Meridian Unplugged - Powered by MrTechGuy.co.uk Forums Discussion Meridian - Systems Firmware update DSP5200 Legacy

Hello,

I'm new into DSP Meridian. My first encounter with Meridian was when I started to work for the Danish importer of Meridian. That was the period were the MCD 100 and 100pro, M10, M20 and M30 were hitting the market. Very impressed with the M10 and M30 but find them difficult to find 2nd hand and if they pop up the tweeters seem to be an issue.

I am interested in a set DSP5200 legacy (budget reasons) I wonder how they compare to M20? Anyone who can chip in?

I'm looking into the 3-4 different version I wish to know if the Legacys firmware can be upgrade so a version with apodising filter (version 2.xx ?) and fine tuned crossover will work.

One set of 5200 has version 1.2 or rather the seller tells he never upgraded them.

I would like to ask if I can upgrade them myself? I found the configuration software but not the different firmware version. Can the gents in here help me out with a solution?

Thanks in advance. Regards Mikael

5200's come in a few versions. Legacy is typically non SpeakerLink with a final firmware revision of v1.4. SL versions came in .1 and .2 (2.63?), along with the highly praised SE (3.14).

Updating firmware is a fairly straight forward processes; updated my Non SL-5200's and other gear with out issue (1.2 to 1.4).

The firmware update tool is built into mConfig (under file) or download the firmware software from Meridian Site.

The DSP5200's are going on 20 years, aged capacitors and dry tweeters are your biggest barriers to better sound quality: Very good sounding speakers when everything is up to snuff.

Thank you Virgil.

I found the upgrade tool software via your link. Haven’t downloaded it yet since I am on a iPad. Is the actual firmware a part of the upgrade software?
Did you try to use version 2 software on your legacy speakers? I am interested in finding out if I can get the apodising filter implemented in my set - it should further lift up the quality….

Yes the caps in the power amp can be an issue, connectors also and as you mention dried out tweeters. From my long-time experience renovating Mirage speakers dried out tweeters is a pain - also fixing them. Cleaning and adding new ferrofluid is a challenge. The voice coil needs a careful inspection to ensure it still is attached to the voicecoil former.

This brings me to the question about availability of replacement parts or new tweeters additional third party replacement tweeters (yes, loosing the silver voice coil) or if the tweeter in the SE can be a drop-in replacement or, which I suspect would be needed, updating software. The beryllium could have lower sensitivity, different impedance, phase and dispersion profile plus a filter working/notching around the alu domes break up frequency. Somehow I assume that the DSP don’t process dispersion characteristics?

I wonder if Meridian has a plan b keeping the legacy singing ...
Br Mikael

Firmware is not part of it, sadly i cant find my copy (its been many years and a few computers ago). Not sure about how the sound was changed... was one of the first thing I did with mine.

Replacing the ferro fluid, is honestly not bad. Another member Stu has a video and some posts HERE . was able to get the job done on mine much very quick, 15min (on the second, 1st one took longer). Instant improvement. Do not think the the SE tweeter sound right, beryllium tweeters have radically different electrical and mechanical properties. lots of posts about the tweeters, people replaced them with various results, in the end the DSP crossover and adjustments are for the current tweeter. After repairing mine, lost interest in upgrading or modifying the tweeters(they sounded great, did email Seas ~the h1212 is a close fit). discontinued SE and .2 upgrade kits(new DSP and amps?) are not available any more last i looked.

https://www.audiocomm.co.uk/The-Tweeter-and-The-Monkey-Man/

Link to Stuart Payton's Meridian tweeters article.

Whilst this reaches a long way back into the collective memories I believe DSP5200 have had apodising filters from the original model (ie legacy comms version) it may have come with one of the FW updates (somebody quoted V1.40 as the newest, I don't hve access to my system at the moment to check what FW my old DSP5200s are running but sounds likley to be 1.40. This was ultimately the whole basis of a rather unpleasant falling out between the forum and Meridian as there was potential for theft of Meridian intelectual property and after this Meridian restricted access to FW updates through it's dealer network rather than freely available on line as they had been up to that point, and FW for my DSP5200s is the only time I've been asked to provide the dealer with the serial numbers of the units I wanted to upgrade. There's several threads that relate to this, including a fairly stinging criticism from Bob Stuart himself (as the ultimate author of said IP) if you search back in about 2011.

The follow up was this message from the then forum owner Duncs:


As protection of Meridians IP is effectively part of the forum T&Cs I'm happy for a moderator to delete or edit my post as they feel fit.