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

Hi, unfortunately feeding decoded MQA stream into an 861 destroys the MQA signalling (as the 861 even in DIRECT mode) is not bit-perfect. In order for the DSP's to correctly render MQA the 861 must be circumvented.

That said decoded MQA (in my case by Roon) into an 861v8 to multichannel DSP setup still sounds extremely good, it's what I have.

Regards,
Carl

If you were to go multichannel and wanted full MQA decode to your front L/R your options would be 818v3 or something like a 218, which many here use with a little switching setup.

OK, in my mind, as soon as you mentioned your proposed room layout, and particularly the fact you don’t think you can accommodate a centre channel, this choice became a lot clearer. The centre channel is of such importance in a surround setup - some say, and I agree, the most important channel. Without it, I personally wouldn’t bother with multichannel. Nearly all the benefits I described in my previous post disappear if you can’t use a centre (and a full-size matching one at that). If it were me, knowing how critical this is, I wouldn’t waste money and room space on more speakers, I’d just go with 2x 8KSE/818v3 and be really careful about room/screen/speaker placement.

If there’s a way to accommodate a centre, though, then all bets are back on. With an acoustically transparent screen, you could be uniquely suited to a 3x 8K fronts setup, which not many folks can accommodate. But I guess to do so you’d have to explore using another part of the room other than the fireplace - I’m not sure how fire resistant Meridium is!

[img]https://www.dropbox.com/s/kau90jyjzua3leh/IMG_1309_480.jpeg?raw=1[/img]
[img]https://www.dropbox.com/s/4w6diqcz946iny9/IMG_1306_480.jpeg?raw=1[/img]

The room is nice, but has an existing fire. We could look to reposition or remove but I am not sure I would get that one past the executive committee The only real option for a centre is an in-wall speaker. Again not ideal but possible, but it will be quiet high up.

Carl did an ID41 come in the v8?

Hi,

Both the ID40 and ID41 Sooloos network cards are optional in the 861.

861v4 and 861v6 supports the ID40 card.

861v8 supports the ID41 card.

Regards,
Carl

At first the ID41 was optional in the 861v8. Later versions included the ID41and two 0A18 cards.

Thanks for the clarification Bruce. I guess M decided it would be more efficient to build just one "fully loaded" v8 rather than managing it's options.

Regards,
Carl

Conventional wisdom is that Trifield works best with either 3x matching vertical fronts, or the “matching” horizontal centre, but with the tweeter placed at the same height as the FL&FR tweeters. Meridian added something in software on recent models called vertical elevation (or similar) which allows one to virtually move the image in the vertical plane to compensate for placing the Horizontal Centre below a screen. I don’t think this will help here as you would have to place above the fireplace…

In the case of 8KSEs, I don’t think you’d want to go less than a 7200SEHC for serious multichannel (personally I doubt an in-wall will be man enough to match 8Ks).

My 2p worth - if you can’t lose the fireplace or reposition, just go 2-channel 8KSE/818v3. It will be a sublime, if not superlative, 2-channel system and still sound great on TV/movies. Plus there’s no faffing to incorporate MQA, just get a Roon/Tidal subscription and you’re done.

Although I’m an analog speaker user, and ‘experimented’ with a bunch of different front ends, I’ve always come back to the 861v8/800v4 combination (plus Oppo 203 for SACD and music Blu-ray). I rarely play movies, but always play music With Trifield. I much prefer it. I’m also still using the Media Drive 600 so I need either ID40 or 41. My worry, principally, is for repairability. Recently my 800 died, but Marc K. at the repair shop fixed it and returned it is as new condition.

Ro_67,

I would never want to give up 7.1 surround sound if I have the room and have numerous DVD-A albums that are great to listen to in a multi-channel setting. I have an 861v8 and a 800D, but I too also still want to have the ability of listening to pure 2-channel MQA from my pair of upgraded DSP8000SE's front mains.

This flexibility is obtained by putting the 218 in between the 861v8 and the 8K's. No 3rd party switch required.

Playing unadulterated MQA files is simply using the network input into 218 as a renamed Source, which could be simply labelled MQA. For everything else you can play Hi-Res multi-channel music files through the 861 and of course get the best surround sound environment while watching movies.

Both the 218 and an 861 with an ID40 or ID41 are recognised by ROON and throw in Tidal and you are covered.

Based upon your photos, IMHO I would be rearranging the layout of the speakers which accommodates both the screen and the all important centre speaker.

The first time I had ever heard a Meridian Digital Surround System in the mid 1990's, which was down in the basement of a HiFI Store on Tottenham Court Road. Jurassic Park was being played with a 5.1 setup with DSP5000's. It blew me away and that was the start of my long and ongoing Meridian journey.

Do yourself a favour a find a dealer that has a proper 7.1 Meridian Digital Theatre setup or ask nicely if you can get a demo at Meridian HQ. You will want the best of both worlds IF you like to watch movies as much as listening to music.


Cheers,


Steve M