Meridian America 800 Version 4 800 V4 Two options, Meridian 800 Reference Series, Sound Quality

800 V4: Two options

Each 800 is factory fitted with a motherboard supporting both digital audio and digital video, a highly sophisticated power supply and sets of internal cards to create one of two versions: the 800D, with digital outputs, or the 800DAX with digital plus analogue balanced/unbalanced outputs.

Note that while you can specify a fully card-based 800v4 to special order, these two standard options include combination rear panels that do not permit the addition or re-arrangement of individual cards.

The following cards are fitted in both variants:

800 Version 4

Reference Optical Disc Player

The 800’s card-based architecture means the ultimate in upgradeability and system options.

CO00 : Control computer card. Complete with Flash memory, RS232

port for control and status, 3 configurable trigger outputs and Meridian Comms.

OE22 : Digital Output card with 6- channel 24-bit, 96 kHz output with MHR, plus 2-channel 24/96 output with MHR.

DV02 : DVD control computer card. Complete with Flash memory upgradeable via dedicated RS232 port.

DV12 : Video DSP card for DVD stream decoding of MPEG video, MPEG audio and Dolby Digital material. Also supports DTS streams.

DV20 : MLP decoder card for

DVD-Audio.

VE00 : Video encoder. Generates NTSC or PAL (software switchable) in composite, S-video or component formats. Features wide video bandwidth, low noise and extended black level setting.

VI00 : Video Input (A/D) card with 2 composite, 2 S-Video and 1 interlaced component input. Converts analogue video inputs to digital.

VE12 : Provides HDMI (High Definition Multimedia Interface) video and 2-channel audio* output to a compatible display, plus progressive component video out.

The 800DAX adds the following: OA24 : 2-channel analogue output,

balanced and unbalanced, with 24-bit, 192 kHz converters.

The 800 offers the kind of features needed to exploit DVD in a high-end home theatre, to interface with state-of-the-art digital surround processors (such as the Meridian

861)and to handle the latest high-quality projection and plasma systems, including the high-definition digital video interface standard, HDMI (High Definition Multimedia Interface).

Meridian 800 and

the Reference Series

The Meridian 800 Reference Optical Disc Player makes a perfect front-end to the Meridian 861 Reference Surround Processor

–although it can also be configured as a player, and will drive Meridian DSP Loudspeakers directly. The Meridian 800 is fully compatible with other components in the Meridian 800 and G Series; it comes with a Meridian System Remote Plus learning/ programmable infra-red remote control, and provides the perfect optical disc source for a Meridian Digital Theatre. 800 Version 4 also includes multiple video inputs and on-board video scaling, allowing a single interface between the player and your display to carry all the video signals from your components.

The 800 is Meridian’s definitive statement on the current and future quality of DVD and PCM-based optical disc media. The digital video circuits provide the highest quality picture in a variety of formats. The digital audio processing provides the ultimate in resolution enhancement and low jitter.

Aselected DVD-ROM drive extracts data from CD, VCD or DVD. Specialised cards manipulate and decode the DVD data and prepare the video. This architecture ensures not only the highest absolute quality and flexibility, but also a high degree of future- proofing for both audio and video disc playback.

Sound Quality

DVD-Video provides an enormous number of options for audio, and the 800 allows unrivalled playback of all the mandatory DVD sound formats: MPEG, Dolby Digital (AC-3) and PCM at 48 or 96kHz with up to 24-bit precision. DTS streams may also be decoded in the player. In addition, the 800 handles the unique capabilities of DVD-Audio – the highest resolution audio available on disc today – unlike any other player, delivering the pinnacle of performance and enjoyment from high-resolution sources.

DVD, and in particular DVD-Audio, has the potential to provide the highest sound quality, but we would be mistaken to ignore the very real continuing importance of Compact Disc in the coming years. Thus the 800 Reference DVD Machine takes a radical new approach to playing both ‘Red Book’ CDs and DVD discs.

The 800 reads the audio and video data asynchronously in blocks, using high-speed, high-integrity DVD-ROM drives. This data is checked for integrity, corrected and triple-FIFO-buffered to ensure that the audio output timing is independent of the drives, and that the picture has maximum stability.

Another Meridian ‘first’ is the use of powerful DSP to enhance Compact Disc playback, by using up-sampling to produce a high-resolution 88.2kHz 24-bit signal so that the converters or Meridian DSP speakers can render the audio even more accurately.

The 800 can be used with a pair of Meridian DSP speakers, or the on-board DSP can provide variable outputs to feed a power amplifier. Normally, however, we would recommend that the 800 be connected to a Meridian 861 Reference Surround Controller, so that the full benefit of surround sound on movies and music can be enjoyed.