Meridian Unplugged - Powered by MrTechGuy.co.uk Forums Discussion Meridian - Systems Bristol Show next weekend

Nice to bump into Ian, Duncs and Jezclayton at the Bristol Show yesterday.

I enjoyed the Meridian presentation by Bob Stuart and the 'Top Gun' clip was mighty impressive on the big screen with the DSP8000 X 5 + DSP7000 X 2 growling away!

Looking at the many video displays on offer at the show I did think that the �72K Runco VX40d (showing the latest Star Wars DVD)and Screen Research acoustically transparent screen offered the most stunning images of the day.

Much everything else was so so. I don't think I will bother going next year!!!!!

Steve

Good to see you Steve,

I too enjoyed the Meridian presentation - most popular attraction of the show. It's reassurung to know what I might be buying from the second hand market in future years.

On the whole, the rest of the show was very so so. Maybe we're just happy with what we've got, which can't be a bad thing.

Hello all,

I'm going up tomorrow and wondered if there were any M show offers / discounts to be had...?

Simon

The Sim demo (of the production projector) was a very nice demo - different style of material - but it felt different to the Meridian demo. It was probably technically similar in quality but more clinical. Even before Bob said it, I could imagine that I was in the front row of the cinema.

The demo of their engineering sample was poor but I guess it was to demo to people 1080p. In all honesty, my 18 month old, 1/3rd the price LCD display handles 1080p almost as smoothly (which is not great). But SIM did say that their engineering sample did have motion issues.

I went today. The M room (first stop of course)was enjoyable as ever. Even my non-M buddy finds that nothing comes close to M's total sound.

The pics on the big screen were very very good I thought.

We heard some interesting stuff tucked away in small rooms, but, the other well-known contenders just fell way short of good demo's. OK...I'm biassed, but, I wonder if the Linn and Naim chaps ever go into the M room......really it is like chalk and cheese.

The only gripe is not enough time to have a good poke around the new DSP's or the G06 etc. I understand it's such a busy room, but, I think a seperate static stand with the toys and some staff (as there is generally lots to chat about) plus the demo room would be a very good combo (maybe next year, eh, Chaps ? )

Overall the show though the show was a bit underwhelming.....same feeling I got last couple of years. Not sure how many more trips I'll make across the M4 for it.

I must admit this show - like Heathrow is getting more disappointing each year, aprt from Meridian.

Merdiian dem was as good as 5 8ks and 27k should be!

Just before I got in I did see various Naim exhibitors queing for the Meridian Demo!

Actually went back to room right at end when an "after show demo" attracted everyone from the KEF room opposite (they said they needed to go as it would be so load they could hear anything in their room.

They played 2 tracks from the Faithless Live at Alexandra palace DVD at "high" volume (85+). You could feel the sound..., you were there..., and as I wlked back to my car I still feel my ears recovering. It was great! Can't wait to try it when the DVD arrives (ordered this morning from CD-wow) and Mrs A goes out so I can turn it up.

I was disappointed with the video in all the rooms - even M - it just didn't blow me away the way I expected it to. Maybe I'm just getting used to good video at shows and maybe the Telewest TV-Drive driving my Pioneer plasma at 720p has raised the bar for my normal viewing - can't wait for some real hih-def programming though (or maybe I need new glasses!).

regards

Chris

Nick and Chris, you raise some good points.

I too was disappointed at not being able to have a good poke around the equipment. Maybe Meridian should consider an open day at their factory. Do they ever do this sort of thing for customers?

Apart from some of the HD material displayed, I too agree that the video presentations were, whilst very good, not overwhelming. Are we not just reaching the limits of what non HD sources can offer?

Chris. What Pioneer plasma are you using? I have a PDP-436XDE and whilst generally happy, media box permitting, would like to go that extra mile.

I'm "just" using a 504. Now it's on HDMI the colours are great even though it thinks black is some murky grey colour.

I'd like to know how to calibrate the display with the tv-drive but by playing with the settings (and mimicing the component settings as starting point) it doesn't look too bad.

At Bristol the 65inch Sharp lcd looked interesting (full 1080p) but I actually think getting a projector "past" Mrs A might be easier.

Chris

A few after thoughts....

I forgot to mention that I did find the Fuji panels to be looking pretty good this year. A couple of years ago the demo from Fuji was just aweful. No doubt you'd have to research very carefully how they would pair with a scaler...

Des did mention that the Friday demo's of Money for Nothing were a bit too much for some of the more senior-in-years visitors. Personally I thought it was just right

The screen in M's room, apart from being about the biggest there, was far better than the screen in the Wilson room. I know that was a bright room but it was very washed out to me. The sceens from Flying Daggers are far more vivid in colour IIRC.
Incidentally, the sound in the Wilson room from their 2.1 stand-mounted rig was pretty good.

I thought the M demo was the best I'd heard since the launch of the DSP6000's way back! It was nice to have them place a more equal focus on the music side of things for a change and the Dire Straits piece was amazing - such a shame the format has not took off in the mainstream.... The demo also seemed longer than those in previous years with more time listening & less talking - Good on M.

I agree that the rest of the show was rather dissapointing - there just didn't seem to be as much effort put into the presentations. Sky might aswell of not been there at all and Naim were especially poor given their recent introductions to the market.

I would have also liked a demo from the Velodyne chaps of the DD subs but alas..

Anyways it didn't put me off placing an order for a pair of DSP3100's - whoopy!! After months of trying to find the right combination of amps and analogue speakers the DSPs finally got me in a demo a couple of weeks ago and I couldn't resist the urge to take the plunge. Will post my thoughts under the DSP3100 review thread when I've run them in....

Cheers

as an aside Simon my 3100's are sounding really sweet.

moving flat in a few weeks with a much better sounding room (i think) so thats pretty good - push them even further.