Meridian Unplugged - Powered by MrTechGuy.co.uk Forums Discussion Meridian - Systems My New 800 Version 3 Arrived!

My wait finally ended this last Saturday as I picked up my Version 3 800. I have been quite busy at work since then so the amount of time I can spend with it has not been what I would like. Some quick impressions:

Nice unit mechanically. A few of the back plates on the 800 have slots for ventalation purposes, as opposed to all solid plates. I have yet to hear the fan running, although I must add that the 800 is in a cool basement. The DVD drive used on the 800 is black and surprisingly solid and substantial feeling. Not like what I remember from 800's with the old white.

Audio judgements will have to wait for the 861 update. As a CD transport, there is more resolution than the Pioneer I was using before. Same for sound with decoded Dolby Digital. So much will change when it can fully interface with an 861 version 3 that I will not spend a lot of time on this.

Biggest surprise is the video quality. This is superb interlaced video! Within less than two minutes of viewing I noticed a smoothness in motion I have not seen in all the time I have watched DVD on my system. The buffers that Meridian use for video must be responsible for this. I also would guess that providing such a time corrected picture helps subsequent video processors do their job better as well. Not a subtle difference. Could not see the chroma bug on Toy Story on my rig at my usual viewing distance while looking for it. Will do a more detailed look for it soon. Overall, a film-like picture that makes it easy to relax and enjoy!

My 800 version 3.0 should arrive within a week. I am also excited, however, without the corresponding upgrade to the 861, I will have very little to examine until the 861 gets upgraded. I really hope they get the 800 series upgrades going by the end of the month and can offer a one week turnaround time.

I am mostly excited about getting DVD-A working as well as Trifield working in all channels. I switched Trified to UPSAMPLING ON, and have only had Trifield working in the front three channels (and I don't like Trifield without the rear channels).

I hope the 800 will resolve those awful layer changes that have been occuring with using the Sony 7700 (with Cinematrix). I have been dealing with the audio relay shutting off and back on at layer changes which mutes around 3 seconds of the movie as well as hearing the audio click on and off. Just terrible. I assume that this will be resolved once I get the 800 in place.

Its nice to see you are happy with the video, however my front projector cannot display the 480i output. I don't know how the video quality can be affected very much because every DVD manufacturer uses the same chips for the most part. Video buffering, as in RAM buffer? What do you mean? Even if their was a RAM buffer for the video, that is something that might be useful for a layer change, or if there is a chance of skipping (ala minidisc and playing from RAM if the laser loses tracking for a second or so). 'Smoothness' should not be effected since that is more a function of de-interlacing/judder. I'd be curious to know what is unique, or perhaps superior about the video section in the Meridian 800 because they use C-Cube, Macrovision, etc... While I'd love to see improvement in the video, I only have excpectations for better audio and digital DVD-A capability. Quite frankly I'd expect better video from a Panasonic RP-91 with SDI digital output.

I too am excited to hear DVD-A in all it's digital glory. Meridian includes three DVD-A discs with the 800. I am a Trifield junkie and use 7.1 channels so having all eight upsampled will be great.

Layer changes are really quick on the 800. I would guess around a quarter of a second or roughly four times as fast as my old Pioneer player. Much nicer transition.

I knew it would be hard to explain the smooth video comment but it is what I see and clearly so. I am running 720p through my video processor and the improvement is quite evident. I am not sure how Meridian does it. Was talking to Ken at Meridian America today and he asked me my impressions on the 800. I mentioned the smooth video and he said it was one of the first things he noticed when he saw video from the new 800 for the first time.

Which three discs did they include? I can only assume one is the AIX sampler.

I listened to the nitty gritty DVD-A last night from AIX, it is enjoyable. You might look into getting some of the MDGs, at least their sampler. I would avoid the Telarc stuff.

With the MDG sampler you could also try the 2+2+2 sound track. You would need more outputs on the 861 and 2 more speakers, but from what i have heared on a show in Holland it is very good.

Jaco

Micheal Bishop, cheif recording engineer for Telarc is totally, disgustingly, pro-SACD, and dislikes MLP/DVD-A. I can't that rediculous stong bias. I know he'd fail any true DBT if it were possible to set one up.

Why don;t you like the Telarc discs? Just to let you know, the vast, vast majority were recorded native SACD, then converted to PCM for DVD-A. They continue to record natively in SACD only...

I will look at the titles Meridian shipped with the 800 tonight and post what they are. With DVD-A in it's infancy, I can see a need for forum members to know what good discs there are. We should endeavor to post them as we come across them in our listening for the benefit of all.

The 1812 that I have does say it came from a DSD master. The other one does not really say. Both, in terms of quality, rate at the bottom compared to all other DVD-As that I have. I guess I just expect a cymbol to sound like a cymbol.

My 1812 is a Telarc LP. I will be recording it at 192khz 24 bit and will create a DVD-A in my studio. When my 861 & 800 version 3's arrive I can test all my DVD-A disks.

The three DVD-A titles shipped with the 800 are:

Franz Schubert String Quartet on the Tacet label. 53 minutes, 96/24 and 5.1.

Breakthrough Into a New Dimension on the Dabringhaus and Grimm label. Quite an interesting disc. Fifteen audio selections consisting of selections from Handel, Vivaldi, Telemann, Mozart Brahms, Respighi and others. The disc also has 30 tracks with test sequences. The test sequences are various tests of your surround sound setup and performance with DVD audio test signals. This disc is 5.1 and 2+2+2 compatible. Some of the test sequences are specfically for 2+2+2. The disc is 96/24 and the length of the disc (yes this is one disc) is 1 hour and 49 minutes!

DVD Audio - Introducing a New Music Format on AIX. Appears to be mostly jazz with some bluegrass and classical selections. Eleven selections in all. The cover says the sampler contains new music captured, mixed and mastered in 5.1 96/24 sound. No recording length noted.

That is the MDG sampler I mentioned


That is the AIX sampler I mentioned. I really like "It's Morning". The whole DVD-A that it comes from is enjoyable. Jennifer Warens does a couple of songs on there, including the Aaron Neville tune "Somewhere, Somebody" that she has made so popular.

I have the Tacet disc, but I have not had a chance to listen to it yet.

The interesting thing about that MDG disc is that is is 96 kHz. The DVD-As that those tracks come from are all 48 kHz. All are 2+2+2. I believe this sampler has a couple of audio groups on it while the individual DVD-As only contain one audio group.

I have that MDG sampler as well. The test signals are also quite interesting, as you can have a phantom side speaker. (left front and Left rear) I have not seen this before.

The 2+2+2 tracks is really somthing to try out. I have had demo's of it at a local show in the Netherlands by Mr Dabringhaus himself, and it is quite amazing what you can do with it. I will defenetively buy an new 192/24 output card and hook up 2 more speakers for 2+2+2

Jaco