|
|
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 2,534
Great Green Arkleseizure
|
|
Great Green Arkleseizure
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 2,534 |
I have a Halide DAC HD, and an Explorer on order. I very much like the Halide, but could not ignore the Explorer. I would be interested in your view of the Explorer compared to the Halide Bridge. Both Halide pieces are Stereophile Class A digital products. I replaced my Halide Design DAC HD (and Wadia 121) with the Explorer. It handles 192/24 where the DAC HD tops out at 96/24. It also is portable. If you don't have any 192/24 files and are not worried about portability, then audition both and see which one you prefer. They sound subtly different. I am using a Wireworld Starlight USB cable and am happy with it.
561, DSP5500s, DSP5000C, analog sides and rears
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 3,174 Likes: 171
Hooloovoo
|
|
Hooloovoo
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 3,174 Likes: 171 |
What is the recommended USB cable? I have a Chord mini to RCA for the output. Has anybody tried a Chord USB, or would a Wireworld Starlight work just as well?
Is it a USB to mini USB? Check out Audioquest. They have a variety of USB cables at various price points. But you would have to try different cables to see if you actually hear any difference, but at least they are well made. Don't want to ignite another USB cable war, but Kimber are also worth auditioning- again, high quality materials and extremely well made.
HC: 861v4/ID40/LPS, DSP5000, DSP5000VC, DSP3100, SW1600, HD621, Oppo BDP-105, Sony VPL-HW55ES
2-Channel: Oppo BDP-105, TEAC VRDS-7/Trichord Clock 3/PSU, 551, Quad 303, Harbeth Compact 7ES-3, Kimber cables, Russ Andrews mains and supports.
Previous Meridian: 5000C, 5200SL, 7200.2, 6000, 562V.2, 568.2mm, 800v4, 808.2i, 818v2/v3, 861v8, 502
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 329 Likes: 4
Hitchhiker
|
|
Hitchhiker
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 329 Likes: 4 |
Will the Explorer work when connected to a media player for example my Dune D1 and the using the analog or digital out to 568.1? Will analog or initial sound better? Question, I really loved my G08 (but sold this  ) will the Explorer sound the same (does it do upsampling)?
G65, UHD722, MS600, MS200, RoonLabs, F80, Marantz SR7015, DALI Opticon MK II 11.2
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 4,013 Likes: 1
Vogon Civil Servant
|
|
Vogon Civil Servant
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 4,013 Likes: 1 |
I can't see why you wouldn't take the optical out from the D1 straight to your 568.
I've never tried it but I suspect the Dune USBs probably would not support audio out. They're there to connect USB storage and devices to the Dune.
Sooloos, Roon, G series (with LPS upgrade), 800 series (with LPS upgrade), HD621, AC200, Prime and PS, DSPs old and new.
Purdeys, Moke, Leica, 'Blad. Only the best.
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 8,506 Likes: 78
President of the Imperial Galactic Government
|
|
President of the Imperial Galactic Government
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 8,506 Likes: 78 |
+1 and also the Explorer does not upsample.
861v6+ID40, HD621, 8000.2, 7200HC, 7200.2, SKYQ Silver, PS3, PDP-LX6090, QNAP TS870-Pro (8*6TB), Roon, iPadAir2.
[In Reserve] C15, MD600 (2*3TB), TwinStore RM (2*2TB)
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 1,791
Knows where his towel is
|
|
Knows where his towel is
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 1,791 |
This was in the original Computer Audiophile review but may have been culled (at Ms behest?). In addition to the 4x sample rate support via optical output Meridian will release a firmware image with enhanced DSP by disabling the digital output and reclaiming the processing power for an extra DSP stage with upsampling, an apodising filter and noise shaping.
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 4,013 Likes: 1
Vogon Civil Servant
|
|
Vogon Civil Servant
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 4,013 Likes: 1 |
I think that M will release this firmware.
Sooloos, Roon, G series (with LPS upgrade), 800 series (with LPS upgrade), HD621, AC200, Prime and PS, DSPs old and new.
Purdeys, Moke, Leica, 'Blad. Only the best.
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 8,506 Likes: 78
President of the Imperial Galactic Government
|
|
President of the Imperial Galactic Government
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 8,506 Likes: 78 |
I've read similar, but I would not buy on that basis and risk being disappointed.
Regards,
Carl
861v6+ID40, HD621, 8000.2, 7200HC, 7200.2, SKYQ Silver, PS3, PDP-LX6090, QNAP TS870-Pro (8*6TB), Roon, iPadAir2.
[In Reserve] C15, MD600 (2*3TB), TwinStore RM (2*2TB)
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 2,474 Likes: 18
Senior Shouting Officer
|
|
Senior Shouting Officer
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 2,474 Likes: 18 |
There has been a discussion over at head-fi.org about the output impedance of first Explorer batch/es. Specifically using below 16 Ohm headphones (usually multidriver in-ears) like Sony XBA-4 or XBA-40 (8 Ohm) which are 4 driver constructions and powerhungry. Apparently the impedance shifts may cause the treble to not have a linear response.
There was also a hint that Meridian have/will make a running change to lower the output impedance and have full compatibility with low impedance multidriver in-ears. (HRT Microstreamer have 0.5 Ohm output impedance for example which makes it immune to these issues.)
High impedance cans/loads are fine though.
DSP8000SE, DSP7200SEHC, DSP5200SE sides, DSP7200SE rears, 861v8, 210, Sim2 Ultranero 4, Stewart Cinecurve 2.35:1, XEIT CM-5E Anamorphic lens, Dune HD Duo Cinema 8K and Wireworld Platinum 48G HDMI -> UHD722 -> Shunyata Omega Ethernet. Shunyata/Furutech power-cables/filters. SR Master Fuse@861v8. Uptone Etherregen with 10MHz OCXO clock.
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 59
Mostly harmless
|
|
Mostly harmless
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 59 |
That Head-Fi thread is harsh! Tough crowd.
My usual headphones are Etymotic ER4S earphones. They are not at my fingertips today, but I have been using the Explorer with AKG271's and the music sounds great. Audirvana makes a big difference over iTunes. The volume control works well, too.
Over the line in to my Naim NaitXS, the Explorer sounds every bit as good as my $550 Halide DAC HD, which is a Stereophile Class A product. The Meridian sounds a little fuller in the mid range, and the Halide seems a little more extended in the treble. The Meridian feature set makes it much more useful than the Halide, and if it truly is upgradeable via a software update as some of the reviews indicate, it could be the last external DAC you need.
Nice job, Meridian.
Last edited by Skip; 2013-03-11 05:20.
TV Room: F80, i80, Airport Express, Beresford mini toslink-mini toslink, Nordost Optix S-Video.
Main: Verdier turntable, Naim CD555, 2 x 555PS. Naim NAC 552, NAP500. ProAc D40-R. Fraim.
Upstairs: Naim CD5X, NaitXS, FlatcapXS, nSats, Isoblue rack.
Notable Extras: Halide DAC HD cable. Meridian Explorer.
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 5,358 Likes: 2
President of the Imperial Galactic Government
|
|
President of the Imperial Galactic Government
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 5,358 Likes: 2 |
Here is the thread. 554 postings to date!...
Ex-moderator
Sitting room: dCS Network Bridge, 818v3, HD621, 8kSE
Library: dCS Rossini Apex DAC/Clock, Clearaudio Performance Wood, Audio Research PH2, Mjölnir KGST, Mjölnir PureBipolar
SWMBO Room: 210, D33
Kitchen: RPi/RoonBridge, Genelec 6010 actives
Desk: Merging Anubis
Server: Roon/ROCK/NUC
Headphones: Stax SR-X9000, Stax SR-007, Stax SR-404LE, Audeze LCD-X...
Oldest audio file: 1889 Edison cylinder
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 12,733 Likes: 88
Don't Panic!
|
|
Don't Panic!
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 12,733 Likes: 88 |
Here is the thread. 554 postings to date!... Amazing how it deteriorates into a discussion about USB cables... 
|
|
|
|
Forums18
Topics31,225
Posts297,281
Members5,503
| |
Most Online4,788
May 22nd, 2026
|
|
|
|
Google Search
|
Meridian Systems
|
Meridian Streaming
|
Restaurant
|
WiKi
|
Duncan's Meridian Info
|
Board Rules
|
Restaurant Rules
