Meridian Unplugged - Powered by MrTechGuy.co.uk Forums Discussion Meridian - Systems Can an analogue bypass be added to a G68?

Thanks Bruce.

Is there a link to the datasheet?

May we have a copy for Duncan's Meridian Info?

Hi Bruce,

I visited the Meridian web site and there is no mention of the 218 in the "PRODUCTS" section.

When will the data sheet you refer to be available to prospective customers?

Hector

Is the analogue signal fed into a G68 altered in any way before it reaches the G68's analogue output? I am hoping I can use the G68 as a pre-amp that will not play with the MQA analogue signal from a 218 or other hi res streaming device before passing it on to my analogue stereo set up. There are a couple of analogue input options on my processor. Analogue in for stereo items, as well as Multi analogue in for SACD for which I am hoping I could just use main left and right if these were connections that simply passed through my processor to it's analogue main left and right analogue outputs.

Thanks,

Andrew

Hi,

All of the analogue inputs on the G68 go through a A/D stage and a D/A step at the output. However, some forum members have been using the analogue output from an Explorer 2 to feed the analogue inputs on their processors. While this isn't ideal for MQA, people are reporting good results from going this route.

Brian

Thanks Brian,
Please can you advise if the same A/D - D/A process takes place in the 568.2mm processor?

Cheers,

Andrew

Hi,

Yes_ the same applies to the 568 (and all the other M processors).

That's what Meridian kit is all about! After converting the analogue inputs to digital, all of the signal handling, manipulation and processing is done in a digital domain (either in the processor or in the speaker), right up to the final D/A conversion in the DSP speakers.

The question that no one can answer yet, is how the MQA outputs from the 218 integrate with what we already have, to offer the best MQA experience.

Brian

I think Meridian were always good at AD/DA and did it correctly so well worth trying if you have the kit.

I don't know what kind of blur that it introduces and how much degradation occurs. Perhaps they will have a fingerprint to correct it somehow. Another AD/DA with MQA encoding software to fix this.

More little boxes... Chris

Chris

Whilst this type of convoluted path might end up sounding ok MQA would be totally lost.

Russ

Cheers Russ, My thinking is, if they can MQA a studio tape, they can MQA a Meridian processor output having a known analog input (Think Master Tape) and a fingerprint of the Processor AD/DA.
I know, I know, it's madness lol as we await real solutions from M, what else is there to do.
I must get out more.... Chris

It is interesting to consider if the D2A component sound signatures of M processors had been/are matched to those of the A2D components.

However it is worth restating that MQA is an analogue to analogue process *; any messing with the analogue output through redigitisation must diminish the MQA effect and what heard would, by definition, not be MQA although it may be very nice.


* Digital master tapes are processed by MQA to correct for the studio A2D characteristics.

If I have understood MQA at all (which I may well not have done) it is primarily about maintaining the phase versus frequency integrity of the original master tape ('timing' in Meridian speak) by careful encoding and decoding.

Provided any subsequent signal treatment is good enough that it maintains that reassembled phase versus frequency linearity then I don't think such treatment destroys MQA.

Whether Meridian's A/D and D/A processing is that good I do not know, but it could be. It might no more destroy MQA than phase/frequency non-linearities in the (analogue) amplifier feeding your decoded MQA analogue signal to your loudspeakers.

Perhaps that is why M say that you need SE speakers and digital feed right through to those speakers to get the full MQA benefit: by that route they can tightly control phase/frequency non linearities right up to the moment of air being pushed, time aligned, by the loudspeaker 'cones' in the truly final step in the chain.

If only someone from Meridian would comment? How many times that need to be said!