Dedicated to the Custom Install Market, MERIDIAN Puts HI-RES Performance, Ease of Installation, and Immersive Entertainment at the Forefront of CEDIA 2016
At CEDIA 2016 (Booth #5708), Meridian will reinforce its dedication to the custom-install market, debuting new partnerships and showing both new and flagship products that emphasize high-resolution performance, ease of installation for the custom installer, coupled with impressive functionality. Exciting new two- and eight-channel amplifiers and a new Zone Controller are on the docket for CEDIA, along with flagship products and services, like the acclaimed Meridian DSP320 in-wall / in-ceiling architectural loudspeaker, enhanced Sooloos multi-room streaming audio platform, and new Meridian Design and Specification Service.
Meridian and Barco Partnership Creates Unique Opportunity for Dealers
Barco and Meridian have entered into a new partnership that enables dealers to specify Barco projectors into Meridian projects. Building upon each brand’s distinguished legacy to create the highest quality home cinema and media room experience, dealers will have access to Media Series, Theatre Series and top of the range Cinema-at-home Series projectors, offering significant performance advantages for a wide range of viewing applications, specifications and price-points. The new brand partnership will complement Meridian and Barco Residential’s existing distribution channels, all of which remain unchanged.
New Product Introductions Deliver a Punch
Meridian will preview three exciting new products at this year’s CEDIA, all of which will be available to order at the show for shipping later in 2016. Among these new products are two new power amplifiers—the Meridian Eight-Channel Power Amplifier 258 and the Meridian Reference Two-Channel Power Amplifier 857.
The Meridian 258 is a dedicated rack-mount Eight-Channel Power Amplifier. This powerful, high performance cool-running Class D amplifier is suitable for a wide range of applications and easily delivers 125W per channel into 4 Ohms / 75W per channel into 8 Ohms. At only 1 U high and carrying a 5 year manufacturer’s warranty, the 258 is a category changing amplifier and as with all Meridian products is manufactured in the UK.
The Meridian 857 is a Reference Two-Channel Power Amplifier delivering 500W per channel into 4 Ohms. This Hi-Res Audio amplifier, bridgeable to 1.5KW, is available as a dedicated rack-mount variant and incorporates a totally new design based upon extensive research. Tremendously powerful with an incredibly low noise floor, the Meridian 857 represents a step change in amplifier design.
The final product to be previewed is the new Meridian Zone Controller 218. Combining both digital and analog outputs, the Sooloos/MQA–enabled Meridian 218 is suitable for a wide range of distributed audio applications from single zone to multi-zone use. Easily integrated with 3rd Party control systems such as Control4 this versatile 1U-high product can be rack, shelf, VESA, or wall mounted.
Flagship Products and Services Take Center Stage
Emphasizing its commitment to the custom installation market, Meridian will also be showcasing the DSP320, the company’s most discrete yet highest-performing in-wall speaker to-date. The DSP320 delivers unrivalled audio performance, while saving significant time, cost, and space for installers working on whole-home, home theater, superyacht, single media room, and other high-end, high-performance projects. Within its 11.81-inch square (300mm square) and 0.039-inch deep (100mm deep) enclosure, the DSP320 contains all the system’s electronics, including digital audio converters, eliminating the need for any amplification on the rack for dramatically simplified installation. Meridian’s DSP approach provides unparalleled performance from a small design, making the DSP320 capable of predictable and repeatable performance—perfect for a wide variety of in-wall and in-ceiling applications. As an added bonus, Meridian will also display at CEDIA a pair of DSP5200SE loudspeakers in an automotive color, showing how the company can outfit speakers with almost limitless finishes via Meridian Select and its partnership with Silverlining, maker of exquisite bespoke furniture.
What would CEDIA be without some mention of streaming and hi-res audio? Meridian’s award-winning Sooloos audio platform provides the most flexible, cost-effective, and highest performing streaming audio offering to-date. Fully flexible and scalable in terms of zones and systems, Meridian Sooloos is a music cataloguing, metadata system, comprising control, network, hard drive storage, a core operating system, and audio source. Recent updates to the Meridian Sooloos system also bring significant benefits, including deeper integration with a range of third-party control systems and storage options. New additions include a plugin that enables third-party Network Attached Storage (NAS) integration and a range of significant performance and hardware enhancements. It can now be integrated using Meridian Core storage options (with integrated end point) or a supported NAS device through a special QNAP plugin, giving the installer the freedom to specify their preferred storage product. Meridian has also improved control options to embrace redesigned iPhone and iPad applications, and TouchPC control, alongside integration with third-party control systems. Sooloos is central to Meridian’s commitment to developing high-resolution audio systems, as it enables high bitrate audio files to be played across a distributed audio system.
Last, but not least, Meridian will also be demonstrating its free-of-charge Meridian Design and Specification Service, which saves design time and reduces costs for its dealers working on whole-home, home theater, or superyacht projects. All dealers have to do is send a plan of the room or home where they are installing the system, and Meridian will return a schematic that details room layout, speaker positions (for two-channel and home cinema systems), and wiring diagrams. The service can also help dealers understand and show how Meridian components can interface with existing audio and video distribution systems, third-party control options, acoustic treatments, and projection systems.
Meridian Educates and Inspires at CEDIA 2016
Meridian’s Chief Technical Officer Richard Hollinshead will educate and inspire audiences during his presentation Making the Most of Hi-Res on Wednesday, September 14th at 8:30 am in room D173. This energizing session will explore the importance of high-resolution audio and examine the difference between standard and high-resolution audio, the available audio formats and sources, and the requirements to use them. Richard will also explore ways Meridian Sooloos can help to maintain high-resolution audio throughout a distributed audio system. The course—#EST0034_1—provides 1.5 CEU units to those who complete the session. To find more information and to book a place on this training course, visit http://cedia16.mapyourshow.com/7_0/sessions/session-details.cfm?ScheduleID=138.
More information on Meridian is available at www.meridian-audio.com. Want to learn more about becoming a Meridian dealer? Visit booth #5708.
Meridian Audio Contacts:
For further information, please contact: Katy Bradshaw at [email protected] or Brandon Leeming at [email protected]
Meridian Audio PR Contacts for Custom Installation:
Please contact: Katye (McGregor) Bennett at KMB Communications
[email protected]
ABOUT MERIDIAN AUDIO
Meridian Audio, based in Cambridgeshire, UK, was founded in 1977 by two music lovers: psychoacoustics expert Bob Stuart and design engineer Allen Boothroyd. With almost 40 years of innovation and development of consumer home entertainment systems offering exceptional performance, Meridian Audio is recognised as a world leader in high-quality audio and video reproduction. Meridian developed the world’s first audiophile CD player, digital surround controller and digital loudspeaker; and the MLP lossless packing system included in Blu-ray Disc. The company’s award-winning optical disc players, DSP loudspeakers, video systems, streaming and personal audio products are unique in the industry, maintaining a super-quality digital signal from the studio to the home, using advanced digital signal processing to deliver natural sound and crystal-sharp images. www.meridian-audio.com.
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