Meridian Unplugged - Powered by MrTechGuy.co.uk Forums Discussion Meridian - Systems DSP3100 + sub vs. DSP5200?

Hello all

After a few months of living with a G91 (bought through this site) feeding a Linn amp and speakers, I'm getting ready to take the plunge into DSP territory.

As the subject line suggests, I'm considering the DSP3100 and the DSP5200. I've always favoured smaller speakers, in part due to room constraints, but have recently moved into a flat that has my little Tukans struggling a bit at higher volumes and with more complex music. The main listening room is 22ft x 20ft at its widest point, narrowing to 18ft via a curved wall, and is 11.5ft high. The curved wall is the back wall, with my TV and audio gear against the facing wall. One of the side walls is floor to ceiling windows, while the other is semi-open to a study/computer room of 15ft x 12ft, with 10ft ceilings.

I'm concerned that for all the merits of the DSP3100s, they might have trouble with the volume of the main listening room and the semi-open plan study - browsing posts on this site suggests the 3100s are more comfortable in a smaller space. Would the addition of a sub or 2 help? And how does the combination of the DSP3100s and a sub compare to the DSP5200s?

Many thanks for any input,

DE

I've auditioned the DSP3100's (albeit without the sub) and DSP5200's fed by a G91.

If I had to buy the DSP3100's I'd also have to buy the SW1600. Meridian recommend two SW1600's in such a system. However, for the price of 3100's and a single 1600 sub I could get a discounted pair of DSP5200's.

Also, the 3100/1600 combo wouldn't give you the mid-range control of the 5200's. Furthermore, the 3100's are under-powered compared to the 5200's. My experience of home-auditioning the 3100's was that they 'ran out of steam' in terms of loudness achieved before listening fatigue set in.

By comparision, the DSP5200's are in a league of their own. I really, really, wanted a pair of DSP3100's - but sadly they leave a lot to be desired.

Thanks spinaltap. It was your very thorough review of the DSP3100s last year that got me thinking that they might not be quite right for my listening space. I will make an effort to listen to them and the 5200s back to back at some point soon.

I suppose I had been hoping that the 3100/1600 combo would lighten the bass load on the 3100s to the point where midrange control wouldn't be an issue. Its a big cash jump from 3100/1600 to the 5200, but apparently worth it. Will try to give them both a listen.

thanks for your input

DE

DE,
FWIW I would expect the 5200's to produce a much more integrated sound with more feel and punch.
However, you will find a balance of opinions here as ever. So, you must go and demo both if you can. And if you haven't spent anytime listening to DSP's before, then you find it really quite interesting. If you are of a compulsive nature, leave your wallet behind ;-)

My 'mistake' in setting out to fall in love with the DSP3100's was in being taken from one demonstration room to the other and hearing the DSP5200's (a fatal mistake).

The DSP5200's aren't just a bit better than the 3100's they're head and shoulders above. The sound is much more realistic and effortless. There are different layers to be heard in the 5200's that just isn't there in the 3100's. In my view, the addition of a SW1600 simply isn't going to compensate.

Then look at the cold, hard, economics. I only had to ask to get a 7% cash discount for a pair of DSP5200's. So, I could get the same discount for DSP3100's, the stands, and SW1600 - but repent at your leisure if you choose the cheaper option. It might not cost as much, but will it sound as good as the DSP5200's?

Nick, spinaltap, thanks for your thoughts. Guess I'll have to find an obliging dealer, and broach the subject of a discount on the 5200s. Either that or avoid listening to them altogether so that I never know what I'm missing :-)

Thanks again for your input

And spinaltap, what are the DSP4200s that you reference in your signature? Are they an actual planned model?

DE

They're wishful thinking on my part - as is the G62DAB+. With such a price gap between the DSP3100's and the DSP5200's - and with no apparent replacement for the DSP5000's - this is simply my desire for something in the middle ground (a compromise product) in terms of price and specification.

Priced around �4,500, such DSP4200's would be a three way system, in a slimline cabinet with three x 75watt amplification, and with identical tweeters to the 3100/5200's - a new updated version of the old DSP5000's.

Even so, you really must audition both DSP's in your own home environment before parting with your hard-earned cash. The DSP3100's were awful in the dealership, but beguiling in my own home. Although the dealer was content in loaning them to me for three days, in due course he would only be prepared to loan me the DSP5200's for one day (he would deliver) - and only if I would show him the colour of my money first.

It seems to me the 5200s are the sweet spot in Meridian's line up.

There is no doubt in my mind that your room will need some serious air moving potential if you want to "feel" the sound.

Its my experience and strong opinion that when possible its best to have as much of the full signal coming from each point source. So if one could avoid a sub all together and just get all full source speakers this is best. The result is a more enveloping sound. So I would argue that 5200s are a better choice than 3100s+ sub- for sound and in most spaces.

With the 5200s up front and I am not sure what you will run as surrounds. A thought is to get a sub in the mix for your LFE track. I would think of placing this sub in the best spot at the front of your room so when LFE events occur it seems natural as your eyes are fixed on the screen. This would fill in the little bit of the bottom the 5200s are seemingly lacking. I doubt you would miss this for most music and I find a sub can be distracting for music, but this is simply personal preference.

My experience with the Meridian speakers is they often sound more dynamic and are capable of moving more air than their specs suggest so do not make your decision solely on- well this speaker begins to roll its bass off around 35hz. I bet the real world sound on this speaker is so dynamic that you might think you wouldn't need a sub.

If its a budgetary question, I say get the better speakers (5200) and wait on the sub. Live with the sound and when you add a sub it will add another dimension to it.

best regards,
Jerry

Thanks Jerry. Seems that the 5200s may be the all-round better choice. I'm not worrying about surround at this stage. I have no DVD-A content, and even if I start picking up discs they will only ever be a drop in the bucket to the rest of my music collection. And for films I don't see the need to drop the kind of coin necessary to get DSPs for the rears. I'm sure I'd change my mind if i ever listened to a DSP surround system, which is why I intend to stay away from them If I do make the jump to 5200s, I hope my current L/R speakers and amp will suffice as rears.

spinaltap, nothing wrong with wishful thinking. That's precisely what got me wanting to believe the 3100/sub combo might match up to the 5200s. I hope your speculation proves more prescient than my own.

Thanks again for the comments. Nothing left to do but listen and decide.

rgds

DE

Let us know what you find when you do.

cheers

I concur with the others here, the 5200 are in a different league alltogether than the 3100. I would also pick the DSP5000 over the DSP3100 any day sound quality wise, but perhaps not astethics wise.

Add a sub like SW1600 for a great sounding system. And as you said, I'll pick a great sub over surrounds any day of the week.

With properly integrated 2xSW1600 you are approaching DSP7000 bass territory.

I have the DSP3100's in a similar size room and will (bravely) step forward with a different perspective. I agree with all the posts that the 5200's in an A-B comparison at a dealer showroom, with good acoustics and speaker placement, will win every time. The 3100's sound lean compared to the more effortless and full sound of the 5200's. However, when you get home and have to deal with the challenges of speaker placement and room acoustics, the 3100's crossed properly with good subwoofer(s) can sound amazing when you get the placement right. When the single woofer in the 3100 is relieved of bass duties and can just concentrate on the mid-bass and up, the midrange (particularly voices, guitar, etc.) absolutely comes alive with these speakers. I also think having all 5 speakers the same makes a significant difference with Trifield. With my old analog speakers (rear speakers different than front), I really cranked down the rear speaker db's as I could never get them to blend well with the front speakers and the effect at any measureable volume was uncohesive and distracting. However, now with 5x3100's the rear effect in Trifield is fantastic. At the right setting you don't really hear it from the rear, it just reinforces the front soundstage in a very substantial way. To me its a similar sounding difference to playing with the depth of the center channel to that obvious setting where it just "pops". Although the 5200's in the front and 3100's in the rear would seem to be a reasonable pairing, isn't that a contradiction to the sentiment that these speakers sound very different? Anyway, sorry to ramble but thought I would chime in with my experiences. If you can go 5x5200's with SW1600's there is no question you've made the right decision. If cost and/or speaker placement issues does not permit that, to me it becomes a tougher decision.