Meridian Unplugged - Powered by MrTechGuy.co.uk Forums Discussion Meridian - Systems Best upgrades to your system

I can recommend simply buying more music...

I can also recommend fatherhood. I'd never have believed how a six-week old could completely knacker out two grown adults [lots of nods from all parents]. Makes those minutes listening to the hifi extra special!

Yes I have to say that Meridian gear just doesnt really benefit from tweaking/upgrades. It just works really well pretty much standard.

I've tried metal racks, power filters, power cables, ferrites etc. etc. and all of them have been tested and withdrawn from service. I could not detect any improvement.

I love the way you buy a Meridian CD player and then don't have to have the whole forum tell you you won't get the best out of it until you have paid another �800+ for a matching upgraded PSU!

Why don't they just build it right in the first place?

[This message has been edited by daglesj (edited 04-04-2005).]

I have always been skeptical about expensive cable upgrades until my local Meridian dealer had me take home the new Harmonic Technology Cyberlight Datalink. I can only describe the improvement as jaw-dropping.

Here is the web site:
http://www.harmonictech.com/product_detail_analog_fiber.asp?keyword=62
http://www.harmonictech.com/product_reviews_analog_fiber.asp

Not my cup of tea, particularly at those prices (nice commission ), but then again I'm not a tweaker. Your mileage clearly varies!

You know I have nothing against exotic cables. If you can afford them and you find them fun to play around with then thats great but these companies dont help themselves when they put really pretentious statements such as -

"Sound at the speed of light!" in their websites.

I mean, really!

Looking at the price of those cables I'd be better saving up and spending the money on an 861!!

All I can say is don't knock them until you try them. Actual cost of the cable was $750.

Tweaks and upgrades I have applied:
apart from the usual positioning , room , listening chair stuff

1) Use of a z-sys RDP-1 digital paramateric equalizer , by far the best tweak - tune to taste or just surgically remove some problem areas in respect of freq - wonderful unit!!
2) Decent digital cables between components (kimber d60 single ended , Orchid for AES/EBU)
3) Clean dedicated lines to the equipment , isolation transformers to the speakers
4) Replacing the Meridian tweeter (5500's) with a SEAS millenium (not advised for you)
5) Replacing bass drivers with SEAS magnesiums (not advised for you)
6)A decent isolation type rack
Regarding the 518 , it does some stuff good , it does some stuff bad , essentially I have found it adds a bit of depth to the sound and adds some ambience etc - depending on settings BUT I have also found it robs pace and life and drive from the music.I have used it with various speakers , from the 5000 to the 6000's and it has the same effects. Great as a digital pre tho.

Hi Gents

Bruce:
I had a G98DH and G68D last year (now in the tender care of dbrowne!) and tried the 518 between them for redbook CD. I still preferred the 500 or 602 as sources via the 518 into the G68. Even with the 518 between the G components, the resulting CD sound was, to my ears, too hard and mid-forward with my DSP6000s.

Joel:
I stand corrected sir! I'd still advocate trying a 518 in circuit though...but do use the same digital path, even though you'll be disconnecting/reconnecting. Mixing coax and Toslink paths immediately introduces a variable which could skew the results. On the FIFO vs PLL issue, I don't think one is better than the other, just different. It's difficult to know exactly how much of the final sound is down to these techniques, as each unit with either FIFO or PLL onboard has several other different processes running concurrently. And finally, being a parent, I know exactly what you mean about the precious few minutes of listening!

Rodney:
Several interesting points. Re the 518, I recognise why you might describe the downside of the 518 as such. Given my comments about the G sound, it will be no surprise that I'd describe the 518 as opening up the sound, making it more fluid/organic, and imbuing the sound with much more musicality/emotion! The only downside I've found is that you lose a tad of bass definition, but the gains are so great that I can well live with that.

On your tweeter/woofer changes, can you describe the improvements that replacing each unit has made? I'm very curious!

Cheers

George

Hiya George
The Meridian tweeter in the 5000/5500/6000 range is IMHO the weak point of the speaker , it can be rather harsh at higher levels and develops a spitty sound , it also is not that extended (I measured significant drop off at 16k with a Pro grade spl meter - how accurate it really was is debateable)
I decided to go with the SEAS millennium after looking at the specs and talking to SEAS but the tweeter itself required modification in that 5mm has to be machined off the flange for it to fit the rebate.
Advantages of the tweeter are far more robust construction (thick 6mm steel flange rather than the plastic of the Meridian offering (also a seas) , silk dome rather than metal and much better power handling.
To cut a long story short the results were much smoother treble with far more extension (almost no drop off at 20k) and a far less harsh sound. Transients improved a lot. The only downside was a slight loss of "air" for wont of a better word, almost like a loss of metallic sound - hard to really describe.
I havent ever reversed this mod . My ATC SCM 50 actives use SEAS tweeters too , the same ones , and they are pretty good in the treble region.
The bass units are along story , but I am not as convinced of the effectiveness of this mod vs the tweeter , the 5500's can have loose and overwhelming bass and this was tightened up , bass depth and sheer visceral impact increased. Lots more "thwack"
I tune my system to my taste and my taste is lots of bass , not cerwin vega bass , but good tight bass and if its tight , I'll whack it up a tad. So what I consider better bass might not be to everyones taste.
I use a TACT time and freq room correction unit and a digital parametric eq with my meridians so have the ability to tune out stuff like the room etc and also compensate for any problems in terms of the replacement drivers which makes getting the sound I like a lot easier

Rodney, you raise some even more interesting points! Firstly, how did you machine the SEAS Millenium to size? Did the manufacturer do it, or a local workshop? Is the metal face plate of the tweeter black like the original? Is it a six point mounting desing like the original (ie do the old holes line up with the new faceplate?)Regarding the woofers, did you replace both in each speaker? Are they a perfect fit without further machining?

Secondly, there was some discussion a while back on the forum about compatibility of DSPs with TacT room correction gear. You obviously have no troubles? I'd be interested to hear more about ease of use, any variance in set up from standard procedures given that you use DSP speakers, etc. and results you've achieved.

Thanks!

George

Hi Rodney,

You seem to have had no major problems with the integration of the drivers. Is this because you have tweaked the system somehow with for example your TACT, or do you think the programming in the speaker is general enough to handle the new drivers? Do you have any idea why some "air" was lost? Do you think, is the extension of the highs solid and clear (I mean, does the programming not cut it off?)

Also, have you had the possibility to try the Meridian Room Correction with your modified speakers? Do you think might the improvemets you have gained (by changing the woofers) be achieved by MRC, also?

Can you or somebody else please enlighten me, should the MRC theoretically work with any speakers (even if the woofers got modified of changed) or does it use somehow the model of the (DSP-) speakers as a parameters for its results? (I would understand that it works without this info). (Getting my G68J soon..

Also, are the tweaks you have made reversible ie. can you return (easily?) back to square one?

I'm also interested in what you have told of the drivers, especially the tweeters, as I might end as the new happy owner of one Scottish gentleman's 5k5s - greetings, George! (I got your email. Sorry I didn't have enough time at the office yesterday to reply yet, will have tonite.)

And George, can you please postpone the one modification you were planning for the 5k5s, you know, from AC/DC- to whiskey-driven? A splendid idea, I'm sure the kick out of the mod would be both noticeable and quite hilarious, but as it turns out, we use vodka here in Finland, so the specs might glitch and the warranty be voided..

Wbr, Tatu

Disclaimer: the before-mentioned stupid joke was in no way meant to imply anything of the Scottish or especially George's drinking habits, as I'm not aware of either of them. But there surely would be plenty of vodka here in Finland to drive anything! And yes, I have stayed up and worked all night..