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

Boru80

When you buy the Farad, the basic price is inclusive of a cable with a normal barrel 12V connector. Had I chosen that standard package, if the Farad failed a couple of years down the line I could just have purchased and used a cheap as chips 12V transformer to get up and running again. Rightly or wrongly I opted to pay the 59 euros for the GX16 connector, which I will admit gives a better physical connection to the 218 than one of the normal wishy washy 12v barrel connectors. So that’s a plus. But, as I stated, if the Farad were to fail then you’re left with no easy way forward - that’s the minus.

By the way I wasn’t doubting members here who upgraded their 218 and commented “ a much nicer soundstage”, “brighter and tighter sound”, “ the Meridian SQ is just enhanced, no character is changed but increasing the transparency, resolution and power”, “The distorsion/ripple is just amazingly low.”.

I just felt that they (probably?) had a single 218, upgraded it and genuinely believed that it improved the sound quality etc, going purely by memory of what their un-modified 218 originally sounded like? Alternately (and very likely), my ears aren’t what they used to be, a huge difference in sound quality was indeed present, but I didn’t realise.

My side by side test, particularly with the A/B switch box taking the SL feeds from the two different 218 unis and directing the selected one to my master speaker, was (I believe) a more objective test. IMHO the more likely improvement comes from the fact that the Farad Super 3 is without doubt a top class physical unit and over time may well outlast the integrated (relatively low cost?) transformer used by Meridian

If you do live relatively near to Pangbourne, you’d be welcome to come and borrow my modified 218 and PSU to take it away and evaluate it for a day. Just PM me.