Meridian Unplugged - Powered by MrTechGuy.co.uk Forums Discussion Meridian - Systems Apodizing CD Players

Please bear with me for what to many will be an ignorant question, as I'm new to the world and jargon of Meridian gear!

Just a quick question, if I may, about which Meridian CD spinners are, or can be updated to, apodizing firmware?

Looking at data sheets, the only one I can see (apart from the 800 series which is seriously out of my price range) was the g08.2, at least the last revision of it, but are the others (earlier g08, g08.2, g06, etc.) upgradable at dealerships to apodizing?

I can't really afford new apodizing speakers (looking for some decent s/h dsp5000 24/96, or dsp5500, etc) so will need to send the signal already up sampled and apodized to take advantage, or at least that's my understanding...?

Thanks!

Hi, welcome to the forum, in the Meridian world you apodise once only as early as possible in the chain. This can be player or processor if used and last of all in speakers.
Have you thought of using Sooloos, a MC200 is the cheapest way in which up samples and apodises. You would neeed 24/96 capable DSP speakers to take advantage of it all. DSP 5000 24/96 are a sonic bargain on the used market today.
The F/M80 also accepts 24/96 via optical.
I am sure those that know will tell you which CD players are relevant, but you may find information on Duncan's site. Link at top of page.
Thoughts, Chris

Hi 3dit0r

Welcome to the forum. The only apodising CD players in the Meridian range are the G08.2, the 808.2 and 808.3. Unfortunately there is no upgrade programme for the G series CD players, so it's G08.2 only. There had been suggestion some time ago about apodising updates for the 800 player, but thus far it has not materialised.

On the issue of apodising in the speakers, I'd say the reaction here was fairly muted when new firmware was released a few years ago for the DSP5200, allowing it to apodise. As Chris has mentioned, the Meridian philosophy is to upsample (44k to 88k, 48k to 96k, which includes apodising) as early in your playback chain as possible, as that halves the amount of subsequent digital jitter. The fact that the speakers are the last link in the chain, with the possible diminution of benefit that this brings, may explain why the general reaction was lukewarm.

Cheers

George

Thanks for the welcome, guys and the really useful info! You have no idea how de-confusing it is to know that it's best to apodize as near to source as possible, so I don't have to stress about it being in the speakers, as long as they're 24/96 capable.

OK, as far as CD players go, I read the data sheets on Duncan's info site before posting, and it was a little more subtle on the g08.2, by the looks- it seems only the third revision had apodizing, the first two revisions of the 8.2 had 'upsampling' and a slot-loading drive, but no apodizing. The question is, can they all be upgraded in firmware if they're an 8.2 spec?

The MC200 is definitely something I've considered, but when I asked my local dealer he reckoned that as a standalone into dsps, it was on a par roughly with a g06, but the g08.2 apodizing would beat it. I'm open to other opinions though!

Other options would be to apodize in a Meridian controller of some kind, ideally with room correction, and have a decent CD/DVD source?

Regarding the dsp5000.2s, did the 24/96 and amp upgrade fix what some claim is slightly flabby bass, or has this been over exaggerated? My room is quite small and probably won't get much bigger any time soon! Sometimes though, I've found that that kind of bass problem people blame on speakers is actually down to clean source and amplification feeding them.

Any thoughts at all welcome!

You will listen to sooooooo much more music with the MC200 than any CD player and quality can be upgraded at a later date by adding MS600 giving either an extra zone or just an upgrade.
Once you have one, you just will not play CD's so I see a CD player as a dead end. I really think your going to have to listen to some of this stuff but be warned, your wallet will never recover.. Lol Chris

Haha, thanks Chris!

The only thing I am used to is my wallet getting dented by somewhat esoteric hi-fi purchases

OK, I didn't realise the MC200 could be upgraded with an MS600- will that process a DVD/Bluray source too?

I might have to buy the 5000s blind, due to living on this island, hence the question about bass response? In any case, I'd never get a home-dem on 2nd hand gear, and listening in another room, I've found, can be somewhat meaningless anyway!

What I have noticed is that resale value seems to be great on the slightly older gear in good condition, so I probably don't have much to lose by buying and trying?

Nope for Bluray you need a processor and a HD621 to take advantage of Dolby tru HD et all.
But DSP5000's are a great place to start and as you say, easily sold at no loss. Also with Meridian systems you say goodbye to a lot of hotrodding as you don't need so many cables etc.
Cheers, Chris

Very true, and this is, in fact, one of the reasons for the move to Meridian. I literally have thousands of pounds of cables and such, and I'd like to get off the 'merry go round' of constant tweaking and get some well-engineered, musical components which I can use in real rooms (with a little boundary compensation, DSP compensation, etc.) and just get on with enjoying a lot of music! Not just because I'm a genuine, all round, music lover, but because my life is a lot busier now and I need things to be simpler

If it's the best sound that your thinking of, then a general consensus on this board is that you'll get best improvements by concentrating on speakers. From what I understand apodising isn't seen as a significant upgrade when compared to jumping up a level on the speaker front.

Cheers
Tom

Well, I am now on the Meridian path, ordered what I hope should be a lovely pair of 'smiley face' 5Ks in cherry from Audio Images. Discussed it with Rick, who was very helpful and decided it would be a good way to 'dip my toe in' with the 5Ks being so reasonably priced, and resale value so good. I can always upgrade as funds allow, or use them as rears, or in a second system, right?

So, back to the source. Hm, I'm in two minds now, a lot of people are advising to go down the Sooloos route and start with an MC200. I don't know, I like spinning discs, and I haven't yet heard a HDD based system which can match a good CD player, although I haven't heard Meridian's attempt to do this yet, I must admit!

My other issue is Bluray/DVD playback, 2-channel to start with, as my PS3 doesn't have a coax digi-out, so I guess I'm in the market for a decent-ish Bluray/DVD transport. Can the DSP speakers decode a feed out from any DVD player in 2-Ch mode? I'm OK on stereo config, and get a bit woolly when it comes to home cinema...

With D5ks you could also get an HD621, cheaper than an MC200, and have the PS3 feed it through HDMI. (I'm not up on the different versions of PS3, but I guess they can all do that?)

Then you'd get lossless stereo from BD, something good from DVD depending on what's on the disc, and apodizing from CD.

I am not sure how this would stack up against an MC200, but it's certainly a possible configuration, and if BD is important to you it might be interesting.

(PS I'm pretty sure this will work without a processor of any sort, because the speakers can be controller, but perhaps someone can confirm that detail?)

Nic, I think you are correct.

CD into D1 of the master 5k and HD621 into D2. The HD621 can then act as switcher for all HDMI based units into D2.