Meridian Unplugged - Powered by MrTechGuy.co.uk Forums Discussion Meridian - Systems 818 or SE 'speakers

I was planning to move from Sonos to Sooloos this year, but I'm now waiting to see how the implementation of MQA may change my plans.

Add me to the list.

IMHO, we need to remember that this is a Double-Edged sword here...

We're actually confirming Meridian's long-held worst fears about telling us about new products too early... and thereby slowing down sales until those new products come along.

I fully understand the dilemma... but discretion might be the better part of valor here... especially if we want Meridian to talk more freely in the future.

If I listen to my 5200SL's (SpeakerLink with EBA on) through MC200 and then swap to 818v2, there is a very noticeable gain... as one would hope.

Within seconds of listening to some 5200SE (via 808v5 ID41) I found there to be a bigger gain than the above comparison... the 5200's do seem to have the biggest 'improvement' in overall sound when moving up to SE spec vs. their larger family members.

I've also listened to (7200.1 + 818v1) vs. (8000.2 + MC200) and again, the speaker upgrade gave the biggest improvement in sound quality.

If you had DSP6000 96/24 vs. DSP5200SE both via 818... (I've not heard this set-up) I'd probably be inclined to put bets on the DSP6000's sounding better/making the most of the 818... tough call though (both have their strengths).

Personally I'm holding out until I can hear MQA through 'core'/MC200 into SE speakers vs. MQA through 818v3 into SE speakers... i.e. how much does the 818v3 upgrade enhance the MQA data? (is this the 'Studio' level we've heard about in the past.)

Some great announcements being made to slowly clear the waters... and get us spending.

I think these hesitations stem really from the original MQA announcement and the Roon situation, rather than the more recent statement.

I agree – it is the MQA announcement that has caused the problem. However, it is difficult to see how this could have been handled any differently given the need to engage with so many different constituents. If they had made no announcement the discussions/negotiations would have leaked – much better to put it out in a controlled manner.

The mistake they made was to make only a very limited statement about how it would be implemented in Meridian systems and speculation has inevitably filled the vacuum. The Roon announcement created yet more confusion and, for me at least, the most recent announcement about implementation of DSD and DXD has compounded the situation. We are left not knowing which bits of kit in our Meridian chain will perform what function, if at all. Effectively the whole Sooloos architecture is now up for grabs. Likewise the processor/DSP architecture – in these circumstances it is not surprising that people adopt a “wait and see” approach, while trying to sell the bits of kit that appear to have reduced functionality/relevance in the new world.

There is an unfortunate flip-side here: people "panic-selling" Sooloos Core components - post-Roon announcement - in an attempt to recoup value from them "while they still can". However, it is quite possible that these components could have *increased* value, but we simply don't know.

For the time-being, I'm trusting M, so my MD600 isn't going anywhere. However, I am thinking that my multi channel system might run with a Dolby Atmos capable processor and an MS600, so that I can concentrate any other M expenditure on my stereo system.

I see no need for panic selling, nothing has stopped working, time to sit back relax and... listen to some music

Russ

Is VK referring to me?

I had three Sooloos Cores. Running a diskless MD600 just as a Core makes no sense to me at all, given my move to QNAP, nor does moving it to the IoW where the Source:Five is perfectly adequate with the TwinStore.

The Source:Five's retro look is perfectly in keeping with the island, where if someone tells you they'll be with you at 1950 you're never quite sure whether they mean ten-to-eight or the year...

I'll grant you the Control:10 is slower as a Core, but it soon catches up and looks just like a Control:One, so the good Mrs dpstjp doesn't know it's arrived. Perfect camouflage.

I'm not referring to anyone in particular.

Phew!

I do have to say that M's announcement that Core will be able to be run on a QNAP in the future is very welcome. I'd happily have bought a stand-alone Core without the bells and whistles that came with that Core. Makes upgrading an awful lot easier.