Meridian Unplugged - Powered by MrTechGuy.co.uk Forums Discussion Meridian - Systems Audio Core 200 Discontinued

I see that the product page for the Audio Core 200 has been removed from the Meridian web site, and that it does not appear in the latest product brochure. So it must have been discontinued. This was hardly a surprise - the unit had been in production for over ten years and was definitely showing its age I always had mixed feelings about the AC200. One the one head, I liked the concept of a compact desktop Meridian setup, consisting of an AC200, a pair of DSP3200s and (for the bold) a DSW subwoofer (to sit under the desk). On the other hand, I thought the AC200 was deficient in several glaring respects. If only it could decode high res audio via USB (it's USB input was limited to 44.1/16). If only it could decode MQA. If only it did wireless streaming. If only it had a full size, Meridan Prime quality headphone jack/output on the front of the unit instead a sad mini headphone jack on the rear of the unit (this particularly annoyed me). If only it had Trifield processing (though I'm probably the only person who cared about this). Meridian certainly had plenty of time to development an AC200 Mk II, but never did so.

With the Audio Core 200 dead and buried, one wonders whether the 200 series offers a suitable replacement. The 218 probably comes closest. No headphone jack or USB input, but it does have an ethernet jack and (for those of you who still use TIDAL) it will decode MQA. And it has a SpeakerLink output, so it can serve as a controller for a pair of Meridian DSP loudspeakers. But it appears that the 218's DSP software is missing some of the features the AC200 had, including the ability to adjust bass and treble and adjust the width of the stereo image. Is this right?

I can't answer your specific question but I enjoyed reading your precis of the late-AC200.

Not so, my 218 enables full adjustment of all the parameters expected for connected kit, such as bass, treble, width etc.

My mistake. I found the user guide and see that there are audio menu settings for treble, bass, axis, phase and balance, and there are loudness, position, enhanced bass alignment and enhanced boundary control settings for SpeakerLink connected speakers. But I don't see any mention of width adjustment. Can you re-confirm that the 218 allows for this?

Also, would you know if the 218 supports a 2.1 DSP loudspeaker configuration? The AC200 received a firmware upgrade that allowed for this, but this type of speaker configuration isn't mentioned in the 218 user guide.

That’s exactly how my 218 > M6 > DSW.2 is configured.

I've been quite happy with my compact AC200/DSP3200 setup in my office over the years, and I'm able to get 96kHz over the optical input. Bass is only what's lacking, and I didn't even realize I could add a subwoofer...

Would it be possible to use my SW1600 (non-SL) + AC12 with the AC200? How would it be connected? To the slave SL output on the AC200 or daisy chained from one of the DSP3200's? Right now I believe I have master SL going to one speaker and slave SL going to the other.

Thanks!
Chris

AC200 is not the only end of life item. The DSP8000.2, DSP8000SE and the Ultra DAC are also end of life.

With a DSW connected to a 218, a menu appears enabling identifying the DSW for either ‘Music’ or ‘Movies’ playback - which permits the appropriate frequency integration.

Not removed from the website yet...

Couldn't seem to get my AC12/SW1600 working with the AC200/DSP3200's, it just tried to play the full range and volume control didn't work. Now onto the hunt for a DSW...

Are we expecting a replacement product for the Audio Core 200? The Meridian product range seems very thin and getting thinner still. No proper MSR remote, no proper range of components. Seems like the only focus on components is for the install market which might be ok but it looks like Meridian is also starting to remove the built in pre amp functionality from their speakers.

The new DSP8000XE includes an analog input module which actually adds to the input functionality of the speaker.