EQUIPMEI{TREVIEW
MeridiqnDSP7200SE
by Jason Kennedy
eridian is not your averagehi{i company by any means.lt has
be the first of its kind in the wodd. The SE or 'specialedition'speaker rangehas been createdto mark this
always been technologicallyadvanced, a state of affairs that became apparent to the world.at large when MLP or Meridan LosslessPacking was incorporatedinto the DVD-Audioformat - a move that presumablynetted the company i decent R&D budget for quitesometime. Most of the loudspeakers that the company makes are active types with DSP (digitalsignal processing) crossovers. And 2014 marks the 25th anniversary of Meridian'sfirst 'digital'loudspeaker,the D6000, claimedto
anniversaryand the DSP7200is the middlemodel.ina range of three SE floorstanders. The SE suffix indicates a number of changes to the DSP7200that precededit, not the leastof which is a beryllium dome on the tweeterin placeof an aluminiumone. Beryllium is desirablebecause of its excellentstiffness-to-massratio, combinedwith an uncannydegree of self damping.The only drawbacks are cost and fragility.This model also has new DACs and amplifiersonboard, and even the driver baskets )
[f,fi+ 67 rssuE i.:7
MERIDIANDSPT2OOSE
are new.Thesepads are availableas an upgradeto existing DSP7200speakers,but what isn't an optionare the clamp ringsincorporated to increasethe rigidityof driveunitfixing. This can't be appliedto earlierloudspeakers becausethe clamp ringsrequiresa differentshapeof driveropening. The biggestchangethat SE ushersln is something calledthe EBA(ExtendedBassAlignment)firmwarealgorithm developed by RichardHollinshead, the directorof engineering at Meridian.EBA is essentially a meansof time-aligning the outputof the bassdriverwith the otherdriversin the speaker. It introducesa 27 milliseconddelay to the upper bass, midrange,and treblefrequencies, which meansthe signal gets to the the lower bass 27ms beforethe other drivers. Richarddid this because in loudspeakers(as opposed to acoustic instruments),bass notes arriveafter higher notes becauseof the relativesizeof the drivers.lt'sa stateof affairs that some try to ameliorateby placingtrebledriversfudher back on the cabinet,either by anglingthe baffleor putting a step in it. However,to replicateMeridian'sEBA physically, the tweeterwould needto be severalmetresbehindthe bass units.This isn't practical,so Meridianhas createdDSPfilters that delaythe signalsentto the upperbass,mid, and treble drivers,so the wave front that arrivesat a listenersears is time-coherentacrossthe frequencyrange. TheDSP7200SE is a magnificent speakerintheflesh.lt is gloss piano superblyfinishedin high lacquerand showsevery sign of greatattentionto detailin its designand construction. The amplifier,for instance,has a curved heatsinkthat is the same shape as the rear baffle.The lowest part looks like heatsinkingbut is merelythere to cover the connections; cables are routed via a slot underneaththis cover, This speaker only accepts digitalsignalsvia coaxialS/PDIF or Meridian'sproprietarySpeakerlinksystemthat travelthrough flat cables terminatedin RJ45 plugs (as seen on Ethernet cables).Speakerlinkis a discreetcable that can easilybe hiddenundercarpets,but as this is an activedesignyou will need very well placed power outletsto give the impression of wirelessoperation.The port is also behindthis lowergrille, but you haveto makean effortto see it. The cabinetsnot only look good, but havebeencarefully thought out. Meridianuses Europeanbirch plywood that's selectedfor tightlypackedgrowthrings,which give it greater densitythan conventional cabinetmaterials.This is laminated aroundan aluminium corethai is dopedwith epoxyresinto keep resonanceat a minimum.The driversare fixed in place with the aforementioned clampingrings,piecesthat are in machinedaluminiumfor maximum rigidity.Internally, the cabinethasthreecrossbracesto furtherminimisemovement.b.
hftffi+68
MERIDIANDSPT2OOSE
frequency band, so being a three and half-way design, the DSP7200SEincorporatesfour multi-bit, delta-sigma DACs per loudspeaker,and all are 24/192 types with 12Bx oversampling.I say 'approximately'becausein practisethe mid and bass system get a DAC each, but the treble gets two, used differentially, for maximum pedormance.There is.one power amplifierper driver,and each drivergets 150 watts, makinga total of 600 watts for each channel. tt is possibleto drivethe DSP7200swith a non-Meridian source, such as a streameror CD transportwith coaxial output, but in practicethis doesn't tend to happen.Usually the DSP7200sare sold with eitherMeridian's818 Reference Audio Core controlleror the 808V5 SignatureReference CD player at the helm. Both componentsact like digital preamplifiers in situ, with both digitaland analogueinputs, and Speakerlinkoutputs.The speakersthemselveshave a displaythat indicatesoperationalstateand volumelevel,and they defaultto standbywhen the controlleris switchedoff. The systemsuppliedfor reviewincludedthe 808V5disc spinneralongsidea Control15 streamerwith built in touch screen and hard drive. This system was formerly called Sooloosand was amongthe veryfirstto offera touch screen fullof albumad that you couldscrollthroughand chooseyour music, lf you cast your mind back to a pre-iPadworld,that
lh${il+7l
was prettyhot stuff.Now that the restof the audioworld has caughtup with streaming,and offerapps that performmost of the same functionalityon your smadphoneor tablet,the Control15 looksa bit pricey,but it's niceto havesuch a large display.There is also a control app dubbed MeridianCore Controlto put on your iPad. Settingup this system is a bit differentto usual,but it sharesthe needto sendthe streamer'soutputto the controller viaan Ethernetswitch.Youcan sendit directlyas I discovered on my first solo attemptat set up, but this doesn't routethe signalthroughthe SLS (Sooloos)input. Speakerconnection is not lefVrightas per usualbut masterand slave;here I got it rightthe firsttime prettymuch by luck (instructionmanuals arefor wimps, afterall),and noticedthat th.emasterspeaker (leftchannel)has a slightlydifferentdisplayto its underling. These speakersare also unusualfor havingonly three feet.This is a good idea becausethere is no dangerof one foot being unevenlyweightedbut not so good for stability in the eventof being ram-raidedby a passingnine-year-old. Meridianhas counteredthis with two extra feet that don't touch the ground unlessthe cabinetleans.lt also supplies soikesor flatfeet to suit differentfloorfinishes. Set up with regardto placementseemedto requiremore distanceto wallsthan usual,This was possiblydue to a rear firing,groundlevelreflexport, but it's not a good speakerfor peoplefor whom spaceis a finitecommodity. The DSP7200SEhas quite a dark balance; that is, the midrangeand treble seem slightly recessedby most standards,so anythingthat thickensor reinforcesthe bass is undesirable.lt is also desirableto point them at the sweet spot, so that you hear as much mid and high frequency energyas possible. The balanceis not dissimilartoLinn'sactiveloudsoeakers that alsouse DSP,as it'sthe soundof minimumdistortionand maximumcontrol as createdby algorithms,and it takes a bit of getting used to. Of course, if you have a largerthan averageroom with minimalistfurnishing,lots of glassand an uncarpetedfloor,it's probablyperfect- those beingthe sorl of room you see in lifestyleshotsfor a numberof loudspeakers includingMeridian.Thisbalance,whilesomewhatat oddswith what is usuallyconsideredtransparent,is not unrevealing.In fact,quitethe oppositeis the case;you can heara lot of detail and recordingcharacter.Using the Meridiansto compare sourcecompontsfor instanceis extremelyilluminating. Thereare variousreasonsfor this, but significantamong them is a very low noisefloor.Thereare clearlysome major advantagesto keeplngthe signalin a relativelyrobustdigital form for as longas possible,relativeinsensitivity to RFI(radio
, r:l,,:irt,
MERIDIANDSPT2OOSE
closerto the Control15, but the systemexposedjust how 'No Love much reverbis added to GregoryPortersvoiceon Dying' lLiquidSprnt,Blue Notel, that and the amount of soul power he managesto convey.PhilipGlass' soundtrackfor Koyaanisqatsi[Nonesuch]has some wonderfullow organ on it that underpinsdeep mde voices,and hereyou feelthe full extensionand massivepowerof the production,with noneof the flapthat most systemsget into.lt'sverydifficultto achieve thisdegreeof controlwith a passivesystem,and so it'smighty when it comes along.You could quiteeasilyturn enteftaining into a levelobsessedbass-headwith theseMeridiansat your the album Pure Heroine[Universal],which has some very command.Brendel'spianoplaying[-he CompleteBeethoven meaty low end on it that causes many largerspeakersto Sonatas,Philipslis if anythingmorespectacular;his virtuosity geniusis broughthome loudand struggle,the DSP7200SEshowedthat excessesexperienced combinedwith Beethoven's with other models were not caused by the room the clear.lt'swork likethisthat reallyshineson this system. usualexcuse- but the inabilityof the amplifier/loudspeaker The Meridian DSP7200SE may not sound like a combinationto keepa grip on low frequencyenergy.Through conventionally transparentsystem in terms of balance,but the Meridian,even low synth notes have leadingedges and that could well be becauseit achievesa levelof neutrality clearlydefinedbeginnings and ends. Whenit comesto reproducing deniedto the majority. acoustic This track and others also revealedthat this Meridian soundsat realisticlevelsthissystemis veryconvincingindeed. is well suitedto higherreplaylevels;the sound is extremely The price may be high and the approachprettywell unique clean which means no harshnesswhen you turn up the but the resultsspeakfor themselves.lt s not hardto hearwhy precise. wick.The controlalso meansthat basstimingis The Meddiancontinuesto command respectin and beyondthe overallsound is not obviouslypaceybecauseof the balance cocoonof the hiohend. * but with acousticmaterialyou get a clear sense of tempo which makes for engagingresults.You also hear recording qualityvery easilyand the betterthat is the more enjoyable the results.I connecteda few alternativesourcesto the 808 TECH NICALSPECI FICATIONS to see how that would alter the resultand discoveredthat Type: 3.S-woy,four-driver,floorstonding speoker octive on the wholethose sourcesproduceda brightel more open DSPcontrolled omplificotion. resultthan the Control15.Thiscould be becauseI was using Drivercomplenrert: One 25mm berylliumdome, short analogueconnectionsratherthan Ethernetor it mightjust be horn tweeier; one l60mm polypropylene midronge a reflectionof the Meridiansource. driver; two 200mm long throw boss drivers. Vinylfrom a RegaRP8with Aphetacartridgeand Trilogy Lnputs:one phono digitol S/PDIF, one bolonced digitol phono presence 907 stagedeliveredreal with PatriciaBarber's AES/EBU on RJ45. Modern Cool [PremonitionRecords], serving up vigour Anrolrfers:four x 150Woti RMS. and three dimensionality in spades. Barbers voice sounds Crosscverfrequenoes:500H2,4kHz exceptionalas does the bowed doublebassand percussion Freqrencv Tesp.nse:30Hz- 32kHz+/- 3dB 'Constantinople'. The tempo of the source is very clear on Dimensions{HxWxD):1072(no feet) x 350/180mmx from the off, seeminglyoffsettingthe speaker'scharacteristic 4151217mm. restraintin this area. The track also sounded rather good Weight:55kg/eoch at volume,deliveringmassivescale in the contextof clean, Price:f,23,995/poir extendedbassand a senseof controlthat encourageshigher levelsstill.The new Doug Sax iemasterof Modern Cool is a Mcnutocturer: lot betterthan I thought. Meridion Audio Lid I alsotried an alternative Tel:+44(0)1480445678 digitalsourcein the form of the ResolutionAudio Cantatastreamerwith a Ndm UnitiServe URL:www.meridion-oudio.com supplyingthe data. The Cantatahas a warm balancethat's frequencyinterference) beingone of the more obviousones. The otheradvantageof activesystemsis that the bassusually has more power; the grip that an amplifiercan exert on a drive unit when there is no crossoverin the way is naturally prettystrong,and that is apparenthere.The drawbackwith less sophisticatedactivesystemsis that the limitationsand distorlionsof the amolifiersare more obviousfor the same reason.That is not somethingyou get with this Meridian;it is controlledand muscular,but you onlyhearthis in the absence of overhangand bass extension.Thereis no senseof grain throughthe midrangeand treble.With Lorde's'Royals'from
ffi72