Meridian: CD Innovator
Of all manufacturers, Meridian has the
longest history of high-performance CD
players. Meridian’s first CD player, MCD,
was introduced almost a quarter of a
century ago. MCD sounded radically better
than anything else available, and still stands
comparison with many so-called audiophile
designs of today.
In the intervening years, Meridian has
relentlessly pursued the path of making
better and better CD players, introducing
more than 25 models – each one better
than the one before. Every model has
received critical acclaim, and we have
gathered more than 50 awards for our CD
players.
Over the years we have researched,
pioneered and ultimately mastered the
art of refinement of every aspect of CD
playback. We showed how jitter was a
major challenge to audio quality – indeed,
Meridian was the first company to isolate
jitter, as far back as 1984.
Our technologies include advanced servo
implementations, unique power supply
designs, significant innovations in the digital
arena and, of course, peerless analogue
sections. Meridian also pioneered the idea
that special disc navigation could improve
the playback quality on difficult discs (such
as those with fingerprints, scratches or
manufacturing defects). Our players also
benefited from digital output capabilities.
Meridian was also the first company to offer
a 2-box solution (utilising an outboard DAC),
and has developed special phase-locked
loops and FIFO buffers to produce the very
best result in such systems – including of
course our preferred system, a CD player
directly connected to a pair of Meridian
DSP loudspeakers.
Meridian has also offered its technologies
for the mastering of Compact Discs. Some
of the highest quality recordings have been
made using our 607 A/D converter, while
even more have used the 618 Mastering
Processor to maximise the dynamic range
on disc. Top recording studios tend to use
a Meridian player for checking, and over the
years a Meridian CD player has become
synonymous with the best sound, and ‘a
reference’. This is a reputation we cherish,
and one which we aim to defend by making
each player better than the one before.
808.2
Signature Reference Compact Disc Player
1984
1989
1993
2004
Meridian MCD and Pro-MCD
Meridian’s first CD player, the MCD, based
on a Philips chassis with completely custom
analogue circuitry, was the world’s first
audiophile CD Player. Its successor, the
Pro-MCD shown here, included a separate
custom-designed power supply, DAC and
oscillator, mounted underneath the transport.
1985
Meridian invents the CD Transport
The idea of separating the transport from
the rest of the player – to minimise jitter
and other distortion from the mechanism
– was developed to produce the world’s
first separate Transport/DAC product – the
critically-acclaimed 200/203 shown here.
Meridian 208 CD Player
The highly successful 200 Series included
several CD players. Using different DACs as the
technology developed, the 208 was a landmark
in Meridian’s CD player development, with up
to 20-bit conversion capability and preamplier
functionality.
508 – Compact Disc Classic
The 500 Series, launched in 1993, developed
into a full range of audio/video products,
including Meridian’s first DVD player, the 596,
in 1997. Meanwhile, from 1994 onwards, the
508 set the standard for CD until the advent of
the G08 in 2003.
Meridian 800 Reference Series
Originally a superb DVD player, the Meridian
800 has developed to become one of the most
highly-specified optical disc players in the
world. From its impeccable pedigree came
the original 808 Signature Reference CD
player, and now the 808.2 – the highest quality
Compact Disc player Meridian has ever built.
1991
Meridian 602 Transport
and 601 DSP Preamplifier
The 600 Series was highly regarded by
reviewers and owners alike, especially the
602 transport and its companion 601 DSP
Preamplifier, 603 Digital Control Unit or
606 DAC.
