Meridian Unplugged - Powered by MrTechGuy.co.uk Forums Discussion Meridian - Systems Exciting Opportunity - Meridian HQ Visit

gizzE

Very generous of you, your enthusiasm is to be applauded, try making the offer and see what response you get, don't do it through HH as it appears Meridian staff are not allowed to post

Russ

Exciting life???
I have been plumbing in a toilet this morning. Living the dream! Haha

Haha, I think they probably have a road map planned out and know what they want going forward.

I'm sure they see these posts, and it was a genuine offer, I would love to try and get talks going between M and other companies that look like that have products that would fit together well.
I have done it a few times with footwear brands and designers, or factories and footwear retailers, it sometimes doesn't work out, but often works wonderfully for both parties.

I'm sure they read these posts on here, if they are not thinking "Who the hell does he think he is!!?" they can contact me through the forum.

I've had lunch with John Buchanan and his team and thought Meridian was in very safe hands. As did others.

Was that long ago, do you still hold the same view?

Russ

It was a few years ago but nothing since has made me question my view.

I am more concerned about unfounded speculation than any action/inaction from Meridian themselves - nothing new in that, Meridian have always been wary of making any premature announcements and that from John Buchanen a couple of years back probably reiterates that sometimes they can come back to bite.

I met John at an SE celebration event in LA a couple of years ago, just weeks before he became President, and agree about "safe hands." I think a case can be made for a glass half-full outlook despite concerns about the financials. SE and other upgrades, installer products and new high end DAC and amp is a fair bit accomplished for a small company like Meridian. I'm writing this with heavy rains in Los Angeles. We thought we were in a never ending drought but things change. Maybe for Meridian, too.

I hope you're both right.

I just worry that while all the other brands have realised what many customers now want product wise and are already offering them, just look at Linn and Naim as examples, Meridian just are not offering that.

I'm taking a gamble that they have something in the pipeline. I had all my kit up for sale earlier in the week, seems I have been waiting a good 2 years for something to be offered that ties up multiroom at an affordable price point.

I hear what you are saying about the new DAC and 857, but seriously, how many people can stick that in their sitting room? It is £21,000 for the pair, and you will need to stick at least £3000 worth of speakers on it to do it proper justice, more like £8k on speakers and sub.

As I said earlier, AC218 at £1200 is what we need, AC200 with 218 built in.

Even offering the 218 as a G18 in a G series case that doesn't look it has come from the screwfix direct school of design and charge £999 for it would be nice.

I have to agree with this. I also can't imagine that M will not benefit financially both directly and indirectly from MQA even though it has been spun off as a separate company. They have to be working on updated products ( endpoints to name one) to take advantage of it including adding it into the 861. I think since they are small it will just take more time and will require more patients on our part.
On the other hand it would be nice to hear something along those lines in a communication statement from M ( I know there was one a few years back so an update would be nice).

Related to this viewpoint, here's my personal history of Meridian - for what it's worth.

I was a Meridian devotee in the 80s and from an early stage was sold on the whole concept of active speakers. I bought some M1s and (at first) a 101 preamp. This was followed by an MCA as preamp (much better) and finally a Pink Triangle PIP (even better). It was an excellent system, but unfortunately family and house changes meant the kit had to go.

At the time I remember having a conversation with Howard Popeck at Subjective Audio in London about why the amp trays in the M1s stuck out of the back of the speakers, rather than aligning with the lower shelf. His explanation was "just cottage industry audio company". Quaint, small business mistake to be seen as just amusing, or at least tolerated.

Fair enough, I thought - and then 30 years disappeared.
In the wilderness years I had all sorts (Mission Cyrus, Onix Audio, TDL, Arcam, PMC, Linn, Naim etc) but up to about three years ago kept coming back to NAIM as a reliable, modern option from the halcyon 80s when Linn, Naim and Meridian were the holy trinity.

I went for an audition to update my NAIM kit at the time and the very helpful salesman spent a lot of time and patience with me until finally suggesting that maybe Meridian was an option. His shop had been a Meridian dealership until the arrival of the PP era, but his suggestion still piqued my interest.

From that vague suggestion, I put my toes in the water again, and overnight abandoned my long term NAIM/PMC relationship and went back to Meridian - first to some 5000s, and then to 7200s and a full Sooloos system (now Roon)

Do I like the sound? Yes, I love it.
Have I got any brand loyalty? No.

In my opinion they appear to treat their customers with utter contempt, and I feel totally let down.
After 30+ years both everything and nothing seems to have changed. They have brought out some stunning products but appear to be even more entrenched in their old world business ways.

In another thread there is a lot of discourse on Linn's approach to MQA. I disagree with almost everything said, but I applaud them for a least acknowledging that it is now 2017.
Where is the official Meridian view on this rather than just Bob's MQA line.

As a Naim and PMC buyer I was genuinely proud to be part of the brand.
I cannot say the same for Meridian at the moment, and if just a few are like me that's a stupid and unforgivable situation for a company like this to be in given the incredible good will of the people on this forum.

Words cost almost nothing. But that still seems too much for Meridian.

Apologies for the long rant - but like almost all on this forum, it's only because I care.

Can't disagree.

The only bit of hardware I've ever regretted selling was my old olive NAT01. I even made a profit on it. Can't say that about any bit of M kit I've ever bought.

Sir Ron, sure brings back memories. I was living and working in London at the time. Bought a Linn Sondek from Howard to use with Swallow Acoustics actives and Meridian 101/105s. Good old days for sure. I'd buy those Swallows again in a heart beat!