Meridian Unplugged - Powered by MrTechGuy.co.uk Forums Discussion Meridian - Systems I might buy DSP7200 upgraded to SE spec

Thoughts sought on a proposed upgrade.

I am thinking of selling my analogue Meridian system and buying some DSP7200's upgraded to SE spec. My listening room is not large, 13 feet x 12 feet and ceiling 9 feet high, large bay window one end where speakers would be placed either side. The property is quite old and has suspended wooden floors, (no carpet).

Three questions:

1. Do you think 7200SE's would be over kill in such a small room on a wooden floor with speakers quite close to walls?

2. How much difference do the new metal mountings make over upgraded units. Unfortunately home demo of upgraded speakers will not be possible as the upgrade would only occur if I agreed to purchase.

3. Rather than buy an Audio Core 200 which with the advent of MQA will be quickly out of date, I wondered if I could run direct from my C15 or via Director as a temporary measure until new hardware is launched?
I am not terrible well clued up on the tech side of things but thought waiting a little while might be the way to go rather than installing new software/firmware once it becomes available.

My other option is to go straight for new 5200SE's

1: No I don't think they would be overkill.

2: Unexpectedly I found quite a difference between the chrome ring factory SE's and upgraded versions, I assume this is what you are referring to?

3: Why would the AC200 be out of date? The decoding of MQA a can be done outside of the AC200.

DSP7200's offer a greater scale compared to the DSP5200's in my auditioning experience, although both are superb speakers.

Russ

I think the 7200's will be fine. The SE range, either upgrade or factory, in my experience have so much more control over the music, than the original versions, they are actually more forgiving of room 'issues'. I no longer play around with boundary/bass/treble. Everything is just flat and it works.

If you do go that route, you will definitely want something between the C15 and 7200's. Ideally ID40/ID41 but failing that, an MS600.

Cheers
Greg

Also agree, the 7200 should be fine in that size room. I agree too, you will likely want something between the C15 and the speakers as the digital output of the C15 (if the MC200 is anything to go by) can't do the speakers justice.

Unfortunately, I have no idea about the clamp rings. Would like to know the answer to that myself before I upgrade...

Thanks Russ, Greg and Jeremy, your comments are very helpful. Like everyone, the latest CES press releases raise questions I will also need to investigate.

Also, don't rule out the 818 into 5200SE - based on my auditioning, the 818 would be my priority.

If your interest is 2 channel, then 818+SE speaker is way to go as Steve mentions above.

I was told today that 5200 received most dramatic overhaul with SE upgrade (compared to their earlier version). But try to go with 7200s if not 5200 (SE) is a worthy alternative.

Regards,
Kishore

Gavin, how long can you wait? As things stand, there is no MQA out there, and Meridian hasn't revealed its full hardware map wrt MQA decoders (e.g. for G-series owners).

Hi VK
Yes, I am trying not to get too carried away but the MQA audition was so good and SWMBO was equally impressed so I wondered if I should make an early move before things like a new kitchen rears it's ugly head and gobble up funds. I have been considering 7200's for a little while,(as you can imagine my old B&W's were left seriously wanting in comparison to a DSP system), and now also in the medium term an 818v3 is on the lust list.

We live in expensive times :-)

FWIW, when I first heard MQA at HQ, it was via the R&D pair of 7200SEs which did not have the driver clamp rings; and it sounded incredible.

Joel

Thank you so much for this post, I has cheered my heart and wallet.

Russ

Yea, but without the clamp rings you will always be left wondering...but then, same could be said of 7.2k vs 8ks