Meridian Unplugged - Powered by MrTechGuy.co.uk Forums Discussion Meridian - Systems 861v9 speculation thread

I hope 3D stays I love it - its getting better all the time with better film production

I also hope if there is a new HD621 it uses a Linear Power Supply rather than smps

I think you�re right, it�s Dolby (and now DTS) who are pushing on this. Dolby is arguing that mixing in Atmos doesn't impose significant time or creative penalties on a studio's existing workflow and that the post production process automatically creates 5.1 and 7.1 mixes of a movie which are used for unmodified cinemas and home video distribution. They are also pointing out that film sound mixers love the extra control these formats provide.

On the downside, it�s a significant financial outlay to equip a cinema for Atmos, but if it puts more bums on seats�

We�ll see.

But in theory couldn't a HD621 via firmware update enable bitstream receive and send that bitstream to the 861v9 for proper DTS:X/Atmos decoding just as it can for DTS/DD streams today? The HDMI input switching and audiostream separation layout could then stay the same but now DTS:X and Atmos stream can now be decoded in the 861v9.

I see a place for an updated HD621 for proper 4k with HDCP 2.2 which will be mandatory.

I know that it is fun to speculate. But before we get too far ahead of ourselves speculating about a product not due for some time it would be great to have some new facts about MQA progress (announced last December); and the delayed 818 and 808 models!

How about speculation on the cause(s) for delay in 808/818 w/MQA rollout?

Definitely off topic...

I would expect an announcement during the Munich show in June.

I think many of us would be happy with a low-priced (in Meridian terms!!) 861 upgrade to support MQA and to introduce a few other improvements (e.g. multi-channel audio over USB) but to bundle into it what could possibly be a high-priced (by any standards) upgrade to support Dolby Atmos would be a shame.

That is not to say that I don't want Meridian to deliver Dolby Atmos capability, I just personally have no desire to invest in a technology which is currently AV-specific, has low support in terms of desireable content, and would demand further investments elsewhere (players, speakers, etc.).

The 861 and other Meridian processors have succesfully combined support for two-channel/multi-channel music and multi-channel AV to date. MQA and Dolby Atmos together may be a step too far and create the need for a separation in the architectures or at least another tier:

- 2-channel
- 2 channel with MQA
- multi-channel with MQA
- multi-channel with Dolby Atmos
- multi-channel with MQA and Dolby Atmos

which looks like a production engineering and configuration management nightmare to me.

A couple of pre-owned 861s have tempted me recently but I (and I know others here) need to understand the roadmap viz:

- upgrade cost for MQA support from 861v6
- upgrade cost for MQA support from 861v8
- what else is included (see above)?
- what is a dead end?

before I am prepared to commit a major investment, given that pre-pros suffer the second highest depreciation after disc players.

I was about to write a very similar post, but Gianni beat me to it.

I suspect many here will find an "MQA Upgrade" to their 861's to be desirable... but that any Upgrade to Atmos / DTS X etc., etc should be optional via Cards or other external devices.

IMHO, there is simply not enough "worthwhile" Movies per annum to justify such an investment... and for one I wouldn't like to pay whatever is necessary to make my 861 16 channel and Atmos compatible etc.

+1 and to give Meridian some credit I don't think they would force an MQA and Dolby Atmos upgrade on owners as an all or nothing upgrade?

Russ

To give Meridian its due, the guys normally think through these major new pieces of functionality very well, and typically offer them in a sensible way, when the time is right, and often with retro-support.

However, doing so much in secrecy, there is normally a use case or two that gets completely forgotten and is really annoying. E.g. HD621 lack of vanilla DD/DTS decoding.