Meridian Unplugged - Powered by MrTechGuy.co.uk Forums Discussion Meridian - Streaming Linear Power Supply Meridian 218

I've been looking into having my 218 modified to accept an external power supply (either GX16 connector or round push-in type). I know that Farad in Holland will carry this out and they charge €100 if you buy their PSU. Does anyone know of a UK company that could carry out this modification as it would avoid the hassle and costs associated with European supply owing to Brexit.


I contacted Mr Tech Guy Limited who are the UK Authorised Meridian repair centre (and sell the 218) but they weren't interested.

thanks

Adrian

I dropped my 218 in at a local (to me) electronics repair company yesterday, they’ll look at it and give me a price to add a GX16-4 connector, I would expect later this week. Like you, I wasn’t keen to have the extra hassle of shipping my 218 out to Farad. I supplied the local company with some relevant info from this forum post as well as some tips from Mattijs. I’ll let you know how they reply.

I had originally ruled out the GX16 connector, because Farad only offered it as a solution on the Level 2 cable, which as you know is pretty expensive. However Mattijs has now agreed to now provide that connector as an option on the cheaper cable.

I quite liked the solution adopted by Mattijs, which unlike Milmesis’s, did not involve attaching a small external plate at the rear of the 218. Instead the original rectangular aperture is left open and a small pcb cut-off used inside the 218 to blank off the hole. Because the GX16 connector is bigger than the more normal jack barrel, a bigger portion of the hole is blocked off anyway by the connector itself. The connector I think will be rigidly secured, thanks to the connector rim on the outside and the locking nut inside.

Many thanks - let me know how you get on? What you propose makes sense, I like the idea of using the GX16-4 with the lower price Level1 cable option. Your local repair company might well be a good option for me.......

You guys make me envy your GX connectors. I guess I was the test case and Mathijs later realized the GX would be possible too.

You could also try Sean Jacobs at Custom HiFi Cables. He has done similar work on the Chord Dave. But he offers state-of-the-art specifications, sophisticated circuits and prices to match. He has a very high reputation and also designs for Innuos. See the reviews of the Innuos Statement for more information.

I just had a quick look at the site again (If I recall I looked at them a while ago when looking for an ATX LPSU) and at those prices I can't see why anyone would choose to modify a 218 and not just buy a better streamer.
By the time you add it all all up you aren't too far off an 818 but with much less hassle.

Mattijs has just done my 210 and I have to say it’s a super-neat job. You’d never know it was modified from looking at it.

I bought a 218 for £450 off eBay, a Farrar Super 3 for £290. What’s an 818 used? What’s a better streamer? Pretty much holds its own. Works from an MSR, in harmony with other Meridian kit, MHR etc.

Out of curiosity, what is physically stopping it sounding better than an 818, given a top notch PS?

It’s also a smaller, neater than an 818, probably holds its value better, the PSs also hold value and can be used on other kit, upgraded, tinkered with. It’s flexible and fun. Not sure where the hassle comes in, most people enjoy this! I certainly do, it’s been a revelation...

Good for you on the Farad Super 3 but that is not what was mentioned here. These are in a whole other pricing league and I suggest it is much easier to find a used 818 than one of these so comparing a used unit against a brand new mod is a perfectly reasonable thing to do in my opinion. When you do the cost difference doesn't seem that great but everyone has their own appetite as to value. Certainly the Farad and a 218/210 would tempt me but something like the DC3 and definitely the DC4 wouldn't even get a look in I am afraid when there are 818s about. Especially when they also work from an MSR, work in harmony with other Meridian kit and MHR etc, so I am not sure what point you are trying make here.

As to the rest of your questions I wasn't attempting to address but a used 818 has probably already lost most of the value it is going to so the holding its value argument is weaker and as for fun some of us prefer just to listen to music rather than tinker, upgrade, swap around and ship things back and forth. Each to is own on the last point though but it sounds like a hassle to me even if not to you.

Hi Marvin,
An 818v3 is probably fantastic, but I think the current pricing is about GBP 5k second hand. If you find a 818v3 for a Farad super3 + 218 price (<GPB 1200), please let me know first.
The upgrade was no hassle for me and leaves me with a capable and compact streamer. All the Meridian functionality still works, there is no difference in behaviour. Still no idea how if would compare to an 818v3, all I do know is that the PSU upgrade made a difference worth the money for me. On another note, I think it makes a lot of sense to keep the PSU separate of digital devices. Every device needs one, and its task is very different compared to the other circuits. Maybe we will see more separate PSU's in the future that powers several components.
Regards

I think there is a slight impedance mismatch here, which is the difference between what an individual might decide to do given their own priorities vs someone else with a different set of priorities. Given the choice to make my decisions again, I'd still go for the 818 to drive DSP's. That doesn't mean anyone else's priorities are wrong, simply different.

Well said Jeremy

I agree 818v3 or 808v6 still reign supreme.

A valid lower cost solution is zone MS 600 to AC 200 (for convenience, recently compared to ugly 218) to DSP SE.

Form / appearance factor matters to me, and I cannot accept the proposed necessary discussed PSU mods for the 218 unless they are out of sight.

OK it's not what you see or read with MQA or any associated device you consider, it's what you hear.

Hector