Meridian Unplugged - Powered by MrTechGuy.co.uk Forums Thread Like Summary - $$$$$ DSP8000 40th Anniversary to $

Hey All,

I need your help for bringing back this speaker to life.

Yesterday I purchased pair of speakers from estate sale without zero info.

I’ve never had any Meridian also the seller was not the owner. So this pair of beautiful finished speakers are missing both top unit or top part and they don’t know where they are!
Located Washington state!

Current picture on my garage:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1k-MGPsygwsi_DFSXImlGPzLE3qVxU26M/view?usp=drivesdk

Google
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Upxk4yVa4d0R8g9KFgXM6V7wnD6wEt8x/view?usp=drivesdk

Found this and think this is original post of this speaker 4 tears ago:
https://www.audiogon.com/listings/lis9cdaf-meridian-40th-anniversary-system-full-range

Sadly this is happening and I’m not sure what can I do.
I don’t know how can I test them and how can be use as my HT and audio setup!

Any information and advice would greatly appreciate.

Oh dear. I hope you didn't spend too much on these- it will be tough to find a matching set of heads. You can check with Bruce Sinclair at CMB Integrations to see if you can order replacements from Meridian. You will need the tops to test them as these contain the tweeter and mid-range driver.

Other options could be trying to part them out (selling the drivers, back panels and power supplies on Ebay)? Not sure what else you could do. Trying to make replacement heads or hiring a cabinet maker will be a big project and likely time-consuming and expensive.

Hopefully the seller can find the heads and it will all work out for you!

Good luck!

Sorry I realize my post was unclear. The plaque is on the back of the heads.

If I could make one suggestion on your system, it would be to replace the 5200SEHC with a 7200SEHC. The larger center is a big upgrade and is more online with the performance of your mains.

Yeah if that is the situation, I can’t see that sourcing replacement heads is going to be economically viable. If so, the idea to sell them for parts is probably the best one.

Did you purchase the 808 (the matching CD player)? If so, that should be good to go, with or without Meridian speakers (it’s a world-class CD player/DAC in its own right).

Alternatively, you could try returning the speakers to the seller, since you haven’t been sold the whole speaker, just the bass units, and they are useless as-is.

Sorry I don’t understand. Also I can’t see your Google drive pictures as the access is locked.

Am I correct that you bought these blind and the head units are missing from the speakers?

I would really push the seller to find the head units. They’re a very distinctive thing to lose, and near impossible to sell separately, so they must have them somewhere. It would be a real shame to break up a pair of anniversary 8Ks as they were not an ordinary item, very special.

Alternatively, see if anyone else who is into Meridian gear would take them off you as-is and have Meridian make up matching head units. They might be worth it to a collector. Maybe Meridian themselves might have them back(?).

What I mean is, they’re special, so try all alternatives before breaking them up for parts.

Maybe you are getting ahead of yourself. You don't know if they work, and you have the challenge of needing to find the heads to fully test them.

To summarize, I think these are the options:

1) Try to sell them 'as-is' and move on. Hopefully, you don't lose too much money and consider it a valuable lesson learned.

2) Push the seller to find the heads or see if you can get a refund.

3) Wait and see if the heads turn up. If someone else bought them at the same estate sale, it's probably only a matter of time before they show up here asking for help. Maybe you can work out a deal. Hopefully the buyer did not try to connect them to an amplifier and destroy the tweeter and mid range driver in the process. We don't know if the tweeter and mid-range drivers are still available from Meridian. Maybe a question for Bruce.

4) Sell for parts? Not sure how much you can get this route, as most will want to buy parts knowing they are fully functional.

Waiting to see if the heads show up for sale somewhere is a good suggestion. New heads would be quite expensive. If you are considering parting them out you need to consider logistics as proper handling of the components will be key to their value and keeping things in good shape after shipment.

I don't think I've ever seen a picture of 8k's without the top units. That color must be something else in person - I hope you are able to locate them.

I think a little more homework might pay off. Tracing back to the original seller/estate would perhaps be worthwhile? Someone must have the head units. Either they’ve just been put aside somewhere and the seller needs the threat of a return to make them look harder, or they were sold to someone else, in which case the seller must know that, and is the most likely route to trace where they went to.

Failing that, try posting on all the audiophile sites you can find with pics of the head units to see if anyone has them and is wondering what to do with them. They’re very distinctive in shape and colour. If it was a local estate sale, perhaps an ad with pics in the local bulletin boards, online and in local shops, hi-fi dealers, etc., might pay off.

In terms of whoever might have them ending up on this site, is there anything on the anniversary head units which labels them as Meridian (perhaps the tweeter surround)? It’s been so long since I saw a pair I can’t recall. I know the bass units have Meridian labelling fairly clearly.

There is an "M" logo on the tweeter and that is about it. Anyone not familiar with high end hifi may not connect the dots on that one.

I thought there was an engraved plaque on the back that says Meridian Audio with the number xx/40.

But is that on the head unit or bass unit?

Edit: my bad, it’s on the head unit, I can see it on the Audiogon pictures.

Let’s hope the other party rocks up here!

Keep pushing the estate seller. Since they’ve admitted they sold the head units to someone else, they are ultimately the best source of information. I would imagine, at some point, the person who bought the heads will likely go back to them and ask why they don’t work, or where the rest of the speaker is.

Even if they’ve blown the drive units, it will be much cheaper to repair than to try and source whole replacement heads.

It would be a great shame to break a pair of these. Not just for your own financial loss, but because they are rare and special (and sound absolutely amazing).

Thank you everyone you guys really nice and helpful also very impressed with your support and care of the brand !
Yes they are very rare and unicorns
So far I call the estate sale and he said the only think he know the head unit been sold separately at very good price! I ask and offer them more but he didn’t respond back still not sure if he can provide the information of the buyer but I will try everything to find the head ,
I talk with Bruce about it and he mentioned the top pice is useless without bottom pice
So good or bad this is what it is .
I still try for couple more week if possible the find the lost pice but if not will no choice sadly have to sale as part ,
Much appreciated all of you 🙏🏻

Either
- A non-Meridian AV processor of your own choosing. This can then do the video switching as well.
- A Meridian 271 that enables you to connect the audio output of the AV processor to the SL connections of your Speakers.
Or
- A recent vintage Meridian 861 or G series processor with SL outs for your speakers.
- A Meridian UHD722 to integrate the required video switching.

I prefer the first option over the second as it is more flexible in an AV setting. Purely audio, the 861 does sound lovely.

Wow, amazing system!

So, you’ll need a Meridian surround processor and HDMI adapter.

Since you want the best, this is easy - you want a Meridian 861v8 surround controller with an ID41 card fitted (this allows high resolution streaming with the Roon app - separate subscription and you can then stream/control local files, Tidal, Quobuz, etc., seamlessly and beautifully - you won’t regret it).

To get HDMI sources into the system, you’ll want a Meridian UHD722, which separates the sound from the image, de-jitters and carries out some other processing (apodising filter, etc.) and passes it on to the 861 for further processing.

Since you have a legacy sub (SW5500) you will also need a Meridian AC12 to convert the Speakerlink signal from the 861 to digital coaxial+comms.

Did all the speakers come with Speakerlink wires to hook them up? If not, you will need appropriate lengths of Cat 5 ethernet cable, or you can buy the Meridian flat Speakerlink wires in various lengths from a dealer. akso did your SW5500 come with the cables? if not you will need an S5 lead in an appropriate length.

When you have these, download and read all the manuals three times then come back here with any questions before you dive in, as the system will need configuring.

To save some time before you reach that point, you will also need a laptop running windows and the correct USB->Serial adapter (Keyspan USA-19HS by Tripp Lite) and a 6ft Tripp Lite Null Modem Serial RS232 Cable (DB9 Female/Female). These are so you can use the Meridian Configuration program (Mconfig) to set up and configure the entire system and surround controller. Please dont buy an alternative USB-Serial adapter and expect it to work, these work every time!

As part of the setup process, you will need to calibrate speaker levels and do MRC (Meridian Room Correction) and will need a Radio Shack type sound level meter. The brand no longer exists, as far as I can tell, so perhaps one of the US dealers (Bruce?) might chime in and say which brand is good in the US for this currently.

Speaking of dealers, it might be worth paying a Meridian dealer for their time, to come and do an initial setup with you so you learn the ropes painlessly and everything is set up the way you like it with no headaches!

Hope this helps.

I'm intrigued, though, what happened with the Anniversary 8Ks in the end…?

Yes. There are three processors that keep things all digital, Trinnov, Storm and Lyngdorf. All others will be analog.

Thank you so much Bruce you are very kind and already help me a lot.
I really appreciate it you, being honest everyone talking and suggesting you, that amazing reputation and you are deserve it.
Thank you very much.

BTW if you are going to part out the 8kSEU, I know a guy who would like all the grilles.

I haven't used an AudioControl processor yet but I do have access to them should you need help with that. The SW5500 is a good subwoofer but it has a reputation with system calibrators for not being able to go really low for theater use. Your 5200SE center is still very good and will work fine for now.

Keeping the signal in the digital domain until it gets to the Meridian speakers will give you the best possible audio performance.
Using an analog processor subjects the signal to additional digital to analog and analog to digital conversions.

In my opinion, you should not rule out the 861v8 when using high end Meridian speakers. Nor the streaming part with an ID41 fitted. Sound quality wise they are probably still the best, if you’re not going any more than 7.1 channels and they’re all integrated to work perfectly with Meridian speakers. And of course are digital all the way through the chain.

At least hear one, at some point, even if you start things off with your current processor…