Meridian Unplugged - Powered by MrTechGuy.co.uk Forums Discussion Meridian - Streaming MS600, 818v2 vs. EMM DAC 2X

I meant to add to the above, that Meridian (just like with many manufacturers) build in 'hardware' and 'features' that aren't used by EVERY User

e.g. most of Meridian's DSP have Upsampling and Apodizing built into them... yet most HH's and non-HH users of DSP's never really end out using that aspect of their speakers as it's already covered by Meridian (or other) equipment earlier in the audio chain.

How many people can claim that they use EVERY single Input and Output of the likely many Devices that they have in their household??... IMHO, the number of people that can claim that is in the same percentile as the number of people who have won the Lottery at some point!!

Manufacturers (including Meridian) have to decide on a Feature Set that they think covers most of the potential client base for that unit... they want to offer "enough" connectivity and features... but at the same time, not offer too-little for fear of alienating some propective clients... or offering all possible features and resulting in a "too high" market price.

Such 'dilemmas' are faced every day by all hardware and software manufacturers around the world... and the result is that it is a rare occurrence indeed if a Product meets the precise requirements of a User, while at the same time not offering more than he requires.

+1

Interesting to see how Auralic Aries fairs. Streaming from a NAS, DSD and every other format capable, renders and outputs to a DAC. Good app at the front end, plugged into a DSP?

Meridian wouldn't do it, others have... I wonder how it sounds.

But why would you think that the Aries sounds any better than the MS200 or MS600??... to imply that this device is comparable to the 818, without even hearing it, is ambitious at best.

And as the owner of the 818, you would know that.

And just on your point of the Auralic being capable of streaming "every available format"... as you're likely aware, the Meridian is capable of playing most of the available file types as well, including MP3, AAC, ALAC, FLAC, WAV, 24/88, 24/96, 24/172, 24/192 and probably several others that I've forgotten about.

Just about the only files that it doesn't play are DSD files ... and that comes from a fundamental belief within the very knowledgeable minds within Meridian, that this file format is compromised to start with.

And lastly, I'll repeat what I've said above... an 818 with Digital Out only would not be any cheaper than the current 818.

That's why I wondering how it sounds (open mind).

Yes, what if it sounds better though?

I think the souped up Aries with linear power supply is $1500. Just saying.

Charles Hansen of Ayre, Mark Waldrep or AIX and Bob Stuart, among many other leading pundits in the industry consider DSD to be a compromised format due to the inherent high level noise caused by the DSD encoding process itself.....and in their considered minds, DSD can never sound "better" than PCM as a result

Perhaps DSD can sound DIFFERENT......but not better, in their considered and expertise based opinions

It's quite possible (however unlikely) that the souped Aries MAY sound better than the MS600 or even the 818........but it won't sound better just because it's $1,500....... or that it has an LPS ............or that it plays DSD files.......it MAY only sound better if the Engineering and Development are of the quality required to reach such a high level of performance

And so until the Aries' performance bona fides have been established in listening tests, does it really deserve to be mentioned here as being a legitimate competitor to the clearly established performance levels of the MS600 or 818??

The main point here is that it would be misleading to assume that an 818 with Digital Out only would be cheaper than the standard 818, given ALL of the above mentioned development costs involved in developing that new SKU

I wonder what they think about LAN isolation...

What I was thinking was how would an Aries into an DSP SE speaker sound like compared to 818 into non SE DSP speaker, i.e. spend the saving on an SE upgrade. I don't think it will sound better because it's cheaper, no.

I think the point is that you are paying for a pre-amp, DACs and a USB card that some (me) don't want and won't use. Seems a waste of good engineering.

Exactly! The issue is that Meridian have built a top of the line Swiss Army Knife but a segment of the market only needs a top of the line fork. Consider the case of the member with the $15k EMM Labs DAC. Is he going to spend another $15k just to get Meridian's top quality digital out? I know I wouldn't. But I may pay twice what paid for the MS600 to get an endpoint product that specifically offers the best digital output that Meridian can build. Lost sales opportunity for Meridian - and a missed opportunity for Meridian to recoup some of the R&D costs that went into the 818 and 808. Worse, maybe if I can't get the sound I'm looking for because the great Meridian digital out specific product doesn't exist I go a different direction and sell off my Meridian equipment. Now another set of used Meridian products are on the market for someone to buy instead of buying new. Now Meridian has lost the sale of an MD600 and an MS600 as well. The other way to look at it is how can they afford NOT to offer a product like this? A wise marketer one said, "Ignore the needs of your market at your own peril."

Bob and Meridian are well aware of the effects of Ethernet noise. Now... whether or not they think that a dedicated LAN isolator would improve the ID41 further is another question.

Re Marketing-off topic but according to Facebook, M are looking for a Sales Manager and a Marketing Manager. Wondering if this affects our special relationship.

I�m with Kerry, not everyone needs or wants a full function Pre-Amp to get the best out of their Sooloos System (MDMS) wither they use DSP�s or choose to use traditional amplifiers and speakers.

Meridian does not have to reinvent the wheel, they just need to bring the MS600 up to date. Meridian has everything they need in house already. The engineering knowledge learned while developing the ID41, the new linear power supplies and even most if not all of the parts needed to build a new version of the MS600. They even have case to put in in�...it looks just like a MS600! So no need to redesign the case.
This is not a heavy lift for a company like Meridian.

The MS600 was designed just after they purchased Sooloos in the early days of �audio over Ethernet� and as we all know they have learned a lot since then.
Why even the Direct DAC uses duel oscillators! One each for the 44.1K and 48K data streams. Is it too much to wish for an up to date digital board and a linear power supply in a MS600?

Come on Meridian, where is the MS650?

Great idea, they could do upgrades as well, that's great for margins. Oh and I've just got one, so that would depreciate nicely, just like every other piece I buy...

Only if you sell

Russ