Meridian Unplugged - Powered by MrTechGuy.co.uk Forums Discussion Meridian - Systems Meridian or No?

I share your concern. It seems that the new direction is somewhat diffuse, at least there is no DSP9000 line array system (!) or other new product announced. Also, the partnership with LG gives me the impression that the current direction is to make most out of existing techniques with little investment. This is of course speculation. Maybe there is a team deeply involved in a new range of models that will put Meridian back where it has been for decades. On the other hand manufacturers push out ‘new’ stuff to bump sales, and I consider it a good sign when product remain unchanged for long periods of time.

We will not know what is going to happen to Meridian now Bob Stuart has left. We won’t know what the resale value will be in the following years.

My point is: it doesn’t matter. I still have my DSP5500’s and still like listening to them. Their current products are still remarkable, and even if resale value is unknown and there will be no updates or new model in the future, I would probably still buy a Meridian system. Long time ago I had an expensive passive system (B&W nautilus 802) that never fully made music. I always ignored Meridian back then and when I acquired my first DSP they where a revelation. They did everything well. You just have to enjoy them while they are still available and never sell. I think Meridian was so ahead of its time, misunderstood by most and their DSPs are future classics. It's like the three steps when you have a new insight in science/engineering; First you will get ignored. Then they will say it wasn’t your idea and then they will try to steal the idea.

Recently I have auditioned a really high end passive conventional system of a friend and while good, I thought it was outperformed by my DSP7200SE. The owner was very much impressed by the DSP7200SE as well. Both dynamics and soundstage are very hard to beat by any system in its price range. And then there are other benefits like ease of use and having no stack of hot running power amps. Yes, other brands develop new techniques, but many (kii, Dynaudio XEO, B&W formation) are in the same vain as Meridian has been doing for decades, presenting it as an innovation. While we have things to complain, M still deserves the benefit of the doubt.

I think a 818v3 with a pair 8KSE’s is a very envious system, it doesn’t get much better. Anywhere.
Just my unbiased 😊 opinion.