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

Yes you will need extra processing power. The current Dolby Atmos standard allows for up to 34 channels, 24 ear level and 10 height channels. Most of the units coming out seem to only do 11 or so channels such as the 8802A with its 7.1.4 capabilities. At this point the only processor that I know of that comes close to maxing out Dolby Atmos is the Trinnov Altitude 32 with its 32 channels and then coming in with a little less is the Datasat rs20i.

I am hoping that a new Meridian Atmos box + 861v9 will yield at least 17.1 channels. Dreaming? Perhaps. But I'm not giving up on M yet.

Gary

I think there have been three proposals as to how M could achieve an object-based audio system with height channels.

1. An updated HD621 (to HDMI 2.x; HDCP2.x) which passes bitstream to a greatly enhanced 861 which does all the processing and provide the additional channels. This would require a major redesign of the 861 to accommodate the extra hardware and maintain it at a workable operating temperature.

2. A greatly enhanced HD621 which does all the processing and provides the hardware for extra channels. This would require a major design of the HD621 and means to coordinate the channels between the two units.

3. A three box solution in which the HD621 is upgraded as in (1), the 861 pretty much stays as it and a third box is added to accommodative the extra channels for those who want them.

Time will tell if any the above comes to fruition. Personally, I’ll be surprised (pleasantly) if it happens in the v9 generation. My Marantz 8802A\861 solution is still working extremely well so I for one am happy to wait.

Hi all,

There's been quite a lot of talk about Dolby Atmos, but from what I've read it seems that DTS:X might be a better option form home cinema setups.

DTS:X: What is it? How can you get it?

What do you guys think?

Regards,
Carl

DTS:X certainly seems to be designed to allow more flexible speaker positioning than Atmos.

I'm keen to try Neural:X which is DTS's upsampling algorithm for standard DTS:HD etc. Dolby's version is really good but I'm hoping Neural:X will be even better given the it will be working on DTS's own source material for most BRs

At CES I saw three demos. One each of Dolby Atmos, Auro 3D and DTS:X. I was extremely disappointed in the DTS:X demo. I believe they were not quite ready for prime time last January. There was no fluidity of movement in the sound just localized sound saying now I'm here oh no now I'm here behind you.

Dolby Atmos was fine but the Auro 3D just blew me away. I was talking to myself as I left the demo and was saying "That's a game changer". Eight months later I have grown to believe in the Dolby technology as best but Auro 3D is also in the game.

I'm currently adding height speakers to my theater and putting in 11 ceiling speakers that should give an excellent 10 speaker Atmos configuration as well as a pretty good Auro 3D presentation (in theory). This is why I want M to really come through on the v9 and height box. I should be up and running in about 3 or 4 weeks with the Marantz and will report back in the HiFi chat area.

Gary

There is no v9 only v10.. remember M is not early adopter and they have upgraded 861 v4-v6-v8. Since we want v9 today, I am guessing v10 will come out late next year.

Just wanted to spike the football now

Atmos for home does not use real time rendering of sound objects as it does in the cinema. Home delivery requires a remix/downmix of all height channels into the 4 channels prescribed for home delivery. This necessitates an additional remix in the dubbing stages (which is one of the reasons you don't see many Atmos home releases right now, due to the added cost). 7.1.4 is the practical limit for now.

A bit quiet in here....
Any more news / rumour / (wild & unjustifiable) speculation about the 861v9 now that the v3.07 SE DSP speaker firmware is available & 818v3's are being shipped ?!

No news here. I'd say wait for CES and, if it's not shown there, assume a 2017 release.

I suspect the 861 v9 or 10, will not have any HDMI inputs or outputs.
The video is removed at the HD621 and only Audio passed via MHR to the 861.

Logically there will need to be an updated HD621 which supports HDMI2.0a for full 4K and HDR/Dolby Vision pass-through to the output video device?

No doubt the new 861 will support MQA.

As for the new surround formats, and the extra channels required (at least 2); the HD621 does not decode bitstream, and only processes PCM?
DTS:X and Atmos are only contained in the bitstream.

So the HD621 will have to decode the DTS:X /Atmos and pass it as extra PCM channels via MMHR to the 861?

Seems not much has happened in the last 2 years in 861 space, other than the UHD722 which added 4K to the combo.

Are we expected to move on to non-Meridian processors?

Some might well.

I heard a few Casablanca 4A with D3 DAC cards lately, I was impressed by the SQ of CB4A, it sounds like a 861 but better in any aspects, not to mention Atmos and Dirac support.