Meridian Unplugged - Powered by MrTechGuy.co.uk Forums Discussion Meridian - Systems The Quasi-official HH CEDIA 2006 Q&A Session Thread

I think the issue here is that stereo only products have no DSP engines which are required for MRC. Thus to provide it would require huge re-engineering.

Does anyone have any views on the relative sound quality between G02 and G68 in stereo mode?

Malcolm,

I don't think it's a huge re-engineering project but it's not a zero effort item either. I do think there is a question about whether or not there's a large enough market to warrant the introduction of the product. For Meridian to create the product the market has to be large enough and they have to make a reasonable profit for the investment of efforts to do so. If their market research indicates that this isn't going to be worthwhile, then they likely won't produce it.

As much as we might like to see the products, the "pure stereo" market is very tweak oriented and by and large considers equalization of any type to be evil while a $5000 power cord is fine.

Not what you want to hear, but unfortunately it's accurate.

Cheers,

Jose:

The G02 is an analog only preamplifier; there is no DSP circuitry inside. So what you are proposing is literally impossible to include in the G02.

So move it to the G08? Well ok, but that isn't really feasible either without rewriting a lot of stuff and I do mean a lot of stuff.

You think it's easy, and I'm telling you it isn't. Off the top of my head:
MConfig, the entire G08 operating system firmware, the DSP core has to be upgraded. By the time you do that, you might as well have a G68 because that's almost what the G08 becomes when you're done with it. And the price almost hits the G68 price point as well.

So not only does it become an issue of technical feasibility, there's the matter of fiscal issues etc.

Cheers,

VK says:

No digital output anyway. That's due to the architecture. I'd prefer a digital output myself to be able to compare the Gennum's deinterlacing in the Marantz projector with the Faroudja deinterlacing in the G91.

What about component @ 480/576i?

I don't have a clean pathto do this myself, and I'm quite pleased with the G91 doing the deinterlacing and the Gennum doing the scaling at this point anyway.


If they build it, and they only sell 5 that's a kick in M's coffers to the bottom line. If it makes good business sense for M to skip the card, I don't have an issue with this at all nor do I consider it a kick in the teeth. This is after all a business, and M does have to make sound business decisions.


See previous response.

You had the option for a black G08 at time of purchase. Quite.

Then you should have made that clear in the question and you didn't. The 518 is a mastering processor and the only feature that isn't covered in the other products we mentioned is noise shaping. Even gain control is covered in the other products.


I don't think you will see most of them. The market is tending towards custom install on the big ticket items, which is why you're seeing companies like M focus on this market.

I think some of us have learned that M will tell us what they can, when they can.

I think times are a-changing, John. And Digital-Room Correction is sureley the ultimate "tweak" for the stereo crowd? I was using the TacT solution a few years before Meridian got there. B&O have a solution and other manufacturers have dabbled too. This audiophile cannot live without room-correction of some sort now and I know there are a growing group who share this opinion.

I think Meridian could do themselves a lot of good by offering MRC in their speakers. Usually it only takes a very quick demo to convince people of the benefits in a typical room.

Cheers,

Mark

Mark:

Then perhaps all the discussion will persuade Meridian to consider such a product.

Best,

Thanks John!

Well, so maybe Meridian should figure out a way to insert MRC into stereo systems for customer that have trusted the company for its customer service' competence and long term relationship. Specially customers that have bought several products and systems over the years. What about an outboard DSP/MRC "bridge"-device, similar concept to a HDMAX 421 Switch?

Yes you are right, as a company Meridian will need to see a profitable market, but as I've said, sometimes the market is not really aware of what a Room Correcion functionality means and how it improve the sound, either for Stereo or Sorround sound.

I am sure, despite all the marketing behind, that stereo sound is better that sorround music. I think, after all, that a singer, quartet, jazz group or a full orchestra are in front of you, they're not behind or around you)! The Sorround Music is not the route to go.

Obviusly for Home Theater Sound (experience!)is different because you want to hear a plane, train pass through or a bullet pass near your head! I mean you want to be immerse in the movie. JUst thoughts.

Cheers,

Jose

JK:

480i/576i
I agree with you, but component is absolutely not an option IMO. I'm sure M's deinterlacing solution is very good (for film at least), but I think there is one significant weakness: It won't perform 3:2 pulldown and output 24p or 48p from a 60i source. Interestingly, the new DVDO VP50 processor will be able to perform 3:2 pulldown on progressive frames, so it could take 480p60 as an input and produce a 1080p48 output. I wonder if the Faroudja 1080P will do the same?

2-channel MRC
Seems like a few people do want this... However, it seems to me that M's focus is elsewhere at the moment.

518 functionality
My exact question was: Unfortunately, I don't think we're any wiser as to what is implemented in the processors and what is or is not configurable.

Finer points of product functionality
IMO, not since the days of the 518 and original DSP loudspeakers have Meridian adequately documented their products.

Installer vs. enthusiast
I'm sure you are right, but it's a little sad (please allow me a bit of sentimentality).

Thanks John, well done.
Two personal comments:
I was rather puzzled by the statement on 480i/576i output over HDMI.
I also consider that MRC in a stereo system can be a great value.

On Meridian's website today:
I just don't know what to say... G62 announcement tomorrow?

VK:
THat was stated in the answer...
The only feature in the 518 that is not duplicated in existing products is the selection of noise shaping curves. That's it.

Since the 518 is a mastering product, the access to multiple noise-shaping options isn't appropriate to a consumer product so it isn't in these products.

Resolution and dynamic range enhancement are tied together with bit-depth.

Cheers,

I get that John, but it's not clear how the processors deal with inputs. For the 568, you manually configured how many bits you were feeding the processor. Does the G68 auto-sense?

The trouble is that I don't believe there is a way to set digital gain on a per-source basis where you know that the source is not coming out at 0dBFS. This is particularly true of satellite boxes where, for instance, you might want to set up separate phantom sources for listening to TV or radio stations with slightly different gains.

So perhaps a G18 is not needed; just the ability to boost the per-source gain of all inputs?