Meridian Unplugged - Powered by MrTechGuy.co.uk Forums Discussion Meridian - Systems DSP7200 worth getting?

Hi All,

I'm considering getting a pair of DSP7200s to replace my aging 5500s (move to read or sides for a 7.1.4 set up).

The question is are Meridian DSPs a worthwhile 'investment' these days with Meridian seemingly shrinking in size and ambition?

I have to option to go with traditional speakers/amps with my 271.

Any thoughts?

If you like the Meridian house sound then continue with Meridian. The 7200 in any version is leaps and bounds better than the 5500 in terms of power, scale and dynamics. Plus they are way more pleasing to look at. A dot 2 or SE version is icing on the cake. DSP speakers are bread and butter products for Meridian and they should be around for a lot longer because of that.

Hi PWM,

I have a pair of DSP5500 and DSP7200SE, which have been upgraded from DSP7200.2. So I know the speakers quite well. Although I am unsure about the future of Meridian, it didn't put me off buying M. I have used several high end passive systems and was never fully satisfied. Switching to Meridian DSP speakers solved the issues I had. They sound detailed without ever being harsh, coherent with definition and have a hard to match soundstage. So I use Meridian purely for their sound. I do believe the cross over design of the DSP contributes to their performance. I honestly don't understand why there are still so much passive speakers even though they can sound good. Other audio enthusiasts that have passive system that pass by my place are always impressed with the Meridian sound. There is just little to fiddle with.

If you look at buying a set of passive speakers with some power amps and DAC you will find it is hard to match the performance for the same money of a pair of (used) Meridian DSP's. And then there are other benefits: they are very convenient in use, not having several remotes etc. You don't have a stack of boxes. DSP speakers play very well on all levels, they give insight in the music on low levels, but can play astonishingly loud without strain for such small boxes. They fit in a living room rather good and you can tweak their sound using the DSP.

More on topic: I still like the sound of my DSP5500's, but switching over to the DSP7200's makes a big difference. They sound much more tidy, they seem to have less bass but its just faster. Soundstage is much better and there is more detail. All music sounds more realistic on them relative to DSP5500. If you can get a good deal on a pair of DSP7200's I can certainly recommend them. I don't know the difference between .1 and .2 but I do between .2 and SE. SE are better, but .2 are great to live with.

Hi PWM

Although communicating with Meridian today is like pulling teeth, I am still a believer.

I also suggest 5200 as an option (especially SE) they are the absolute sweet spot of the range in terms of sound and VFM.

Do not discount these on size alone.

Hector

If you like scale, dynamics, frequency range and excitement then 7k2s are hugely better than 5k2s (I have owned both). They have all the other Meridian virtues as well of course.

This is entirely dependant on the room though.

I have two rooms with 5200's and one with 7200's hence my experience to comment here.

In my spaces I prefer 5200's they are just so flexible. Just dump them on the carpet with standard feet and they perform just like the old 5K's.

I prefer a simple life.

However PWM must decide

JMO Hector

I forgot to add yesterday that, in order to really show their capabilities, these speakers deserve the very best sources, otherwise they can sound flat and dull. And also attention to detail on set-up really pays dividends. I am thinking here about placement (distance from back and side walls), toe-in and even such things as driver tensioning.

More controversially, investment of time and money on infrastructure will also give a considerable lift to sound quality. Here I am referring to racks and supports for associated equipment, cables, and power conditioning. I have been surprised by how much sound quality can be elevated by these means. But it would be a pity to invest in such sophisticated speakers and then not enable them to truly sparkle.

It depends on what you think is missing from your large set up? 7200s would seem to be an easy replacement for your 5500 and no need to change anything else. It appears that Meridian are focussed on in walls for the time being so I would guess no replacement for the DSP7200 expected, making them a better long term purchase. But I would go back to my first question, consider perhaps a sub? or just buy the 7200s and enjoy without expecting too much change.(Then you might be pleasantly suprised)
Happy listening

Hi Asa Post
If you wish to invest more cash, so be it.

I want the product to perform perfectly out of the box, and 5200's to my ears do exactly this. The SE upgrade price for 7200's over the time of availability rose by IIAC 2000 pounds. This was prohibitive and not worth the investment. Either Meridian got their sums wrong in the first place or margin was the name of the game.

It would not be a great idea IMO at this time to invest in any high end M DSP speakers other than MQA rendering capable products e.g. new products with a generous discount, as upgrade kits are no longer available.

Hector

With regard to ‘investment’ in your post - are you concerned about support and or how future proof they are? I touch on this as I don’t read anywhere in your post about sound quality; although several have shared lots of good relevant first hand sq experiences.

Another consideration not brought up yet is to have someone re-cap your existing aging 5500s? New caps and a fresh tweeter will work wonders on an old 'tired' DSP speaker.

I would also add that I have listened to the 7200s, and they are indeed a nice step up from the 5500s. If you are looking to expand to 7.1.4, you can still consider a re-cap on those 5500s after you buy 7200s.

Thanks

I am sorry that you now seem to have so little respect for Meridian. I do not see how you can expect to achieve decent sound quality by just "dumping" products on a carpet.