Meridian Previews 2 Audio Products
By Joseph Palenchar -- TWICE, 9/23/2010
Atlanta - Meridian came to the CEDIA Expo to preview a compact DSP-equipped active speaker and a stereo audio controller, which operates as a hub for multiple audio sources in an audio system incorporating Meridian's DSP speakers.
The hub is the AudioCore 200, which features multiple input types to connect a variety of audio components to Meridian's active DSP speakers via the company's proprietary SpeakerLink connection. The new compact speaker is the DSP3200. The products will be launched in January, the company said.
SpeakerLink delivers balanced 96kHz/24-bit digital audio and control signals over up to 300 feet over CAT-5e RJ-45-terminated cable to Meridian active DSP speakers. SpeakerLink also delivers digital control signals in the RS-232, IR, and Meridian Comms formats to the DSP speakers. SpeakerLink eliminates signal losses and coloration induced by analog signals riding on a cable, and it simplifies cable connections because Meridian DSP speakers can be daisychained to avoid home-running cable from each speaker to a Meridian component, the company said.
Also on display from Meridian are the M80 tabletop Compact Entertainment System and the Meridian Sooloos Control 15 networked music-server system, which combines 17-inch touchscreen controller, 500GB hard drive storage and CD ripper into one chassis at $7,500. The system also uses a home PC network to transfer and download songs from networked PCs and Macs. Networked PCs and Macs can also stream music from the server system.