Meridian Extends SpeakerLink Technology
Flagship speakers receive update and Legacy products can now be linked

Huntingdon, Cambridge, UK, 24th November 2008 -Meridian Audio Ltd., the British manufacturer of stunningly stylish yet technologically sophisticated digital audio and video systems, has extended its new SpeakerLink single-cable input/output communications protocol to its flagship Digital Active Loudspeaker model, the DSP8000.

At the same time, Meridian introduced a new installation accessory, the AC11, that allows earlier Meridian components, including processors, disc players, and digital loudspeakers, to integrate with the new SpeakerLink system.

SpeakerLink employs cost-effective and universally available RJ-45 Ethernet-style twisted-pair network cabling to make all digital audio, communications, and control interconnections between Meridian components. With SpeakerLink, a single, easily concealed wire is the only connection required to connect Meridian's DSP loudspeakers with the company's audio processors or audio-video sources.

"SpeakerLink is at once both simpler and higher in performance, which makes it a perfect statement of all things Meridian," says Bob Stuart, Co-Founder, Chairman, and Chief Technology Officer of Meridian Audio Limited. "The AC11 makes integrating legacy models seamless," Stuart continues, "while the changeover of the DSP8000 signals our unreserved commitment to this superior new technology. Meridian remains at the forefront of innovation, providing solutions for our dealers while delivering, as always, the very best performance."

The new AC11 Meridian Component Interlink is a hub that interfaces SpeakerLink components with Meridian legacy models that employ DIN and/or BNC Meridian Comms ports and S/PDIF digital audio connections. The AC11 networks a complete system of components and loudspeakers using any of these connections, while further connectivity-including 12V trigger input, IR Out, and RS-232 serial port-provides for further system expansion, and enables integration of non-Meridian elements into the system.

AC11 Component Interlink will be available January 2009 with a suggested retail price of $995.

Meridian Showcases Award-Winning Digital Active Loudspeakers During CEDIA 2008

Range now horizontal center channel offering flexible surround installation

CEDIA 2008, Denver, Colorado—Meridian Audio Limited recognized as a world leader in digital audio and video technologies for music and home-theater systems is pleased to showcase the award-winning DSP7200 Digital Active Loudspeakers including the new horizontal center channel during the upcoming 2008 CEDIA Expo. Like all Meridian’s DSP Loudspeakers, the DSP7200 combines state-of-the-art driver and enclosure engineering with multiple, on-board amplifiers for the dynamics and freedom from distortion that only active-speaker design can deliver.

The DSP7200HC is designed for use as a center-channel loudspeaker, where the horizontal design avoids obscuring a display or screen, or in studio/mastering monitor applications where stand-mounting allows the loudspeaker to be positioned at ear level without any of the drivers being masked by studio equipment or a mixing console. It uses essentially the same components as the vertical model for truly compatible sound and performance, and has the same effective cabinet volume.

And with Meridian’s new SpeakerLink interface, with RJ45 connectors in the 7200’s redesigned connector panel—which is now recessed to conceal unsightly cable entry—all high-resolution audio data, together with Meridian Comms for inter-component communications and control, and RS232 interfacing for system control, can run via a single CAT5 cable, providing matchless elegance and simplicity of installation. The DSP7200 also features extensively re-designed internal electronics and advanced new software, along with upgraded transducer drive units, and power amplifiers that bring it dramatically close to the remarkable performance of the legendary DSP8000.

Like all of Meridian’s DSP Loudspeakers, the DSP7200’s design rests on the pillars of digital signal processing for crossover filtering and all other signal manipulation, and multi-amplified active-speaker topology in which each individual driver is served by a dedicated amplifier channel. The advantages of these concepts are irrefutable: employing ultra-accurate DSP makes possible crossover characteristics and precision that are simply not possible for any passive, analog-domain system.

Each DSP7200 accepts a digital bitstream directly from a Meridian preamplifier, CD or DVD player, or AV system-controller, accommodating bitstreams up to 96/24 including the company’s proprietary Meridian High Resolution (MHR) up-sampled, enhanced-resolution format. This arrangement eliminates analog speaker cabling and its associated losses, colorations, and clutter.

The new DSP7200 features the cabinet structure crafted from Meridian’s innovative, multi-layered “sandwich” of selected woods and metal, formed in curved, pressure-laminated panels that produce almost perfectly vibration- and resonance-free enclosures, for impressive freedom from coloration. The exteriors of these unique cabinets are painstakingly finished in Meridian’s trademark gloss piano-black lacquer, or silver lacquer and are available in custom colors by special order.

Availability: Now shipping
MSRP: $34,995

Meridian Amps Up Luxury Appeal

Meridian Audio Ltd., the British company whose uniquely stylish, technologically sophisticated audio and video designs are legendary among knowledgeable AV fans and system-designers, is taking an increasingly active role in courting the design-savvy, upscale consumer. For one example, Meridian will participate in the upcoming Digital Downtown show in New York City, an exclusive free event open to the public from June 12-14 at the World Financial Center in lower Manhattan. At Digital Downtown (Booth #166), Meridian will highlight the stunning new F80 all-in-one entertainment system engineered in cooperation with legendary automaker Ferrari. Meridian will also be informing show visitors about its more “traditional” music and audio-video system solutions.

According to Meridian America president Walter Schofield, outreach of this type is increasingly necessary thanks to his company’s unique status. “Meridian enjoys the enviable position of being perceived as both a “luxury’ brand with exceptional industrial design, and as a serious cutting-edge innovator,” said Schofield. “While in many cases these two appear mutually exclusive, they are inextricably joined at Meridian, and indeed their harmony defines our company’s very beginnings. Over the years we’ve done a great job reaching the ‘technology-first/enthusiast’ consumer; now we’re broadening our efforts to claim mind-share of the high-net worth individual focusing on the design and style side—but with an unvarying commitment to the benchmark performance standards that have been Meridian’s from the very first.”

Another important factor in Meridian’s increasing visibility as a luxury-tech brand is its recent, highly successful association with the Muse Consortium, a group of investors assembled by movie producer Arnon Milchan of Regency Ventures (Pretty Woman, L.A. Confidential and many others) that includes Swiss luxury-goods Richemont Subsidiary Columbus VC (Cartier, Panerai, Montblanc, IWC, Van Cleef & Arpels to name a few) and the principals of the Trian Fund Group and Consolidated Media Holdings. “The Muse Group provides Meridian with unparalleled expertise in establishing luxury brand awareness and building value among the very top tier of consumers, the most quality- and performance-conscious of all,” said Schofield. “Since this is precisely where Meridian thrives, the association is fostering powerful growth through new marketing initiatives, both for our core products and the newer, more broadly appealing creations like the F80.”

From the very beginning, with products like the world’s first high-end CD player, the team instantly established new standards for both visual design and audio excellence, standards that Meridian continues to advance to the present day. The new F80 encompasses 30 years of Meridian innovation representing the past, present and future. Its performance and design are second to none defining a new era for Meridian.

Meridian’s offerings also include digital theatre systems deliver breathtaking high-definition images and stunning surround-sound. The company has become a leader in the reproduction of the auditory and visual ‘clues’ that help create an image of such integrity and purity, as if you hear them through the ears of the record producer or see them through the eyes of the film director.

About Meridian
From a compact stereo system to a bespoke home theatre installation, from a complete system to individual components, award-winning Meridian systems are at home in any environment and are ideal for such varied locations as a luxury apartment, a super-yacht or even a personal jet.

Meridian is a multi-award winning company gaining much critical and industry acclaim as a world-leader in audio reproduction winning over 135 awards for 156 products/innovations to date including the coveted British Design Council Award for Outstanding British Products an unprecedented three times in addition to many other international accolades.

Founded in 1977 by audio engineer Bob Stuart and industrial designer Allen Boothroyd, Meridian Audio Limited design and manufacture from their headquarters in Huntingdon, near Cambridge. The company’s local modern production facilities are purpose-built for the manufacturing of the highest quality consumer audio and video products, distributed in 56 countries including the UK, USA, Russia, China, India, Middle-East and Japan.

For additional information on Meridian’s full line of audio and video products, visit www.meridian-audio.com.

THE F80 FROM MERIDIAN Complete home entertainment – wherever you plug it in.

2007 CEDIA Expo, Denver, Colorado, September 6, 2007— For 30 years Meridian’s award-winning hi-fi and home cinema components have represented class-leading performance, exquisite engineering and elegant style. The latest product from the Cambridgeshire company holds true to these values and yet represents somewhat of a departure. Making its US debut at the 2007 CEDIA Expo, Meridian pleased to introduce the F80.

Meridian’s traditional focus has been on ultra high-end separate hi-fi systems and components: CD players, DVD players, surround-sound decoders, amplifiers and loudspeakers. The new F80, however, can best be described as a complete home entertainment system - one developed the Meridian way.

Whilst the design and engineering challenges of creating such a unique product were complex and demanding, the outcome is reassuringly familiar. The F80 is innovative, offers astonishing performance, and looks unlike anything else on the market today.

Such an achievement was made a good deal easier thanks to Meridian’s illustrious partner in this project: Ferrari. Both companies share a belief in peerless performance, innovation and bold product design – thus the F80 is very much a Ferrari product as well as a Meridian one.

With hints of Art Deco in its pure elliptical outline, the F80 remains distinctly modern, both in its styling and in its state-of-the-art engineering. It represents a radical redefinition of the whole concept of a compact, transportable audio and DVD system.

The iconic F80 carries the chromosomes of an old-fashioned tabletop radio. Meridian has built the F80 in the tradition of a proper ‘home wireless’: one that would be a focus for ears and eyes and fill a room with glorious sound. But while it shares the simplicity and compact nature of a radio, the F80 offers so much more.

Under the stylish hood, you will find an AM/FM tuner with built-in antenna for local radio reception and dual connections for external antennae to ensure the best reception wherever you are. The F80 is also an incredibly capable CD player, with more than a strong hint of Meridian’s top ‘hi-fi reference’ products inside. And the product also plays DVD-Video discs, providing complete entertainment from one compact unit.

As you would expect with Ferrari on board, there’s a beautiful engine inside - in this case an audio engine comprising three power amps, effortlessly delivering over 80 watts to the two front speakers and integral rear subwoofer. By comparison, the average transistor radio outputs less than five watts. The loudspeakers themselves are special full-range designs – custom-made for this product – with powerful neodymium magnets and hi-tech cones fashioned from magnesium and aluminum alloy.

Advanced Digital Signal Processing (DSP) ensures a wonderfully full, rich sound with an impressively wide stereo stage. This DSP technology also allows the user to fine-tune the output of the F80 depending on where it is positioned in the room.

The densely packed electronics are housed in a solid die-cast metal base and the loudspeakers are mounted within incredibly inert, separate enclosures created from a special alloy-injected composite. It was within this field of materials technology that Ferrari’s close co-operation and specialist expertise proved invaluable.

Completing the design is an exceptionally ergonomic, smart-button interface – with a crystal-clear organic LED display – incorporating automatic station name labeling amongst a range of intelligent programming features.

Hand built in the UK to the very highest standards, in Meridian’s hi-tech manufacturing facility in Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, the F80 is available now in five official Ferrari colors, while limited edition luxury finishes will be unveiled later this year.

Suggested retail price: $2,995
Shipping Now

Meridian Audio Limited is based in Huntingdon, near Cambridge, UK, and was founded in 1977 by Allen Boothroyd and Robert Stuart. With a 30-year history of innovation and development of the highest quality consumer audio systems, the award-winning company is widely recognized as a world leader in digital and analog audio reproduction. Meridian developed the world’s first audiophile CD player, the world’s first consumer digital surround controller, developed the MLP lossless packing systems mandated for use in DVD-Audio and included in emerging high-definition disc formats, and is the only UK audio hardware manufacturer to be a member of the DVD Forum. The company’s optical disc players, DSP-based loudspeakers and Digital Theater systems are unique in the industry, maintaining a super-quality digital audio signal throughout the path from the source to the amplifier, and using digital signal processing to generate advanced crossover characteristics that would be impossible with conventional passive analog systems. Meridian is also the exclusive manufacturer and distributor of Faroudja High-Definition video processors and projectors.

Meridian Premieres HD Video Systems

New D-ILA projectors and video processors showcased

Austell, GA, August 2006-Meridian Audio Ltd, the leading UK-based manufacturer of high-end audio, video and home theater systems and components, has unveiled its latest full-spec HD video projectors and processors. Launched under the 'Faroudja® by Meridian' brand name, following the exclusive licensing deal struck last year with Genesis Microchip, Inc., the new systems bring reference-grade home cinema imaging to the most demanding customers.

Just introduced is a pair of three-chip DILA projectors, and a reference-quality video processor engineered to maximize their potential. Both the DILA1080MF1 and DILA1080MF2 projectors employ three native 1920x1080 D-ILA chips (approximately 6.22 million pixels) for smooth, flicker-free images of incredible resolution, without visible pixel structure. The net result is detailed, depth-rich, amazingly film-like reproduction that dramatically reproduces cinematic visuals including subtleties of cinematography such as film-grain and lighting details that have seldom been appreciated in home cinema environments.

The principal distinctions between the two projector models are the MF2's omission of the MF1's motorized zoom/focus optics, and the MF1's advantage in contrast-ratio of about 15 percent. The MF1 also features a vertical lens shift of ± 60% making it extremely installer friendly. In addition, the MF1 features an advanced ultra-low-noise cooling system that, as well as minimizing projector noise, cools down the projector in just a minute or so after switch-off. Both projectors accept 1080p signals via single HDCP-compatible DVI-D inputs. Multiple video inputs are not necessary since both projectors are designed for use with a suitable outboard video processor, ideally the new DVP1080MF Digital Video Processor (see below).

The DILA1080MF1 and MF2 projectors deliver near-perfect flat-field uniformity and grey-scale accuracy, for unrivalled depth and detail over the full visual range from light to dark, with shadow detail being especially impressive.

Their color gamut comfortably exceeds current HD television standards, and their exact, carefully balanced gamma curve and superb lens optics combine to provide what is, literally, reference-standard imaging. What's more, each DILA1080MF1 and MF2 projector is individually calibrated to exacting standards at Meridian's UK headquarters.

Both new Meridian projectors are 'pixel-direct' models without internal scalers, designed for use with a suitable, 'no-compromise' outboard scaling component. The ideal choice, and available only in the projector/processor packages, is the DVP1080MF Digital Video Processor, which outputs 1080p signals, ideal for reproduction by either projector, from virtually any video source. This compact, single-rack-space design incorporates Faroudja's unique TrueLife® 12-step detail processing and DCDi motion-adaptive de-interlacing, for unsurpassed video-signal quality via its HDCP-compatible DVI-D output. The DVP1080MF incorporates flexible aspect-ratio control and image-shift options, as well as auto-detection of HD or standard-def input signals, and includes an internal test-pattern generator.

An alternative processor model, the DVP1080HD, which is available independently from the projectors, includes all the facilities of the DVP1080MF with the addition of multiple progressive analogue video outputs including RGBHV, Component, RGBS and RGsB.

The new projectors and video processors are supplied with dedicated remote controllers which handle both product types, and all incorporate a full range of automation facilities including infrared and RS232 control ports and screen-trigger outputs, permitting easy integration into even the most sophisticated home cinema or media room installation.

Both the DILA1080MF1 Digital Projector (available in Normal and Short-Throw versions) and the DILA1080MF2 Digital Projector are available as packages with the DVP1080MF, or on their own. All products are presently available and shipping.

Suggested Retail Pricing:
DILA1080MF1 with either Normal or Short Lens $20,995.00
DILA1080MF2 with Normal Lens $14,500.00
DILA1080MF1 with DVP1080MF $25,995.00
DILA1080MF2 with DVP1080MF $19,495.00
DVP1080HD $6,995.00

Meridian shows the complete picture
Meridian Digital Theater demo delivers the best sound and vision available—from one source

International CES, Las Vegas, NV, January 5, 2006—Since 1977, leading British luxury lifestyle audio/video technology manufacturer Meridian Audio has been building superb-sounding, award-winning home entertainment systems. Meridian’s elegant, stylish components and loudspeakers are perfect for any décor – while their in-wall speakers facilitate unobtrusive installation. Meridian systems and components are also fully compatible with leading home automation systems. Now Meridian has added full high-definition video to its capabilities with the inclusion of the Faroudja line of HD video projectors and processors, for which Meridian is the exclusive manufacturer and distributor. A complete Meridian Digital Theater is on show at the Meridian booth (Booth #21913, South Hall) with half-hourly demos throughout the show (free booking required: tickets available from the booth).

Meridian’s DSP technology insures that a Meridian system sounds, as well as looks, like nothing else. The company’s CD and DVD players and surround processors feed a digital signal to the loudspeakers, creating a pristine digital link from studio to living room. Meridian also offers analog active loudspeakers, and power amplifiers that complement the rest of the line and will drive third-party passive loudspeakers perfectly, plus analog/digital subwoofers, which integrate perfectly into Meridian or third-party installations. Also on show is a complete new line of in/on-wall installation loudspeaker systems that can be powered by conventional amplification; by an analog Loudspeaker Control Unit; or by Meridian’s signature DSP technology.

Meridian components work together to form a seamless, integrated whole, from the most comprehensive multi-room configuration or custom-built home theater to a compact, elegant stereo system. The 800 Series includes the 800 Optical Disc Player, 808 Signature CD Player and 861 Digital Surround Controller, while the versatile and highly popular G Series range includes CD and DVD players, analog preamps, digital and analog surround processors and stereo/multichannel power amplifiers – ideal building blocks for a comprehensive installation.

Meridian DVD players provide broadcast-quality video as well as superb sound – and now Meridian is the exclusive manufacturer and distributor of world-renowned Faroudja projectors and video processors, including the latest 1080p high-definition video technology, delivering vibrant, crystal-sharp images that are the ideal complement to Meridian’s signature sound and enable the company to supply complete audio/video systems from one source—the unique Meridian Digital Theater.

Meridian previews new installed loudspeakers
New series may be flush, in-wall or on-wall mounted; and passive, active or DSP-powered

International CES, Las Vegas, January 5, 2006—Following the success of Meridian’s first loudspeaker system designed for installation applications, the DSP420—which brought the innovation of Meridian’s unique DSP loudspeaker technology to the installation products market and has become one of the company’s most popular lines—British-based luxury lifestyle technology manufacturer Meridian Audio Limited (Booth 21913, South Hall) is announcing a new line of installation loudspeaker products that offer the maximum versatility and flexibility in an increasingly important market sector.

The new loudspeakers are arranged along a wall in the booth, showing the several different configurations and options available.

To the original DSP420, which shares performance characteristics with Meridian’s
stand-alone designs, the company has added the M420, an active analogue version with the same drivers and power amplifiers. The back-box includes the analog or digital input board and power termination in their own sealed enclosures, and the units can be mounted flush (completely hidden) or in-wall (with surface grille).

The new 200 Series in-ceiling designs and the 300 Series of in-wall and on-wall systems allow exceptional flexibility of configuration. They can be supplied as passive speakers to be driven by external conventional amplification; as an active analogue system driven by a G41 Speaker Control Unit, including 8 x 100W power amplifier and modular plug-in electronic crossover, which can handle up to five channels of audio; or as a DSP system, driven by a G46 DSP Speaker Control Unit with DSP crossover and 8 x 100W power amplifiers.

The G41 and G46 Speaker Control Units have the same form factor and appearance as the other G Series units, and can be mounted with the G Series Active Rack kit. The G41 features eight 100W power amplifiers and its standard configuration provides bass and tweeter outputs for four loudspeaker systems. Both balanced (XLR-3F) and unbalanced (phono) inputs are provided for each channel, and there is a 5–30v AC/DC trigger input. There is also a fan output controlled by temperature sensing in the unit. Crossover modules are inserted from the rear panel to provided appropriate crossover parameters. The Channel 4 crossover module can optionally be replaced by a dual full-range input module, which provides a pair of unbalanced inputs. The Channel 4 output is thereby reconfigured to provide two full-range outputs (a rear panel label is provided to overlay the existing one) to drive speakers with passive crossovers, thus permitting the G41 to power a complete 5-channel surround system.

The G46 performs a similar function to the G41, but replaces the analog crossover modules with a DSP engine providing multichannel crossover functionality entirely in the digital domain, in the manner of Meridian’s unique standalone DSP loudspeakers, including crossover parameters that are simply impossible to implement in analog circuitry. Signals are only converted to analog immediately before the power amplifiers, with a separate converter per audio band.

The 200 Series of in-ceiling speakers are 2-way designs with an 8in (200mm) bass driver, pivoting tweeter and optional crossover, for either surface grille or flush mounting.

The 300 Series consists of three ultra-slimline systems for in-wall (surface grille), flush-mount (completely hidden, eg behind wall coverings) and on-wall applications, featuring 6.5in (165mm) bass drivers, and a wide-dispersion ribbon tweeter for superb performance in any location. Units are supplied with or without passive crossover.

A white paintable grille and frame is included, and rough-in boxes are available. The 320 includes a single bass driver and tweeter; the 330 adds an 8in (200mm) Auxiliary Bass Radiator (ABR); and the 350 features two bass drivers and two ABRs. The enclosure in each case is extremely slim and narrow, fitting into the depth of a partition and between studs in in-wall configurations – the width is only 12in at the widest point – and extending only a short distance into the room in the case of on-wall applications. The on-wall variants include an elegant stepped aluminum extruded enclosure.

The result is unparalleled performance from an installed loudspeaker system, comparable with Meridian’s standalone DSP designs but with the flexibility of invisible, semi-visible or slimline on-wall mounting capability. In every case, Meridian installation loudspeakers deliver the performance of a stand-alone design in a discreet enclosure with minimal visual impact – and awesome power and sound quality.

G61 Surround Processor offers more for less
New processor offers Meridian performance at an attractive price point

Huntingdon, Cambridge, UK, November 21, 2005—Inventor of the digital surround processor, UK-based Meridian Audio Ltd., has introduced the latest addition to its popular G Series line of players, processors and amplifiers: the G61 Digital Surround Processor.

The G61 builds on the technology that went into Meridian’s flagship, AAA-rated 861 surround processor, and is a development of the successful G68. It is a powerful, flexible surround controller in a compact case matching the G Series players, with an attractive price-tag ($5495 recommended US retail), making it ideal for those who do not require the comprehensive video and multiroom features, tuner or Room Correction software provided in the G68.

At the heart of the G61 is a powerful DSP engine delivering in excess of 500MIPS (million instructions per second). Processing is performed at high sample rates and with 48-bit precision throughout. The G61 is thus ideal for the very latest in digital audio, such as DVD-Audio and emerging standards. For superior audio quality, incoming analog signals are converted to 24-bit, high-sample-rate digital data via multibit Delta-Sigma converters as soon as they enter the processor, and all digital signals are reclocked to minimize jitter and maintain total data integrity.

The G61 includes two 6-channel S/PDIF digital inputs (coax), six stereo coax digital inputs and – particularly with an eye to the North American market – five stereo Toslink optical inputs. In addition, there’s a 6-channel analog input, and five stereo analog inputs. All the inputs are reconfigurable for an incredible degree of flexibility.

The G61 combines controller and surround processor functions, meeting the latest THX Ultra 2 specifications and including the latest superb-quality AAC, MPEG, DTS, Dolby, Trifield and Ambisonic decoding. Many of the decoders consist almost exclusively of Meridian’s own code, giving them superior integration with the Meridian design philosophy, as well as superior performance.

The G61’s ‘Smart Source’ feature continually monitors the digital inputs and automatically loads the correct decoding software for the format, speaker layout and encoding of the incoming signal. This capability is enhanced by MHR SmartLink, which provides a digital link between a Meridian optical disk player and processor, carrying explicit information about the nature of the datastream as well as encrypted high-resolution digital signals from DVD-Audio—the first system of its kind to be approved.

You can also store separate user parameters for each source (such as DVD) depending on whether the incoming signal is stereo or surround, so that any source material is played with the DSP mode of your choice.

The G61 features eight analog outputs for front, rear, center and sub connections, plus two additional outputs for other applications. Ten digital surround outputs are provided, including front, rear, side, center/sub and again include an additional configurable output pair.

The G61 can be configured with a powerful Windows graphical set-up application (downloadable from the Meridian web site: www.meridian-audio.com), which allows access to all the unit’s functions and configuration. However, the G61 can also be configured extensively from the front panel, thanks to the comprehensive ‘soft-key’ based user interface which is common to all the G Series components. ‘Wizards’ lead the user through the configuration procedure, allowing a powerful degree of customization without having to hook up a computer. The G61’s firmware can be updated via serial link with files downloaded for the Meridian web site:
www.meridian-audio.com

The G61 is an ideal complement to Meridian’s other G Series products, which include CD and DVD players and power amplifiers, and the company’s unique DSP Loudspeakers as well as third-party products.

Available: December 2005
MSRP: $5,495

‘Faroudja, by Meridian’ theme at CEDIA
Meridian’s booth highlights exclusive license deal

CEDIA Expo 2005, Indianapolis, IN, September 9, 2005—Meridian Audio’s booth at CEDIA (#550) will feature ‘Faroudja, by Meridian’, highlighting the recently-announced exclusive license agreement between the internationally-acclaimed British high-end audio manufacturer and Genesis Microchip Inc, the developer and supplier of high-definition chip-based video processing technology. Under the agreement, Meridian takes over manufacturing and worldwide sales and distribution of Faroudja brand consumer products. Meridian is also working with Genesis to co-develop new products that will build upon the success of the Faroudja range and on existing Meridian optical disc player technology. As a result of this agreement, Meridian will now offer a complete line of high-end digital audio and visual entertainment products.

Initially, Meridian will be manufacturing the DVP1080 High-Definition video processor and the DILA1080pHD and DILA788 projectors, and will be offering the DILA-QX1 by special order.

“The 1080 products in particular offer superb performance and lead the industry: they deliver 1080p operation that is not available elsewhere,” said sales and marketing director Colin Aldridge. “Meridian is delighted to take this opportunity of extending our range of home theater systems to include Faroudja products and the exceptionally high quality pictures they deliver.” Continuing Aldridge says, “We expect considerable synergy between the two brands, allowing us to provide a more complete solution for home theater customers, coupling superb sound with incredible images.”

The Faroudja DVP1080 HD Digital Video Processor delivers high-bandwidth High Definition processing, optimizing current advanced 1920x1080p digital displays by converting 1080i interlaced HD video to a clean, 1080p progressive format.

Full High Definition cross-conversion and Standard Definition processing are included, with patented technology for de-interlacing, motion tracking, color fidelity and image detail enhancement, making the DVP1080 the essential central component of any high-performance theatre. All types of displays benefit from this processing, including plasma, DLP, LCD, DILA and CRT-based devices. US retail price is $6,995.

The DILA1080pHD Digital Projector utilizes three 1920x1080p DILA-based display chips. With a native resolution equal to full bandwidth High Definition, all the beauty and drama of the original source are reproduced with stunning accuracy. Each projector is Theater Optimized by video expert William Phelps, using proprietary firmware and optical equipment to offer a contrast ratio of 2100:1, excellent shadow detail and film-accurate color.

The Faroudja DILA1080pHD projector can be driven directly by an HDMI-equipped Meridian DVD player. Alternatively, the DVP1080 HD Digital Video Processor can be used to convert all analog and digital high definition and standard definition sources to the native 1920x1080p resolution of the projector. Employing the entire suite of Faroudja’s patented technologies for color reproduction, detail enhancement and motion tracking ensures that all sources produce film-like images full of depth and vibrant power. The DILA1080pHD retails for $37,995.

The DILA788, also Theater Optimized by William Phelps, is a three-chip DILA projector with 1400x788 resolution display engine and offers a wide range of digital and analog input capabilities. Its US retail price is $24,995. The 3-chip DILA QX1 retails for $295,000.

Initially, Meridian will sell Faroudja products under the Faroudja name; future products will be branded ‘Faroudja, by Meridian’.

Reference CD Player Marks 20 Years
808 released on anniversary of Meridian’s first CD player

Huntingdon, UK, August 2004—Meridian Audio Ltd, the leading UK-based manufacturer of high-end audio, video and home theatre systems and components, has announced the release of a new Compact Disc Player in its flagship 800 Reference Series. The new player, the 808, is a special Limited Edition and marks the 20th anniversary of the release of Meridian’s first CD player, and the world’s first audiophile CD player, the MCD.

The 808 – its full title is the “808 Signature Reference Compact Disc Player”, as it is hand-signed by Meridian designers and co-founders Allen Boothroyd and Bob Stuart – offers the highest quality CD replay of any of the two dozen CD players produced by the company over the last two decades. “Meridian was the first company to make a CD player that could truly be called ‘audiophile’, twenty years ago,” said Meridian’s Chairman and chief designer, Bob Stuart, “and the new 808 acknowledges and builds upon two decades of Meridian CD player development. It’s the best-sounding Compact Disc player we have ever made,” he noted.

This steady process of improving CD performance has been recognized by over 50 awards and has made Meridian synonymous with the very best in CD. Meridian’s 508 alone received more than 20 awards, while the press judged the 800 Reference Series optical disk player to be so good as to require a class of its own.

Like the 800, the 808 uses a multi-speed DVD-ROM drive to recover data from the disk. This normally runs at standard speed, but in the event of encountering a problem on the disk, it can re-read at high speed, allowing many opportunities to access all the data, even on difficult media. The 808 is specifically designed as a CD-optimized machine, able to play virtually any CD, from conventional pressings to CD-R, CD-R/W and disks of MP3 files (64–256kbps). It also plays the CD layer of an SACD.

Once the digital data stream has been recovered from the disk, three powerful on-board digital signal processing (DSP) chips take over, each with a capability of an impressive 150 MIPS (million instructions per second). One of them up-samples the digital information from the 44.1 kHz, 16-bit signal of conventional CD to 24 bits, and to a sample rate of 176.4 kHz. This signal is fed to the latest DVD-Audio quality delta-sigma digital to analog converters to drive the analog outputs, while a digital signal at 88.2 kHz sampling is supplied to the digital outputs. Upsampling in this way enables filtering to take place far beyond the range of human hearing, as well as offering other, audible benefits, right across the audio band, for ultimate transparency from a CD source.

The 808 employs a triple buffering system to minimize jitter, and therefore maximize HF transparency and stereo image precision and stability. The buffers, and the digital electronics as a whole, are driven by a new design of high-stability clocking system, which further reduces jitter to below 90 picoseconds and ensures that the highest level of detail is recovered from a disk. All digital data is accurately re-clocked. Multiple power supplies ensure that digital and analog circuitry are kept apart, while multi-layer boards minimize system noise and audiophile components are used throughout.

In addition to its capabilities as a CD player, the 808 is optionally available with preamplifier capability, in the form of the 808i, which can act as the heart of superb stereo system, offering full built-in stereo preamplifier functionality including the ability to handle six stereo analog inputs, three digital coaxial S/PDIF inputs and two Toslink optical digital inputs. Both 808 variants provide balanced and unbalanced fixed/variable stereo analog outputs, main digital coax S/PDIF outputs with MHR (Meridian High Resolution) capability and an auxiliary digital coax output.

The 808 can thus drive Meridian DSP Loudspeakers directly or supply analog or digital signals to an external amplifier or processor. It is also ideally suited as the core of the ultimate analog stereo system, utilizing its balanced analog outputs to drive the power amplifier and speakers of the user’s choice.

Meridian comms sockets (2 x DIN) allow communication with other Meridian components, while an RS232 interface provides full remote control capability as well as the ability to reconfigure the unit with Meridian’s innovative Windows-based graphic configuration application – though the unit is supplied pre-configured. Three programmable trigger outputs are provided for direct control of external devices, for example powering-up amplifiers and operating other devices.

The Meridian 808 Signature Reference CD Player is a special Limited Edition with an extended 5-year warranty. The unit is supplied with the MSR+ learning/ programmable remote control, which operates not only all Meridian products but also includes an extensive database of third-party products and the capability to learn commands from existing remotes.

The unit will ship in early September, with a US recommended retail price of $12,995 (808 player version) or $14,850 for the 808i preamplifier version.

Meridian Card Supports HDMI
VE12 card gives Reference Series the latest in digital audio/video interfacing

2004 International CES, Las Vegas, NV, January 5, 2004—Meridian Audio Limited, the Cambridge, UK based leader in consumer digital audio systems, introduces a new card, the VE12, for their acclaimed 800 DVD player, centerpiece of the company’s flagship 800 Series components. The card plugs into the card frame in the 800 player and adds HDMI digital audio/video interfacing, as well as progressive video with Faroudja DCDi de-interlacing.

The VE12 supports the HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface), which carries standard, enhanced or high-definition digital video and digital audio down the same digital cable, without compression. The VE12 is HDMI Phase 1 compliant, and provides a wide selection of high-definition video formats, including 480i, 480p, 576p, 720p, 1080i and 1080p. Also supported are two channels of PCM digital audio or bitstream formats corresponding to all the audio formats available for DVD-Video, including Dolby Digital and DTS.

The video processing available on the card allows scaling and aspect ratio adjustment, including automatic sensing of disc flags. The digital image is pixel-mapped to the display and includes native-rate scaling, in which a dialogue occurs between the card and the display, enabling the card to deliver a signal that is specific to the display system in use, for the ultimate in digital video performance without artifacts. Content is protected by means of the HDCP (High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection) system developed for DVI by the Intel Corporation.

The VE12 card also offers broadcast-quality progressive component analog video outputs on three BNC connectors, with up to 480p maximum resolution. The outputs incorporate Faroudja DCDi technology, which provides per-pixel motion-adaptive de-interlacing to allow highest quality, artifact-free component video performance without the need for an external line-doubler.

The card can be installed in the field in any existing 800 player and will be available in March 2004. The card has an MSRP of $1295. Full product information may be obtained from the Meridian web site, www.meridian-audio.com

Meridian’s G Series Surround Controller Honored by CEA

G68, Winner of the Prestigious Innovations 2004 Design and Engineering Award

Cambridgeshire, England, December 15, 2003—Meridian Audio Limited recognized international high-end leader in digital audio and video for home theater and music systems, is thrilled to announce that the G68 Surround Controller has been honored with the prestigious 2004 Innovations Design and Engineering Award.

Innovations 2004 is sponsored by Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) and endorsed by the Industrial Designers Society of America (IDSA). Since 1989, this prestigious awards program has given manufacturers and developers an opportunity to have their products judged by a preeminent panel of journalists, designers and engineers. As the most widely renowned consumer technology awards program, Innovations 2004 recognizes the best designed and engineered products in a variety of categories.

Meridian’s G68 Surround Controller is a unique, modular, and upgradeable THX Ultra2 component serving as a digital-and-analog A/V surround preamp-processor with RDS/RDBS tuner. It is also one of the first Dolby Pro Logic IIx processors on the market, and provides a variety of multichannel inputs including two 6-channel digital inputs, which accept Meridian MHR Smart Link signals from compatible Meridian disc players. By upsampling these signals, the G68 offers an improvement in sound quality from movie and music multichannel recordings. Numerous stereo digital and analog inputs are also present for audio and A/V sources, and balanced-out analog options are available. Flexible video configurations can include broadcast-grade switching incorporating multiple S- and component-video inputs and outputs. Its proprietary Meridian DSP room-correction system counteracts room resonances for outstanding real-world sound, eliminating “muddiness” and dramatically improving stereo and surround imaging.

The G68 is now shipping and the pricing depends on configuration ($6,995 to $8,995).
The Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) represents more than 1,000 corporate members involved in the design, development, manufacturing, distribution and integration of audio, video, mobile electronics, wireless and landline communications, information technology, home networking, multimedia and accessory products, as well as related services that are sold through consumer channels. Combined, CEA's members account for more than $80 billion in annual sales. CEA's resources are available online at www.CE.org, the definitive source for information about the consumer electronics industry.

Meridian’s G Series A Winner

New, Ground-Breaking Designs Acclaimed by Press, Industry

2004 International CES, Las Vegas, NV, January 8, 2004—Meridian Audio Limited (Booth #17220, Las Vegas Convention Center, South Hall 1 & 2), recognized international high-end leader in digital audio and video for home theater and music systems, is showing, for the first time at CES, the new G Series line of products that have taken the industry by storm since they were announced recently – so much so that they have already received awards, including one from the CEA (see separate release). The new line draws on the established state-of-the-technology engineering of the famous Reference 800 Series components, combined with the latest developments from Meridian’s research and development team, to define entirely new standards of A/V performance and full-system flexibility.

Meridian’s new range comprises three basic families of all-new designs: four optical-disc CD and CD/DVD player/transport/controllers—two with extended, preamp-like capabilities; four components including surround processor/tuner, preamps, and a two-channel receiver; and three power-amplifiers including stereo and multichannel models. The G Series products are equally at home in analog systems using passive loudspeakers, as they are in high-performance configurations based around Meridian’s DSP digital loudspeaker models.

Each G Series component features stunning new industrial designs by Meridian co-founder and multiple international award-winner Allen Boothroyd, including full-width, all-metal construction and optional rack mounting capability. The sleek finish, available in pearly silver or all-black, is complemented by Meridian’s traditional black glass accents and an elegant new user interface accessed by the softly-lit front panel, rotary volume control and flexible, customizable key layouts—and the units can be controlled from the new backlit learning remote.

The new line also features serial ports that may be used both for complete system-control integration and for configuration with Meridian’s custom Windows software application.
The four G Series optical-disc components include the G07 CD Player and G08 Upsampling CD Player, the G98 CD/DVD Audio transport, and the G91 DVD Audio Player/Controller, a fully integrated CD/DVD player with on-board stereo preamplifier-tuner.

The G68 Surround Controller is a unique, modular, and upgradeable THX Ultra2 component serving as a digital-and-analog A/V surround preamp-processor with RDS/RDBS tuner. It is also one of the first Dolby Pro Logic IIx processors on the market, and provides a variety of multichannel inputs including two 6-channel digital inputs, which accept Meridian MHR Smart Link signals from compatible Meridian disc players. By upsampling these signals, the G68 offers an improvement in sound quality from movie and music multichannel recordings. Numerous stereo digital and analog inputs are also present for audio and A/V sources, and balanced-out analog options are available. Flexible video configurations can include broadcast-grade switching incorporating multiple S- and component-video inputs and outputs. Its proprietary Meridian DSP room-correction system counteracts room resonances for outstanding real-world sound, eliminating “muddiness” and dramatically improving stereo and surround imaging.

While Meridian is best known for its countless digital audio achievements, superb analog circuitry has always been a critical element of every Meridian design, and the company’s analog audio engineering expertise is no less advanced. Consequently, Meridian created an entirely new trio of analog stereo components among its G Series family: the G01 stereo RDS tuner/control unit, the G02 balanced/dual-mono control unit, and the G51 AM/FM RDS stereo receiver. (The last-named incorporates a 2 x 100 watts power amplifier derived from the G56, below.)

There are three power amplifiers among Meridian’s new G Series, two stereo models and a five-channel design. All derive from the superb amplification technology of Meridian’s reference-standard DSP8000 Digital Loudspeakers. The dual-mono G56 produces 100 watts per channel (8?), while the G57 doubles this to 200 x 2 at 8? and more than 650 x 2 at 4?. Both two-channel models can be bridged to mono for dramatically higher single-channel output. The Meridian G55 duplicates the stereo amps’ features in a five-channel configuration delivering 100 watts each (8?); again, the “outer” channel-pairs may be bridged to 300 watts each. All three G Series amps include a flexible trigger input that responds equally to DC or AC signals over a wide voltage range, ensuring virtually universal compatibility with system-control hardware.

Each G Series component (except the power amplifiers) is supplied with the latest MSR+ System Remote. This backlit, ergonomic tabletop controller incorporates 51 keys grouped into intuitive sections; user-replaceable keycaps allow simple, semi-permanent re-labeling to match a particular system’s actual components and sources. The MSR+ is a pre-programmed/learning remote with a vast internal library able to command an enormous array of equipment from numerous manufacturers.

G Series models are now shipping.

Full product information may be obtained from the Meridian web site, www.meridian-audio.com

Manufacturer’s suggested prices:
G07 24-bit CD Player …$2875
G08 24-bit Upsampling CD Player $3995
G68 Surround Controller $6995 to $8995 (depending on configuration)
G01 Stereo Control Unit $2595
G02 Balanced Stereo Control Unit $2995
G51 Stereo Receiver $3595
G56 Stereo Power Amplifier $2695
G57 Stereo Power Amplifier $3595
G55 5-Channel Power Amplifier $4895
G91DH DVD Audio Player Controller Tuner $6995
G98 DVD Audio Transport $5995 to $6495 (depending on configuration)
Meridian Plus System Remote plus (MSR+) $149

Meridian Flies the Flag for DVD-Audio
Special booth display promotes the leading high-resolution disc format

2004 International CES, Las Vegas, NV, January 5, 2004—International leader in digital audio and video for home theater and music systems Meridian Audio Limited (Booth #17220, Las Vegas Convention Center, South Hall 1 & 2), has dedicated part of its booth at CES to promoting the increasingly-successful DVD-Audio format, with displays of a sample of the nearly 700 available titles, a Meridian DVD-Audio replay system and a computer with DVD-Audio replay capability, as well as a selection of the 12-million-plus players sold by manufacturers all over the world.

DVD-Audio is a member of the Digital Versatile Disc (DVD) family, the most successful consumer product ever. DVD-Audio extends the medium to include super-quality surround-sound with core technology from Meridian: lossless compression. Meridian Lossless Packing (MLP) was developed by Meridian and is licensed via Dolby Laboratories, whose adjacent booth (#17214) also features DVD-Audio products and technology. Six channels of advanced-resolution 24-bit, 96 kHz sampling surround-sound and two channels of stereo at up to 192 kHz sampling give DVD-Audio the highest level of quality available in a consumer audio format, with a frequency response up to 100 kHz and a full 144 dB of dynamics maintained across the entire frequency range.

In addition to superb-quality audio, DVD-Audio, as a member of the DVD family, includes all the features that make DVD-Video so popular. The DVD-Video zone on almost all DVD-A discs makes them fully backwards compatible and playable on any player with the DVD logo (though for full audio quality, a DVD-Audio/Video player is required). Discs can include lyrics, notes and slideshows that change with the music, along with extras such as music videos and ‘making of’ documentaries.

Today there are over 160 DVD-A player models available, in the range $93 to $20,000, from over 35 manufacturers including Meridian, and a selection of these will be on display at the booth. To date, over 10 million stand-alone DVD-A players have been sold – almost four times the number last year. In addition, an estimated two million computer-based players have shipped, from companies such as Creative Labs and InterVideo. A Creative Labs computer system with Audigy 2 DVD-Audio system and 5.1 speakers is also on show at the booth. And of course, DVD-Audio discs will play in any of the over 100 million DVD players in homes all over the world.

Centerpiece of Meridian’s DVD-Audio display is a series of stands showing cases of some of the titles available on DVD-Audio, produced by all but one of the major record companies and tens of smaller ones, in every musical genre. Approaching 700 titles, the vast majority featuring advanced-resolution surround-sound content, were available by the end of 2003 and the list has nearly doubled in the last 12 months, with significant additions over the recent holiday period.

A Meridian replay system featuring DVD-Audio is also a part of the display, along with on-screen presentations on DVD-Audio technology, while staff are available to answer questions on the format and discuss Meridian’s involvement, covering not only the consumer end of the process but also the authoring side, with the assistance of Minnetonka Software, Inc.

Meridian CD Player Sales Rise In a world where the CD is perceived as being in difficulty, Meridian is doing well

2004 International CES, Las Vegas, NV, January 5, 2004—Meridian Audio Limited, leading manufacturer of optical disk audio/video players and digital home theater components (Booth #17220, Las Vegas Convention Center, South Hall 1 & 2), is resolutely bucking an industry trend. Hardly a day seems to go by without another comment from a record industry executive on the falling sales of Compact Disc, but at Meridian, one of the leaders in optical disk player technology, things seem to be a little different: CD player sales are up.

The past three years to September 2003 have seen Meridian’s Compact Disc player sales double, and they’re set to rise even more, as since then the new G Series G07 and G08 have been shipping – and they have proved exceptionally popular.

Meridian was the first company to produce a true audiophile CD player – the MCD – in 1983, the year that Compact Disc was introduced. Since then, the company’s several generations of CD players have been continually praised for their sound and performance, with some garnering over two dozen industry awards.

Today, the entire range of Meridian optical disc players are regularly acclaimed in the press, and Meridian players have won over 50 major industry awards, with the 800 Reference CD/DVD-Audio/Video player being particularly praised. The 800 is an unusual CD player that features unique drive technology to extract every last bit of information from a Compact Disc, and processing that increases bit depth and sampling rate to perfectly match the latest DAC technology available. The result is so astounding that Stereophile magazine created a new Class A+ for the 800.

“Meridian Compact Disc players provide real, lasting value,” said Meridian’s co-founder and Chairman. “Growing sales for our CD players show that there is still a lot of life in the format.” He went on, “People come to Meridian because they trust us to make the best. They want a proven track record and pedigree, and they want playability, with low error rates and an extremely accurate sound.” He concluded, “Meridian can help you get the most out of your CD collection now and for years to come, delivering the very best performance.”

The new G Series includes two CD players, the G07 and G08, which are already proving to be particularly popular. The G07 is a superb, cost-effective introduction to the G Series line. Its heritage lies in the 508, which won over 20 awards, including a Class ‘A’ rating from Stereophile. The G07 utilizes 192 kHz, 24-bit digital to analogue converters for the very highest analogue quality, while the internal circuitry includes a superb analog design to complement the high-spec DACs and delivering 2V rms with less than –95dB noise and distortion. The G07 maximizes audio quality by reducing jitter to extremely low levels, for a smooth open, well-defined sound and pinpoint stereo imaging. This is achieved by re-clocking the digital outputs and by a superb direct-coupled audiophile-quality output stage.

The G08 upsampling CD player is able to play virtually any Compact Disc, from conventional pressings to CD-R, CD-R/W and discs of MP3 files (64–256kbps). At the heart of the G08 are fully integrated electronics and a computer-style CD/DVD-ROM drive, providing ten times the error correction of a conventional CD player. Once the digital data stream has been recovered from the disc, powerful on-board digital signal processing (DSP) with a capability of an impressive 150 MIPS (million instructions per second) up-samples the digital information from the 44.1 kHz, 16-bit signal of conventional CD to 24 bits, and to a sample rate of 176.4 kHz for digital to analogue conversion to drive the analogue outputs, and 88.2 kHz for the digital outputs. Upsampling enables filtering to take place far beyond the range of human hearing, offering audible benefits right across the audio band, for ultimate transparency from a CD source.

Meridian Audio Limited is based in Cambridgeshire, UK, and was founded in 1977 by Allen Boothroyd and Robert Stuart. With a 25-year history of innovation and development of the highest quality consumer audio systems, the award-winning company is widely recognized as a world leader in digital and analog audio reproduction. Meridian developed the world’s first audiophile CD player, the world’s first consumer digital surround controller, developed the MLP lossless packing systems mandated for use in DVD-Audio, and is the only UK audio manufacturer to be a member of the DVD Forum Working Group 4. The company’s optical disc players, DSP-based loudspeakers and Digital Theatre systems are unique in the industry, maintaining a super-quality digital audio signal throughout the path from the source to the amplifier, and using digital signal processing to generate advanced crossover characteristics that would be impossible with conventional passive analog systems.

Meridian – Everywhere!
Meridian’s MLP lies at the heart of every DVD-A player, almost every disc

2004 International CES, Las Vegas, NV, January 5, 2004—Huntingdon, UK-based Meridian Audio Limited (Booth #17220, Las Vegas Convention Center, South Hall 1 & 2), is known internationally for its acclaimed hi-fi and home theater products, where it is the recognized leader in all-digital audio/video systems with such products as the multiple award-winning Reference Series 800 player and 861 surround processor, the acclaimed DSP7000, DSP8000 and other DSP-based loudspeaker systems, and the extensive, elegant new G Series.

What is perhaps less well known is the widespread nature of Meridian’s innovative technology. For many years, Meridian has written its own software for surround decoding, optical disc navigation and system control, rather than buying it in from elsewhere, allowing the company to react quickly to new developments and solve problems caused, for example, by an errant disc. However, the company was also responsible for one of the core technologies in the latest and most advanced audio distribution format, DVD-Audio, thanks to MLP – Meridian Lossless Packing – the lossless compression technology employed in almost every DVD-Audio disc.

DVD-Audio is a member of the DVD (Digital Versatile Disc) family, the most successful consumer format ever. DVD-Audio uses the same DVD disc technology, with the ability to store 4.7 GB per layer, per side, and each side can have up to two layers. But instead of storing video on the disc, the majority of the space is used to store super-quality multichannel advanced resolution audio – six channels of up to 96 kHz, 24-bit sampling or stereo at up to 192 kHz. That means a frequency response of up to 100 kHz and a dynamic range in excess of 140 dB over that entire range – a level of quality and detail unmatched by any other audio format.

But there was a challenge in getting this super-quality audio on to the disc. The data rate of DVD-Audio is 9.6 Megabits per second. This would limit the playing time of 5-channel audio at 96 kHz sampling to 65 minutes and 20-bit resolution, while 6 channels of 24/96 would exceed the allowable data rate. The obvious answer was compression, which is how a movie can fit on to a disc, but lossy compression had been ruled out by the record industry in specifying DVD-Audio. So lossless compression – where the data recovered from the disc is identical to that originally encoded on it – was the way to go. An international competition was held to choose the technology, and Meridian’s MLP was the clear winner.

MLP allows 6 channels of 24/96 super-quality PCM audio to be carried on the disc, with a playing time of up to 86 minutes – or 74 minutes while leaving room for popular extras such as music videos, lyric sheets, slide shows, DVD-Video player compatibility and all the other features that make DVD-Audio the outstanding advanced-resolution music carrier and market leader it is today.

In a DVD-Audio player, MLP decoding is intricately woven into the high resolution PCM audio technology used for DVD, making the decode process relatively inexpensive – the cleverness is in the encoding system used during authoring, requiring much less sophisticated processing in the player itself. In addition, MLP is extensible, with metadata and flags in the data stream that can signal the player and provide information about the type of material being played. For example, in addition to supporting conventional 5.1 surround, MLP can allow DVD-Audio – or future media using MLP technology – to support different channel configurations and surround-sound techniques, including those that have not yet been defined.

Today, MLP is included in the over 160 DVD-Audio player models, from 35 manufacturers – a total of more than 10 million players – plus the two million or so computer-based DVD-A replay systems now in the marketplace, and licensing of the technology is handled by Dolby Laboratories (booth #17214, adjacent to Meridian’s booth). Every time you see the MLP logo on any DVD-Audio player, or listen to virtually any DVD-Audio disc, you're experiencing Meridian technology in action. Meridian – at the heart of DVD-Audio. Visit www.meridian-audio.com for more information.