Meridian Unplugged - Powered by MrTechGuy.co.uk Forums Discussion Meridian - Systems 598 / 568 V2 introduced today

Yes, it will pass all 6-channels. You have to select the 4.0 or 6.0 mix on the Chesky disc if it offers it.

The 861 has an option called 2+2+2 and from here you can tell it off or 5.1. Off turns off the center and sub. I assume that the 568 has a similar option for those discs, but I don't know for sure.

Stacey,
If you select 5.1 is it not so that you use channel 7+8 for the height channel ? That would be your side speakers.

I do not see it working OK with only 8 channels if you do not use some kind of switch box. Otherwise you end up losing 2 sides, or swapping cables all the time.
With the few titles out, is it worth the investment ? I am thinking about 4 extra D/A channels in my 861 for just 2+2+2, but i have only a few DVD-A's which have it (test DVD from MDG - the real 2+2+2, a chesky sampler with 6.0 tracks, and a telarc disc with 6.0)

Jaco

The 861 has an option called Height where it does the switching for you. I doubt the 568 will because it does not have enough outputs.

just going back to the origins of this thread...I heard the prices today:-

568.2 MHR SmartLink at �3885 or �4305 if you want to include the auto DSP/disc format feature as per the 861.

598 at �2875 (BNC I think) or �3195 with Prog Scan enabled.

No sign of the upgrade prices yet though.

Anyone heard ???

And they are officially 'out'
The new specs are posted on the Meridian site.

Interesting item: the MHR input for the 568 is 'optional'. This means the minimum upgrade from 568v1 is the DSP board.

One thing I hoped for is missing, though: no 5.1 (let alone 7.1) analogue input.
So I may have to start saving up for a 598...

Mark

[This message has been edited by markvl (edited 07-21-2002).]

Is their published upgrade pricing from 568 / 596 and new pricing for 568.2 / 598?

Steve

Mark said this:


The 568 back panel is full already, where exactly would they have put a multi-channel analog input?

Don't forget, this is a digital processor... if such an input were to be installed down the road, you would need 2 to 3 additional A/D convertors installed. Otherwise, you have insufficient A/D capability.

I suspect this would more likely be a capability installed into the 562, then the 568. See above about back panel real estate.

Regards,

John,

Although you may be right about additional A/D convertors, the 568 back panel is much less crowded than the 562, and would certainly have the space for additional inputs.

dwp,

There are only two stereo analog inputs into the 568. You're one stereo input short for a 5.1, and two stereo inputs short for 7.1.

Click here to see an image of the back panel.

The only location that could be utilized would be to remove the balanced connectors for the Front L/C/R speakers via analogue output. Then you've got to do a bunch of redesigning to make it happen.

The A/D convertor is a stereo part, which leaves you 4 to 6 channels shy of A/D conversion for internal processing.

OTOH, the 562 contains 7 analogue stereo pairs, and stereo A/D conversion, with 48K parts. If they were to accept 5.1 or 7.1 into this component, I'd like to see them upgrade the A/D to 96K parts, and you'd need either 3 or 4 of the A/D convertors since they are stereo solutions.

The predicament becomes this: How would they pass the 6 (or 8) channels of data into the 568? The MHR Smartlink is potentially eaten up by the 598 Player, and I'd hate to see it become an either or.

Regards,

John,

Since the 562V is positioned as the Audio/Video switching unit they could remove the video in/out from the 568.
This would leave ample room for extra analogue inputs. And yes, you would need extra A/Ds, but there is plenty of room in the box.
And A/Ds are not that expensive.

Another option would be to have the multichannel link switchable between digital and analogue input processing.
Then you would just need a convertor cable (and extra A/Ds).

Regards,
Mark

Mark,

The tradeoff here is that either way you go involves compromise.

I don't know of any individuals that have 7 analog output devices that they would be feeding into a 562, which is why I consider it a more logical choice than the 568.

Taking video out of the 568 means no OSD without the 562 switcher, which isn't ideal IMO -- basically forcing one to purchase the 562.

Regards,

John:

Oh there's always a few WEIRDOES out there :-)

1 - LP via outboard preamp
2 - Cassette
3 - VCR 1
4 - VCR 2
5 - Video Game Console (no digital audio out on older consoles)
6 - Satellite Tuner Box (DISH 301)

No 7th input, but I could imagine someone with a second cassette or wanting to A/B LPs or the like.

I just wish the industry would pick some small form-factor standard for transferring high-quality, digital, multi-channel audio. They did it for 44.1 PCM (well, three different connectors: optical plastic, optical glass, and coax) why can't they just agree on something for 7.1 96/24 and up? Sigh.

Doody