Meridian Unplugged - Powered by MrTechGuy.co.uk Forums Discussion Meridian - Systems A Meeting for Hikers in Huntingdon: Interest Check

Does anyone actually know the reason why a 2-channel MQA compatible board wasn’t made available to 861v8 owners (given that MQA isn’t currently multichannel anyway) even if part of e.g., an 861v8.2?

Seems mystifying to me to leave those owners in the lurch or having to look at an 818v3 or similar, even if the ultimate goal is an 861v9 with Atmos, etc...

Maybe one reason is that M don't want to made an intermediate solution for the 861.

I guess, as not all M equipment have a "RoonReady" compatible HW - taken from the "Trinnov knowledgebase" - and therefore can't sync between zones.

That maybe could a reason as (for example) MCh audi could be "generated" when zones bind together.
Means one 8x Mch zone could be 4 times a stereo - 2channel zone.

So maybe first M want to made their HW RoonReady, and then the 861 get MQA.
But only M knows.

And real or discrete MCh "masters" are rare compared to stereo masters, so maybe that a additional reason why its not their first priority ?

To use the 218 in the field and use that experiences to design a "better" MCh card, could be also a "logical" reason for M to decide in that way.

So only M know...

I asked Meridian via email, if they had plans to adopt RAAT and they said ...
Chris

Understood, what a bad decision, so I HAVE to decide my audio progress-future in a different way.

Can someone explain why M should adopt RAAT? I'm not sure that everyone understands the implications and pros (and by that I mean myself!).

Cheers
Tom

For me the benefit is being able to group Roon zones without needing all of them to be Sooloos kit.

The problem for M is that a RAAT M streamer would not be seen by a Sooloos core, so the ability to switch RAAT on and off again would be needed so the user can configure them to their need.

This is, I’m sure, not trivial, hence my question to John.

Does the grouping of zones mean allowing single playback to multiple devices i.e. playing the same track to all endpoints? Is there any other benefits?

Cheers
Tom

For me, Roon bridge being usable from Sooloos to allow use of USB DAC (such as Prime), I think. It may require full Roon though which would defeat the object for me.

Hi Tom

Try asking your question on the Roon forum, if you mention @Danny and @Brian I am sure you will get a detailed response.

Russ

Tom, first take a reading here, this explains what RAAT is for and why it should be used.

One reason for me is that (from Roon Knowledge Base) is:So to play more then one zone is not possible as there sync problems appear without RAAT.
And as explained in my previous post, one way to play more then two channels is to play more zones to get multiples two cahnnel streaming, means MCh.
So in that way maybe three or four 218 could be "bibd" together as one a MCh zone, so each output of a 218 go in the 861 and then you get a MCH streaming through the 861.

But as said, thats one possibility, of coarse a 861 MCh card could be also one zone, when M will built it, but with multiple outputs to the DSP, that audio streams to the DSP have also be syncronized.

Or even more, every DSP get his own network card and no processor then is needed anymore "just" to stream MCh music.
And when the network card in one DSP for one music channel-stream also can unfold MQA for that channel would be a possibility.

But without using the RAAT protocol the hardware manufacturer dont get the full support from ROON.

And MQA is NOT a 2channel "system"as stated , its "just" calculate/process out all the failure of the hardware used of one channel, so when a stereo master is there, then two channels, and when a MCH master there, then a MCH "system".

Simply put for me is, RAAT allows zone sync between my Bluesound endpoints and, if Meridian adopted it, my Meridian system.

Meridian do not sell any equivalent products to my other zones so the option to go all Meridian is not available to me.

SWMBO cannot comprehend this incompatibility and has a certain amount of sway on future buying decisions.
In short, Meridian adopting RAAT or the option of RAAT would lead to the possibility of more sales where they do not exist now due to this.

Chris

I wonder if Meridian have gained sales because Roon is capable of streaming to their endpoints albeit not using RAAT?