Meridian Unplugged - Powered by MrTechGuy.co.uk Forums Discussion Meridian - Systems MQA 818v3

Hi All,

Hopefully a quick question. I have just had a pair of DSP8000SEs and 818v3 with a Roon Nucleus (with Tidal) installed in a media room.

I was a little concerned that the system was not set-up correctly to optimise the MQA and thought I would test by unplugging the optical input on the back of the speaker, which I did and the sound stopped. My understanding is that MQA only works over the SpeakerLink connection.

Could someone advise if I am correct, please?

As far as I know, MQA will go over any digital connection - it does not need SpeakerLink to operate. SpeakerLink is balanced digital.

MQA operates perfectly well over a standard SPDIF connection.

...also slightly confused as the DSP8000SEs don't have an optical connection?

Sounds like everything is operating as it should. To check - play a known MQA source and then press display on the system remote a few times and the speakers should display MQA and the sample rate.

Cheers,

Steve

Thanks very much for the rapid response Steve.

Sorry, it's not optical, it is SPDIF coaxial.

I am struggling to get the display on the speakers to change at all. When I play an MQA track in Roon I get this;

https://www.dropbox.com/s/81h57e41tj2tsxo/818v3-display.jpg?dl=0
https://www.dropbox.com/s/0o76nddujtcytpj/dsp8000se-display.jpg?dl=0
https://www.dropbox.com/s/6nlna01wi1im3cb/818v3-Path.jpeg?dl=0

Would you anticipate any sound quality difference between SpeakerLink and SPDIF?

Cheers,
Roland

I am perplexed as to why they did not use the SpeakerLink connections which is a lot simpler wiring and sounds good.
Unless they were trying to sell premium digital cables...

You may need to use FN + Display on the remote to get the speakers to go through the displays... If not, put the system into standby and press CLEAR on the remote to make sure there is only one controller.

As Bruce said, I would have expected the speakers to use SpeakerLink (which is the same as a Network Cat-5 cable) as that will give a better sound (using a balanced digital connection).
It also allows the 818v3 to better communicate with the speakers (i.e. when you change settings on the 818, it can update the speakers).

Cheers,

Steve

Not sure why they didn’t use SpeakerLink. I suspect that they don’t know how to set it all up as I also have a 861v8 5.1.

I’m a bit disappointed at the moment because Meridian came out to help configure the system, so I sort of trusted it would all be setup optimally.

Thanks for the tip on how to get the display cycling. Worked and I can see the MQA on the display.

That you are also using a 861v8 explains a few things as there are a number of ways that this can be connected.

I thought it was possible to use SpeakerLink with both, rather than having to resort to SPDIF.

It is possible as you would run the left/right SpeakerLink out of the 861 into the SpeakerLink input of the 818v3 and then the 818v3 SpeakerLink outs on to the front left and right speakers.
This configuration requires a discrete configurations to be loaded into the 861 and the 818v3.

Thanks very much Bruce.