you're just looking at network streaming then I guess it would be a squeezebox into a G61r/G68 vs a linn DS akurate. I'm afraid I've heard (and indeed own) the former, but not the latter.

dave

Maybe a better combination would be to suggest an AppleTV>HD621>G68 vs the Linn DS Ak.

Do you already own a G68???

Nope, I own a 568.2. I only mentioned the G68 to simplify the description. Any of the HD621 compatible processors would be fine.

I have heard the Linn Akurate DS, and their top of range Climax DS.
I have also tried a SB3 and my friends transporter into my HD621/861 via a crystalio2 scaler for the coaxial to HDMI conversion.

Basically, there was no doubt the Transporter into the HD621/861 (via HDMI converter) was better than the Akurate, and equal or possibly better than the Climax DS, depending on what i was listening to. On 24/96 FLAC audio its just superb. The SB3 cant do 24/96, only the Transporter can.

The difference between the Akurate and the costlier Climax was small, and not night and day.

I don't know how much sound quality you would lose by using a Meridian processor further down the range from my 861v4, but i would imagine it would only be a small loss.

So the Linn range are very good indeed, but the Meridian digital processing is just world class, and its hard to beat.

The power supply on the transporter is much better than the noisy cheap one used in the SB3, which does make an improvement to the sound, even when cleaned up by the HD621. In other words the higher quality the digital source the better.

Forgot to mention. The SB3 into the HD621/861 via coaxial to HDI conversion was very good, but i felt the Linn Climax DS was better, though not night and day.

The weakest link clearly the SB3 and its noisy power supply and electronics.
However the Akurate DS vs SB3 HD621/861 was about a draw. Neither was head and shoulders above the other on the FLAC CD sourced music i listened to.
Though if i had to decide a winner, i would say the Meridian.

As soon as i tried the transporter with 16/44 and especially 24/96 FLAC to PCM, and the HD621/861 Meridian processing, it was definitively better than the Akurate. Tighter deeper base, better sound stage, clearer vocals..

I now use a Dune Prime 3.0, as it has HDMI output, so no need to mess about converting coaxial output to HDMI. It does 24/96 FLAC audio to PCM output straight into the HD621/861.
As a bonus it also plays Bluray movies with full HD audio to PCM decoding!!
The transporter and SB3 are audio only of course.
I might get the psu modded on the Dune to further improve the sound.
With digital sourced audio, and the Meridian digital processing, the audio is just amazing.

Reviving an old post to add my 2 cents for those who are pondering this question.

Just replaced my Transporter & 861v4 (latest apodizing firmware) with Linn Akurate DS (current model as of Apr 2012) & Byrston SP3.

I'll miss Trifield but for my money the clear winner is the Akurate going through the SP3 in analogue bypass. When the feet are tapping the music is *right*. About the only parameter where the 861v4 won in my setup was the depth of the sound stage when employing Trifield.

My comparisons were made in my own home with the only difference being the source and processor. Of course I could have tried routing the Linn through the 861v4 but that would have defeated Linn's special sauce and applied Meridian's.

So after more then a decade my listening room will no longer contain any Meridian equipment.

Hi,
You don't mention the rest of the kit you are using for the comparison....
I for one would be interested in knowing.
Power amps, cables, speakers etc.