Meridian Unplugged - Powered by MrTechGuy.co.uk Forums Discussion Meridian - Systems How many Meridian users have switched to Trinnov

I'd be interested how many people actually switched to Trinnov.

I mean 861 are fairly expensive, but then Trinnov is another level again.

I find it hard to believe there was an exodus.

Cheers
Greg

I switched to Trinnov. And a number of my guys have as well and they were all 861 users.

I will switch when my building work is complete

Chris

Don't get me wrong, I'm not advocating a switch - the 861v8 is a fantastic processor for those who equally value music and movies, and who don't actually need 3D audio codecs.

I'm just pointing out that it was, IMO, dumb/careless for Meridian to make the statement that 818v3 was the way to add MQA to the 861v8 (especially when they had previously announced the MQA update to the 861v8 was forthcoming within the year).

My belief is that they don't need to add 3D codecs, but that a v9 with MQA card and the lower-jitter architecture the 818v3/808v6 offer would be more than welcome at this stage, and give loyal customers reason not to look elsewhere.

I've been in the position myself that I'd love to move to an 861, but have hesitated at least in part due to complete lack of information from Meridian that a v9 update is (ever?) coming. Surely that's just bad marketing/business practise to keep existing and potential customers completely in the dark for years?

To be fair, jitter and noise level wise 861.8 is still the best, at least at same level with Casablanca 4a, better than Trinnov (to my ears), just CB4A and Alt32 which sound more detailed than the 861, DSP speakers are very detail however.

But still I will switch to Alt32 if funds allow, TEQ is too special!

Just add my two penneth from a humble Meridian owner.

Over the years I've created an all M system (mainly second user and dealer's specials) and just last year elevated to 861v6 which I'm very happy with.

I will never need or be able to afford or fit speakers for 3D codecs and Trinnov is just not reachable unless Mr Lottery comes calling.

B

I agree, audio performance is at the very upper level of what's out there, it's just that it is still a small step back from the 818v3/808.6 architecture - and to be clear I'm talking about non-MQA material. Whatever Meridian did in the v3/.6 was very special in terms of overall SQ from all sources.

For me, a v9 upgrade would be worthwhile if they upgraded generally to the same low-jitter, or whatever special-sauce internal architecture overall as v3/.6 and then add an MQA card to decode for all purposes (e.g. to feed Trifield, etc.), and render just for 2-channel, if one happens to have SE for FLR (since MQA isn't multichannel yet anyway).

I’m in the midst of building a new house. Thanks to Bruce, I have all the extra speakers installed to be ready for a Trinnov, which I plan to do when funding allows. I’m unhappy that M has apparently left others to fill the place of the gold standard of home theater. That seems to rest firmly with Trinnov.

I switched to Trinnov recently having been a Meridian fan for at least 20 years. One of the reasons for being with Meridian for so long was due to the upgradeability of the 861and the leading edge technology. I started with a 568 and then moved to an 861v4 which I later updated to v6 and then v8.

After the v8, Meridian seemed to stall and loose direction. I might have stayed if they did not mess up the whole MQA thing with misinformation and lack of follow through. I would definitely have purchased an MQA card for stereo if they had released one.

I only have a 5.1 system so I did not change to Trinnov to it to get more codecs although that may change in the future.

I thought that the Trinnov would sound better than the 861 once I had applied the room correction as I have a combined lounge room and theatre so room treatment was not an option.

I was completely surprised how the Altitude 32 beat the 861 straight out of the box and I am talking stereo only!

It is now even better since I have set it up properly. The Trinnov optimizer is a dream to use compared with the 861 room correction and deals completely with the difficult room I have. The speakers now just blend in seamlessly with each other. The Auro 3D upmixer is so good that it is hard to tell that it is on. So much better than Trifield

The move to Trinnov was a big investment but I don’t regret it for a minute.

Thanks to Bruce who I met at Cedia who encouraged me to do the switch.

My experience echo’s Colin’s. The Trinnov optimisation\EQ is just too good. For stereo sources it’s far better than Meridian’s RC and for MC sources it’s in a different league. For MQA, a first unfold in Roon followed by Trinnov optimisation is very difficult to beat IMHO.

With respect to price, the basic Altidude 32 model isn’t too far away from the cost of 861v8 + UHD722 combination. It’s only when you add an extra 8-channels or more and the 3D codecs that the price really racks up. Pity the Altitude 16 doesn’t have digital outputs.

When you guys say the Trinnovs are better (apart from RC) would it be possible to say in what way (e.g., smoother/sweeter/fuller midrange/etc.) just to give those of us who’ve never heard them an idea?

FWIW, I currently, briefly, have the privilege of having both 818v3 and 861v8 at home, and it’s surprising how different they sound in some ways (while similar in others).

With music, the 818 is smoother and sweeter through the midrange/treble and subjectively gives a ‘bigger’ soundstage’, with fuller bass. The 861 is clearer, quite a bit brighter, and e.g., cymbals sound more metallic, bass is clearer and more controlled even without MRC turned on.

With movies, these broad characteristics remain, but the 861 has a greater sense of detail and atmosphere with crisper dialogue, (but of course that’s probably more about its ability to decode the full amount of channels whereas the 818 has to be mixed down to 2-ch in the source).

My theory, rightly or wrongly, is that the 861v8 originally predates EBA and certainly SE and I think it’s voiced accordingly, to give correct balance on .2 DSPs. The 818v3 is voiced for EBA and SE and is subjectively ‘darker’ and less bright through .2 DSPs (it’s much brighter through the analogue outputs in my experience). With Meridian’s knowledge of DSP, it’s a shame they don’t offer us the ability to switch between different voicings (whether my theory is correct or not) as it suits some material better anyway and goes beyond tone controls (I was on +10 treble on the 818 last night and it still wasn’t as bright/clear as the 861 watching a well-known TV soundtrack)!

It’s also possible that this is all listening in 2-channel in the 861 and it expects the other speakers to fill in more and give a richer, warmer balance(?).

Conclusion - I’d love to hear an 861v9 with the best of both worlds

My very briefly audition of Alt16 (new), it was connected to D2 at my 5200SE and 218 was connected to D1 in my full gik treated small room.

Alt16 -- every note becomes so heavier and clear,bass is little bit more tight
218 -- more "musical"

Image is very good for both ALT16 and 218.
As I said it was very brief, and I am more of a HT guy, so it could be very subjective or wrong!