Meridian

Meridian Audio announced on Wednesday that its HD621 HDMI Audio Processor now supports 3D video formats, thanks to a firmware update.

Meridian's HD621 is the link between a Meridian system and the latest sources that use HDMI. HD621 separates HDMI audio and video, usually carried via the same cable, delivering pristine audio to a Meridian system. Meanwhile the video content is fed direct to the display via a single cable, eliminating additional switching. And now, the HD621 gets even better with its brand new firmware which adds support for 3D video formats.

HD621 also performs up- and down-sampling of digital audio, and includes Meridian's FIFO buffering technology to remove jitter and deliver a significant improvement in sound quality from all HDMI sources.

The 3D capable firmware is already being installed in all new HD621 HDMI Audio Processors, and is now available to all Meridian retailers and installers who can update products already installed in customers' homes.

Are you the proud owner of a Meridian Sooloos Digital Media System? What about an iPad? If so, you'll be happy to hear this news. At CES this week, Meridian Audio announced the free Sooloos Core Control App for iPad, a new app that will allow you to control your Sooloos system using the Sooloos graphical touchscreen interface -- right from your iPad.

The free Meridian Sooloos Core Control App will be available from the Apple App Store soon (don't worry, we'll be sure to let you know when it's released). In the meantime, check out all the cool features.

Sooloos Core Control App features:

• Cover Browser – arrange the graphical display of your music collection by Artist, by Import Date, by Release Date, by Play Count, or to show your favorite internet radio channels. The browser allows you to visualize your entire music library – an experience reminiscent of flicking through album covers, a far superior experience to trawling through lists.Read more

This week at CES, Meridian unveiled the new M6 loudspeaker. With its circular footprint and tapered column design, the M6 certainly grabs your attention. While this British-designed-and-built speaker has a striking look – all the way up to its halo-like blue ring of light that appears when powered on – anyone who is familiar with Meridian knows that it's what's inside this baby that really counts.

Featuring Meridian's Digital Signal Processing and active electronic technologies, the M6 is much more than just a 'speaker'. These technologies combine to create a loudspeaker that performs like a conventional speaker but with eight times the physical volume. Iinside the circular base of the speaker you'll find two amplifiers – one (100W) dedicated to the 85mm wide-range driver, and the other (150W) to the 140mm bass driver. There's also a tuned porting system that extends the loudspeaker's low-frequency performance even further. And, the low-frequency driver is mounted so that it plays downwards for solid bass reproduction. Read more

Meridian this week unveiled the new DSW Digital Active Subwoofer. Optimized for both music and for Meridian Digital Theatre, DSW is the company's first true Digital Signal Processing subwoofer.

Built to pack some punch into your music and movie experiences, DSW features a new high-power long-throw 12in driver and amplifier combo, delivering powerful, authentic bass. It can be used in many ways; as a subwoofer in your surround sound or Meridian Digital Theatre system; singly to add power and depth to the bass performance of a two-channel DSP system; or with multiple DSW subwoofers in a larger system.

In addition, DSW includes Meridian's SpeakerLink connectivity for quick and easy installation to any Meridian system, as well as other DSP Loudspeakers. SpeakerLink connectivity also means that DSW can be configured from an attached Surround Controller or Audio Core 200, making it easier to configure than conventional subwoofers.Read more

Meridian this week unveiled a limited edition sound system to celebrate the company's 40th anniversary. The 40th Anniversary System includes a pair of DSP8000 loupspeakers and a special version of Meridian's 808 Signature Reference CD Player.

Created by Bob Stuart and Allen Boothroyd, the Anniversary System is limited to only 40 numbered editions worldwide, each signed by Bob and Allen. It has a beautiful Ruby finish and comes with coordinated glass inset panels, loudspeakers grilles and tweeter surround. Even the drivers are treated with a new, polished bezel. The system also features an engraved plate showing its unique system number. And, as you would expect with a product bearing the Meridian name, it promises to deliver a superior listening experience. Each system will come with a book, illustrating the history of Meridian's Digital Signal Processing (DSP) loudspeakers, which is also signed by Bob and Allen.

Owners of the Anniversary System will also be offered the opportunity to receive a Meridian Engineer to fine tune the sound system in their homes following installation.Read more

Meridian last week unveiled its new DSP3300 loudspeaker. Following in the footsteps of the company's compact DSP3200, the DSP3300 boasts similar electronics and drive unit technology as its predecessor.

The DSP3300 is a two-way digital active loudspeaker deigned for use in Meridian Digital Theater applications and can be used as a center channel, thanks to its centrally located wide range drive unit; in pairs as main left and right channels or as surround channels.

Ideal for where space is limited, Meridian's latest also features dual 165 mm bass drivers, onboard digital signal processing for loudness control, along with DSP and active loudspeaker technologies, providing powerful low frequency performance. The use of a wide-range driver allows the frequency of the DSP crossover to be moved outside of the speech band for clear, open and spacious sound, even at high listening levels. In addition, the DSP3300 includes Meridian SpeakerLink connectivity for quick and easy connection to any of Meridian's Surround Sound Controllers. Read more

Meridian this week unveiled Media Drive 600, a new dedicated system storage solution that can be used one of two ways - to upgrade storage in an existing Meridian Sooloos Digital Media System or as a component when building a new system.

Media Drive 600 includes a pair of front-loading drive bays configured with automatic RAID 1 backup so that your media library is always safely mirrored on a second HDD. The system offers Meridian Sooloos Digital Media System storage for up to 5000 CD albums in lossless quality FLAC format and is always connected to the Sooloos extranet, which means it can be remotely accessed for support and diagnostics services.

Media Drive 600 can be networked to any other Meridian Sooloos product, adding extra storage that is integrated with existing libraries. It has a simple front panel interface with six LEDs for feedback on system status, and features front-loading drive bays so that the unit can be serviced without having to access the rear of the rack or to remove the Media Drive 600.Read more

You've heard us give praise to Meridian's Sooloos digital media systems in the past and today at CES they unveiled the Meridian Sooloos Media Core 200 Digital Media System, an all in one Sooloos System with enough internal storage for up to 1000 CDs in full lossless quality via its internal 500GB drive. This compact system can be operated by any of the network-based control systems available, including the iPad or iPhone App, a computer running the Control PC or Control Mac application, or a Meridian Sooloos controller such as the Control 15 or Control 10.

Easy to set up, Media Core 200 connects to the Internet so you can listen to streamed audio services, as well as import your iTunes library (or other digital music library) via the free Meridian Sooloos software tools. Media Core 200 can also be networked to any other Meridian Sooloos product, adding extra storage or zones.Read more

Meridian Audio has a new trade-up program, allowing owners of existing Meridian loudspeakers to purchase one of the company’s latest digital active models at a savings. Until December 31, 2010, Meridian Audio will offer a minimum value trade-up price for most existing Meridian loudspeakers against the purchase of higher performance, latest specification models.

The trade-up promotion applies to the following Meridian loudspeakers:

• DSP Digital Active: DSP6000, DSP7000, DSP5500, DSP5000, DSP3100, and DSP33
• Digital Active: D6000, D600, D10, D2500, and D1500
• Active: M3100, M33, M60, M100, M30, M20, M10, M3, M2, M1, M2500, and M1500
• Passive: A500, A3, A2, and A1

Huge fans of Meridian Audio, when we heard that their sound systems were going to be included in 2012 Range Rovers, we were thrilled! After all, when you think Range Rover, you think luxury; what better fit than to include the high-end, premium sound that Meridian has to offer?

The first Range Rover to include a Meridian in-car sound system is the all-new Evoque model, launching at next week's Paris Motor Show. The Evoque will be available with an option of two Meridian sound systems; a 380W 13-speaker system and a top-of-the-range 825W 19-speaker unit. Read more