Specifications

Bob Stuart answers Questions about the Meridian 800 V3
Page 12
64 But I want the preamp version of 800. Can I get one?
Yes, Meridian plan to continue to offer version 2.5 for those who want the 2-channel preamp,
or who do not want a multichannel or DVD-Audio player. Should you later decide to upgrade
to version 3 then this will be a simple process. See Q. 53.
65 Does 800 include bass management?
No it isn’t needed, it is a surround processor function.
Meridian’s system philosophy is that the source should always provide the purest and most
complete signal from the disc. It is the task of a surround controller to fully integrate all
possible sources with your loudspeaker array.
In our systems, the 861 Reference Surround Controller (or 568, 561 or 565 controllers)
contain world-beating, precise, transparent signal processing for bass management,
calibration, delay, Lipsync™ correction, up- and down-scaling etc. Not only that, but they are
designed to do this in ways that are exactly optimised for your installation, for each source
and with just one place to set the whole thing up.
Systems that use surround controllers or receivers to do bass management for movies, and
then separately expect the player to do bass management for multichannel are inelegant, ill-
conceived and always result in a much worse performance.
800 with 861…?
66 How do I connect an 800 to my 861?
You can make analogue or digital connections (or both).
If the 861 has been upgraded to version 3 then you can connect multichannel from 800 to a
suitably-configured IE42 in 861. You can also connect the 2-channel to an input and use it as
an alternate source. For example one great way to use them is to pass decoded multichannel
PCM from the Main output of 800 to 861. By doing this the discs are fully decoded in 800 and
this unleashes the full processing power of 861 to upsample and upscale with outstanding
sonic results. This connection also provides Meridian Smart Link signalling. See Q. 55.
If the 861 is not upgraded (or you are using 568 or 561) then configure the 800 to be 2-
channel and to get optimum quality enable MHR between them. See Q. 14. You would then
connect the Main Left/Right outputs of 800 to 861 in the usual way.
Multichannel analogue input cards are available for 861. You can fit IA45 or IA40. You might
do this because you prefer to have just analogue output from 800 for some reason.
Multichannel analogue inputs on 861 are also useful to connect other sources which are
always analogue like 35mm projectors, SACD or third-party DVD-Audio players.
67 How do I always get the best from an 800 + 861 combination?
If you use our multichannel digital interface – with or without an additional analogue link –
then 861 can be configured to operate seamlessly with 800.
In addition to encrypted audio, this link transfers information about the content to the surround
controller. See Q. 55.
861 is informed about the audio on the disc and how it should best respond.
In the configuration of 861 you can select one ‘Enhanced Source’ which provides deep
configurability. In this mode the 861 distinguishes between multichannel and 2-channel and
between Movie and Music.