Meridian Unplugged - Powered by MrTechGuy.co.uk Forums Discussion Meridian - Streaming Using a 218 with both DSP and Analogue speakers connected

I'm trying to connect 2 pairs of speakers to my 218.

3200's on the SpeakerLink connection and a pair of B&O powered speakers on the analog out.

At the moment both speakers play at the same time but I'd like to turn one pair off through the 218 and not have to physically power the speakers off.

Is it possible to control each of the outputs independently?

Indecently? Unlikely, but I don't know your tastes. Independently, I think not as the analogue output as far as I know normally tracks the digital output (the SpeakerLink version of that). So even if you put a secondary remote operated volume control on the analogue output (they are very cheap) you would still have the 3200s going at the level determined by the 218. However, if you set the 218's analogue output to fixed you could then use an add-on remote volume gadget on that output and I presume you could reduce the 3200s to zero and still have a feed to the B&Os controlled by the add-on. I have not tried this but the Configuration page in IP Control of the 218 suggests so.

Oops... Freudian slip! One might say using a pair of cheap B&O next to 3200's is pretty indecent!

Thanks for the advice. I guess I need a 218 for each pair of speakers, or an 818v3.

Or a single processor with two zones? Fed by the 218?

Cheers

George

You can easily test my second suggestion without buying a remote volume control. Using the IP Control app with the 218 just set the analogue output to fixed and feed the B&Os (hopefully not deafening!). Then vary the SpeakerLink output in the usual way down to zero. If the B&Os stay on then all you need is a remote volume control (£13.67 here in UK, from China on eBay) interposed between the 218 analogue out and the B&Os and you will have what you are seeking.

I don't know the 218, but the 818 has a headphone mode which essentially accomplishes what is being suggested in a slightly more elegant way (although I wish it had variable outputs when the DSPs are muted) anyone know if the 218 offers a similar feature?

Do you mean that if the DSPs are set to volume 1, say, the 818 headphone output works but you too would need a simple remotely controllable potentiometer between the 818 headphone/analogue out and whatever you are playing into but Mute mutes everything?

On the 818, headphone mode mutes connected DSPs but keeps the analogue outputs active.

The limitation is that the analogue outputs can only be run at fixed volume in this mode, as it is assumed that the headphone amp volume control will be used instead. I don't like this assumption/limitation - e.g., if the headphone amp is on the equipment rack, it would actually be great to leave the headphone amp volume, e.g. halfway, and be able to vary the 818 volume using the remote control without having to get up and vary it manually in between tracks, etc.

Also, there is a use-case (as in the OPs) for preferring analogue amps/speakers for, say, some types of music, and DSP for others, etc...

Understood. Although you might want to put it in a box, these simple motorised remotely controlled potentiometers (volume controls) work very well and are not a great deal of trouble or expense to implement.