Upgrade 808.3 to 808.5

[Still-One]

Jerry
At least Meridian continues to offer a upgrade path, albeit at a premium price.

[Crion]

I think they made the right choice. Most have audiophilia for life, bringing out upgrades to make the gear investment current without having the hassle to sell and buy the latest box is great.

I'll let Jerry post his findings here about the 808.3->808.5 eventually but on the 861v8 side this was a great sonic upgrade for multichannel audio (and stereo/trifield).

[JSCC]

Ha, Crion, you had me "spot-on".

OK, please forgive the grammar and wrong spellings. Here goes:

1. Andy (from Meridian factory and local rep) came over with a box full of stuff that was going to transform my already very good 808.3 to the latest 808.5.

2. They started removing all connections (power, to interconnects, to the Cat7 cables hooking up the Meridian gears and speakers). Once done, local rep started unscrewing the chassis while Andy briefed me on the upgrade and some short stories to keep me fascinated.

One of them being how Bob Stuart demo'ed to the staff a piano playback - and then reverse to show how digital alignment in the crossover could affect the playback performance as well as the tonality of reproduction. In short, he summarises that Bob is "FANATICAL" about perfection in playback production. The second short story was that a upgrade to the DSP8000's are in the works, new tweeter, crossover perhaps, digital boards, but nothing concrete on the timing of the availability of the upgrade. Still this story kept me very warm as knowing a new higher level of performance is forthcoming.

By the time he finished with the story (like 30 minutes), its also about time I took a good look at what had been changed. From recall, the first to go is the power supply - where a much beefier linear power supply is added, new ID29, ID41 boards added (well please dont ask me what they are or what they do, cause I dont really know - if I do know is, they are SUPPOSE to bring the 808.3 and the Sooloos to a higher level of performance). On top of this, they have also added a small little plastic box (dont know what it is), new power supply boards and a new rear panel. Was told this is needed for air ventilation of the insides. I may have missed out a couple of items that were done besides the software upgrade, but then, I wasnt paying much attention as I was then listening to stories, - that presto, shown upon starting up a beautiful greenish blue 808v5!

Andy then gave my entire system an overall check on the software versions to ensure they were to the latest. He also helped to ensure all the system would be of the same nomenclature - from speakers to players, when each input was selected. Example, for Sooloos, when selected, the 808.5 will show "SLS", so does the 800 Ref DVD player and the speakers. For sure, there are a couple my local rep did not do a good job, especially knowing how to convert the 800 Ref DVD to show the same as the speakers and the then 808.3. Now, everything's in sync. And YES, I will GET the new front panel with the words 808.5!

Performance: I started playing my setup yesterday night and I must say for a start, that the volume needs to be HIGHER than the usual 65 setting. Bass and highs takes on a more cleaner, crispier and tight. Well, I must confessed, I DONT LIKE my system performance at all - and its NOT because its bad.

No, it isnt, its because I have heard a COMPLETE 5 40th Anniversary DSP8k's, with matching 40th Anniversary 808.5 (upgraded) as well as a 40th Anniversary (yes, specially custom built) 861v8. I might be digressing but seriously, what I have heard - and seen (visually on a 100 inch projection system) is beyond word! WOW! OMG!! So REAL!!! What else can I say? Now I know what a full 5 sets of DSP8000 speakers is all about, not to mention I suppose, at time of writing the ONLY 5 full 40th Anniversary DSP8000 speakers!

The owner, a retired kind gentleman, let me call him Mr "O", played 2 tracks that kept me transfixed - to the screen and then the chair I am sitting on - as I cannot recall, I have EVER heard anything like this before. When he played the 5.1 version of the Pink Floyd's "Wish You Were Here" .... when the first note of the "second guitar" came on ... WOW! I cannot believe the REALISM and how it suddenly came from the left hand side of where I am sitting! Gave me a fright! The tonality, the realism, and its loud, as setting was at "82", and yet, one never felt intruded not felt annoying on the loudness level. The music just flow on. Indeed there may be stereo pairs of speakers or even great 5.1 setups' out there, but for sure, I am sold on this Meridian combo! Now, if only I have the monies, I would surely want a FULL 40th Anniversary combo. Call me crazy or greedy, if I have the means and place, I would just sign that check in a wink of an eye! Its that good! This is further confirmed when the Eagles Live In Melbourne Farewell Tour (track: Take It Easy)being played. OK, lets not talk about the video performance, just listening to the music gets me the goose bumps!

Now you guys knows when I came home, back to reality, suddenly, I find I am listening to 2 dimension music performance. So, to ensure I "detox" myself, I let the system played for a full 24 hours while I slept thru it all.

Today, I began seriously listening to what I know ... and indeed there's improvement over what I have known before. Still "poisoned" by the previous encounter, I can only say, I have to learn to slowly come back to reality and enjoy my setup.

BUT I did make myself a promise, I will somehow, one day, be able to own a full 5.1 Meridian combo. Now I know what I have been missing and what CRION, you have been enjoying.

In short, please allow me some time to get over the experience before I can pen down what are the improvements on my humble setup. Cause right now, the unforgettable feeling of what I have heard, and seen still lingers on in my mind, and it surely will mar my description and provide an unfair criticisms of the actually, very good 2 speaker DSP8000 system I own today (have to say that, cause if not, I'll die first of envy and want)!

Cheers!

[tunes]

Originally Posted by JSCC

On top of this, they have also added a small little plastic box (dont know what it is), new power supply boards and a new rear panel. Was told this is needed for air ventilation of the insides. !

There are two plastic boxes.
One houses a magnet ? with a channel for loom cable to pass through and is affixed by double sided tape to the side of chassis near the top cover. Care must be taken to affix it with enough clearance that the top cover metal flange can insert down far enough without the plastic box blocking it.
The second plastic box is a clamp box that mounts to the floor of the chassis to the right of the drive. It has a connecting block to connect the new psu leads to the unit's leads. The advantage of this block is so that the upgrade can be done without requiring any soldering.

The back panel needs replacing mainly because the input/output connection holes with the new cards installed don't all line up with the cutouts on the old back panel. Ventilation is a bonus as well

[Still-One]

Thanks to both Jerry and Tunes for detailing the upgrade process to the 808v5 level.

Jerry, those audio epiphanies do not come along too often. They are hard to forget once you have heard it.

[JSCC]

Originally Posted by tunes

There are two plastic boxes.
One houses a magnet ? with a channel for loom cable to pass through and is affixed by double sided tape to the side of chassis near the top cover. Care must be taken to affix it with enough clearance that the top cover metal flange can insert down far enough without the plastic box blocking it.
The second plastic box is a clamp box that mounts to the floor of the chassis to the right of the drive. It has a connecting block to connect the new psu leads to the unit's leads. The advantage of this block is so that the upgrade can be done without requiring any soldering.

The back panel needs replacing mainly because the input/output connection holes with the new cards installed don't all line up with the cutouts on the old back panel. Ventilation is a bonus as well

Yes, you said it ... and they did a magnificent job at that. Well laid out.

Jim, the 5 channel 40th Anniversary DSP8000 have to be heard to be believed. To me, thats the end of my search for the holy grail! Pity I dont have the space and money AND permission, in that order!

Still it was an unforgettable experience.

[Crion]

Hi Jerry, I'm glad that you finally got to hear multichannel audio as it is meant to be. This sounds like a killer setup for sure, 3 DSP8k's across the front and two in the back can provide some frightening dynamics @82 volume level

And you walked in there not suspecting this would turn your 2 channel world upside down?

I know you won't forget this.. I couldn't when I went to Meridian HQ and heard the DSP8k theater for the first time. And that wasn't even all 8k's around...

And you heard 40k anniversary all around...

I'm sorry I can't help you here..

[Crion]

So, Jerry how is your system treating you now? You have recovered from the Anniversary multichannel experience, right?

[JSCC]

Originally Posted by Crion

So, Jerry how is your system treating you now? You have recovered from the Anniversary multichannel experience, right?

Hi Crion,

Yes, I have managed to recover from the Anniversary experience. As there was pressing work schedules, I left the system play on its own (run-in) while I was away for business meeting.

Just returned and was told by local dealer the 808v5 front panel had arrived and will be installed coming Thursday to make the upgrade a full fledged 808v5, technically speaking. I was also told this would be no difference from a mint factory build version after this change. I am delighted and cant wait to see and listen to the final results this weekend.

I am sorry my comments and experience sharing will have to be a little longer as I am buried with work as well as trying to juggle my schedule between work, play and being a family man. I promise I will share after this week.

Cheers!

[Masterlu]

Originally Posted by JSCC

Hi Crion,

Yes, I have managed to recover from the Anniversary experience. As there was pressing work schedules, I left the system play on its own (run-in) while I was away for business meeting.

Just returned and was told by local dealer the 808v5 front panel had arrived and will be installed coming Thursday to make the upgrade a full fledged 808v5, technically speaking. I was also told this would be no difference from a mint factory build version after this change. I am delighted and cant wait to see and listen to the final results this weekend.

I am sorry my comments and experience sharing will have to be a little longer as I am buried with work as well as trying to juggle my schedule between work, play and being a family man. I promise I will share after this week.

Cheers!

Jerry... A bit off topic, but how about sharing some pics of your "little man" he sure is cute!