Meridian Unplugged - Powered by MrTechGuy.co.uk Forums Discussion Meridian - Systems 561(M) - a few things

From this site:

561M - The M revision of the 561 add the following (The original 561 can also be upgraded):
1. Digital sources are routed through a jitter reduction circuit which will provide improved sound quality
2. Meridian High Resolution (MHR) decryption for compatibility with copy protected output from 596 and 800 DVD players
3. Analogue sources are available on the Tape and Room 2 outputs as well as the headphone jack
4. Volume on these outputs is accessible with the Function Volume command from MSR
5. All digital tape sources are copied directly to the digital tape output. PCM sources are converted to analogue signals and presented on the Tape, Room 2 and headphone sockets with volume control
6. Improved display of input information
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Looking for some clarifications on the 561(M) for future use with DSP5000 pair, 18 bit original.
Most of these on the market are 561, some 561 upgraded they say to M and very few labeled 561M.
1. There will be one digital source, a streamer...is the M upgrade audible?
2-3-4-5 Not really a factor
6. Newer display or ...?

It will be used in 220V area. It's just a matter of changing the fuse (note on the back panel of the unit)?

Thank you.

Not a matter of changing a fuse. The voltage taps will need to be altered .

Realistically, with an 18-bit pair of DSP5000s, you won't really notice (1).

If you want to play with de-jittering the signal, buy a 518. That's like a mini Swiss Army knife, and a very useful tool.

The display is the same; you just get some additional information in diagnostics modes.

As Bruce said, if you get a 110v unit, you will need to adjust the internal mains transformer tappings to wire it for 230v.

Cheers,

Steve

Is this a matter of opening the unit and then an easy job?

Yes, you need to open the unit and adjust the primary windings.

If the unit is 110V, then there are generally two windings that will be wired in parallel.

To convert to 230V, you need to wire them in series.

Ideally, you need to know what you are doing as playing with mains voltages can be dangerous!

Good luck,

Steve

Then I'll have to look into it in more detail.
And the fuse.

Can anybody give a suggestion, how to connect a 561 to a pair of DSP5000s? The simplest way.

Cables are available.

I'm not yet in the possession of the electronics, although I know how their rear panels look.
I never connected legacy equipment.

Thanks.

1/2 digital out to master speaker digital 1 input. Comms out to comms in on master speaker. Connect comms and digital from the master speaker to the slave speaker.

So as I understand, both digital and comms first from 561 to master speaker then, from the Master speaker both comms and digital to the slave speaker.
I just don't see the comms on the back of 561 labelled as in or out.
Are these speakers predetermined slave and/or master or that is allocated within the setup menu?
Thanks.

The comms connections on the 561 are essentially outputs but act in a two way communication. The speakers must be configured as master, slave, left, right etc.

The comms cable 561 → master speaker and master speaker → slave speaker are actually different cables?

Yes,

One is Master (M5) and the other is Slave (S5)

The M5 cable has a different Din connection plug and different internal wiring.

There’s a pin out drawing in the wiki, but it looks like that’s still not available.

I may have a copy locally, if so I’ll email it to you.

PS comms connection between 500 series units is via a C5 cable.

I found a document here: 5serleads

The master speaker should have a red led and the slave a green one.

This resource may be of help

https://www.Meridian-audio.info/show.php?compid=146

I've just got the 561.
Opened up unit, remarkably clean inside, despite of having an opening at the bottom I guess for aeration.
I'm going to leave alone the wire conversion to 220V, already having two cassette decks running from a step-down transformer. And I don't see the 561 needing a lot of power at all.
Is there a way, since opened up, to tell if this has had the M upgrade? It was sold as 561, but you never know. Although makes no difference for my purpose.

Thanks.

Please see this resource which will answer your questions.

https://www.Meridian-audio.info/show.php?compid=146

561M the additional board added a headphone output on the back panel.

There’s a few pictures of the insides of 561 and 561M that were part of my Meridian journey a good few years ago in the link Ian has posted. It’s worth noting that there was a modification to the transformer mounting that greatly reduced susceptibility to mains hum on mine….

Regards

Richard

OK, this is a 561 with firmware 1.7 according the display.
The transformer mounting has been updated on this example what I got, as this.
Meridian said there was hum originally from the analog outputs. I'm not going to use analog out, but anyways transformer mounted to the bracket.
But just noticed, that the 561 does not have feet. Is this normal? I don't think so. What's going on?

You can get replacements on Amazon

Doesn't have any provisions for screw-in rubber feet.
I can buy some self-adhesive feet, but at this level is below standard. If this is how these originally came out.
Might be explained with the odd square shape of the 500 series.

They are all self adhesive feet on the 500 series .

The 500 series had simple domed rubber bump feet.

Typically, after many years, these deteriorated and turned sticky.

As John has stated, replacement feet are available on Amazon... Make sure you get the larger versions!

Cheers,

Steve

15 mm I believe

“3M Bumpon” is what you’re looking for. I think they’re a bit bigger, approx 19mm diameter 9-10mm depth. Note they are not all made of the same material but the correct ones have excellent vibration isolation. I think the ones you’re looking for might be SJ5017?

There used to be a guy sold them on eBay, he had beautiful handwriting! I still have the envelope that arrived with my spares inside. But that was years ago. As said they sometimes just go soft and gooey and need replacement, lighter-fluid was a good cleaning agent to left the old adhesive and sticky block off the piece of kit, and then easily replaced. Meridian used these for years, the old 200 series kit certainly had them.

Best wishes

Richard

3M still has the 5017s at specialty stores.
And they come as minimum 40 pieces. Nice.

16mm 3M bumpons are available from Amazon (UK)

This is what I can find here.

Great, in the UK some joker on eBay wants over £5 each and Amazon will sell you 1000 but for £250! Grab those 👍

Although even in this case shipping costs almost as much as the merchandise, it’s not too bad, compared to what is out there.
I’m wondering if the latest Mconfig would work with the 561?

Nope - you need the legacy configuration program to configure the 561

Cheers,

Steve

Then another thing to chase, is the legacy MConfig working under Windows 10 or 11?
**********
Somewhat off topic, but not completely.
3 years ago I connected my laptop with the G61RSL I have, purchased cables for the purpose. It worked (the connection) but didn't do changes in the system through the software. I didn't have the time to get into MConfig details.
I then put away the cables, 3 cables.
1. Tripplite - Keyspan, USB ending, goes into laptop
2. StarTech null cable RS232 female ending, goes into G61RSL male 232
And I think only these two above needed.
Then I have a
3. StarTech RJ45 cable, can be connected to 1., and it has a RJ45 ending.

I'm puzzled with this 3. cable, why did I need it, the RJ45 ending, since all I have have the RS232 option to connect.

The legacy configuration program runs on Windows 11.

The StarTech RJ45 cable was probably used to flash firmware onto your DSP7200's, as they can use SpeakerLink (which uses an RJ45 connection)

Cheers,

Steve

Thanks Steve.

It must have been the case, since my other components can't use it.