Meridian Unplugged - Powered by MrTechGuy.co.uk Forums Discussion Meridian - Streaming Meridian 218 Zone Controller Announced!

Not easy for me to unequivocally answer your question Tony.

I went from MS200 / DSP5200SL to 218 / DSP3200, so too much of a change there to make a sensible comparison. I can only say that I am happy with what I'm getting.

I haven't even run any MQA through the set up. I did originally do a first test of the 218 as a Roon end point via the analogue out in my analogue system, replacing an MS600 with analogue out. Again, no MQA involved at this stage, that is to come soon when I get some albums marked in the Tidal Desktop App so that they show up via Roon.

The best compliment I can give it is that I did not discern a difference from the MS600. I do have other plans to test 218 as a Roon end point / Preamp with a Quad 306 in an analogue stereo system in the future.

I have tested the 218 connected to my 3200. It's better than MS200 and almost equal to MS600. I played MQA and hires albums. But for CD-quality the MS600 is a better choice. I used locally stored (MD600) albums for all my tests.

Thanks both

Do you have a link/source for that statement ?
Thanks Robert

From the 218 support page FAQ number 4

I think that statement has to be viewed in context of course.

In terms of a pure end point via analogue-out stage, the MS600 theoretically has the edge. I actually could discern no difference, though it could be argued that better components might reveal one.

As for differences via SpeakerLink into various DSPs I suspect the difference might be harder to discern for some. However, we are not comparing apples with apples here - the 218 has rather more functionality (including, of course, MQA), and is intended for a different purpose. I think it's a great product at the price point which has no doubt partly been achieved by lack of expensive case and display plus limited connectivity.

Admittedly, USB connection would have been nice, but I can see that it isn't the purpose of this particular product. No doubt some interesting releases will be forthcoming, which may show the 218 more in context.

Thanks Springlike, but the question is here as job seekers mentioned, in which kind of application. With analogue and better PS it has arguments, with DSP I don't know.

I am just guessing if I should buy one for an intermediate solution, as I heard unofficial rumours from M at the highend fair in Munich, that the 861 should get card(s) and then can play also MQA but only then in 2 channel.

If that is a first step for MCh, nobody knows.

The cards should be released this year, whatever that means in "greenwich time".

I hooked my new 218 up today to my system. Very simple layout. Roon running on a windows PC (. Ethernet connection off my router to the back of the 218. 218 connected to a pair of 5200 SE speakers running the latest software.

Roon saw the endpoint right away and connected. All my core content is available and plays right along with MQA over my Tidal subscription.

The only hitch is any of my achieved content above 96kHz is being downsampled to 96kHz. For example, I have Soundgardern's Down on the Upside album purchased off HDTracks. The content is FLAC 192kHz 24bit. The songs will play, but Roon shows a "sample rate conversion step" downsampling to 96kHz. When I click on that for more info I get this message:

"The sample rate of your audio is being adjusted to maintain compatibility with your audio hardware using a high-quality synchronous sample rate converter"

When I click on the DSP engine setting of my 218 zone, it shows Sample Rate Conversion "disabled". If I toggle back and forth to enabled, or try to change any sub-settings in Custom, nothing changes.

Anyone have any ideas on how I can get Roon to stream output above 96kHz when the content allows for it, and stop the downsampling? Or are my 5200 SE speakers limited to 96k as the display when the content is coming from Roon regardless?

Robbie

You need MQA material to play above 96k.

Slightly more specifically, the Sooloos/Roon network input in the 218 is limited to 96/24. The coax SPDIF input accepts 192k, but down-samples it to 96k before passing it on to the SE loudspeakers.

Which is annoying.

I think you're being more than polite, VK.

Just for the sake of completeness, one should point out (again) that this is a difference between the 818 and the 218. The 818 can get 192k from SPDIF or USB input to the speakers.