Meridian Unplugged - Powered by MrTechGuy.co.uk Forums Discussion MQA - Related technology, products and music MQA How

Hi

Thanks for your reply and that is what l understood was the case. What l wanted to be sure on was the 218 an answer and how did it relate to go between MQA and my current system from my armchair?

Regards,
Colin

Hi Spinal,

Very happy to be corrected on that! I'd much prefer to have a collection of MQA CDs that I own, rather than having to use a streaming service, but the economics don't stack up for me personally, even though the cost of an additional player is not the factor I believed.
How do you see your own library building over time?

Cheers, and apologies for the incorrect info earlier!

George

Thanks Chris, I had a notion that it was to do with 16 bit, but couldn't remember if it was indeed that, as MQA is folded anyway.

Cheers
George

Yes, MQA CD’s are a bit thin on the ground. My three, all ripped to Sooloos or played on a CD player, play just fine with the MQA light showing on my 218.

Brian

G98 Multi-channel SPDIF into your processor as normal
G98 Auxiliary digital output into 218.
218 into D2 on Master DSP, set up as a new "source" in the system with the dedicated MSR+ button of your choice.
+
Tidal/Roon to network switch to 218 if the MQA CD option is limited to a few choice discs!

All from your armchair

Cheers
George

Ideally, I much prefer buying my own physical music media.

However, being pragmatic, most MQA or hi-res CD’s are disproportionately expensive. I’ve seen it all before back in the 1970’s, when CD-4 (discrete quadraphonic) L.P’s commanded a premium over their Stereo stablemates.

Being practical, it is more economic in subscribing to either Tidal or Qobuz compared to buying such premium-priced CD’s.

Hi

Yes thanks for that and makes sense to my ageing brain! All that’s left now is do l go ahead or not. I did find a piece of video with DES Ford explaining the 218, l can remember him with a full head of dark hair from the days of original 200’s!

Colin

Given your existing kit, you might consider buying a 210 (streamer) instead of 218 (pre-amplifier).

The 218 is ‘Roon tested’ compared to the 210 which is fully ‘Roon Ready’.

The 218 is primarily geared towards Sooloos integration, whereas the 210 is fully ‘RAAT’ (Roon Advanced Audio Transport).

I own both simply because I integrate my legacy Meridian kit with the 218 via AC12.

Hi

Have spoken to my local Meridian dealer who confirms 210 being best choice and to use along with an Innuos.

What was suggested so that l could still run my current system as it is ... is to let the 210 do all “conversion” and to then connect to one of the digital inputs on the G61RSL.

It might be a case of “suck it and see” or in this case listen but has anyone tried this as such?

Regards
Colin

Hi Colin

If you didn't have SE speakers, then 210 directly into the G61 would give you access to high quality (MQA 1st unfold) signal, you could have Direct two channel, and still play around with Trifield etc.

But with your SEs' ability to do the final render, wouldn't it be better to have the 210 directly into the 5200SEs to maintain full MQA integrity and capability? Or is that an incorrect assumption?!

You could use the SpeakerLink outputs of the 210 into your DSPs, and the auxiliary digital output of the 210 (SPDIF) into the G61 to still allow Trifield and other DSP modes when the mood takes you.

I see that the 210 has a SpeakerLink input, so would you have the dealer make a SPDIF to SpeakerLink cable to run the G98 into it for MQA discs?

Cheers
George

Clearly, your audio dealer wants you to spend at least £899 on a 1TB Inuous Zen Mini.

It’s your money, your choice.

Do you intend on buying into Roon, or is your choice of the Inuous down to it being a stand-alone device, independent of Roon?

If as an independent unit, I assume your dealer suggests that the Inuous is compatible with the Meridian 210’s UPnP input?

While the Inuous is a UPnP Server, simply adding an external USB HDD to a 210 enables it to become an economically priced UPnP Server.

For example, by adding a 1TB Samsung T7 SSD, plus Arcam’s free MusicLife (iOS) app, it will store/playback your music library. If you require access to Tidal or Qobuz, substitute MusicLife with the free mcontrol (iOS) app.

If utilising Roon, an Intel NUC8i3BEH (plus additional internal 1TB SSD), will be more powerful - and much cheaper to buy - than the Inuous.

I have to concur that, given you just "wanted to give it a try", spending that kind of money seems like really bad advice.