Meridian Audio 857 Amplifier
Meridian Audio is demonstrating its latest high-resolution audio products and relationships at ISE 2017 (stand 7-Q214), including two new Meridian Power Amps and a new zone controller that provides a multitude of control options for a variety of applications.
“Meridian is committed to developing high-resolution audio solutions that are easy to install and integrate seamlessly with existing systems from other manufacturers, while providing the performance Meridian is known for to give customers the very best audio experience possible,” said Ryan Donaher, Meridian America VP of sales and marketing. “Our stand at ISE will reinforce to the custom installation community a real opportunity to offer something tangibly better, and at price points that are profitable for dealers, as well as palatable to their customers.”
The Meridian 258 is a dedicated rack-mount eight-channel power amplifier (previewed at CEDIA 2016). The 258 is compatible with most audio systems and can provide a Hi-Res audio experience for multiroom audio systems at a price point of $2,000 (MSRP).
The Meridian 258 also offers reductions in the overall price, installation time, and operational cost of multiroom audio systems. Housed in a 1U high chassis, these compact amplifiers take up minimal space in the rack. Built-in Class D amplifiers are highly efficient, with a low operating temperature that does not require an internal fan or external cooling, thus negating the need for additional rack cooling mechanisms and eliminating the associated time and cost. Aluminum construction and high-grade components improves the lifetime and reliability of the product, making the 258 a “fit and forget” solution.
Suitable for a wide range of applications, the 258 delivers >100W per channel into four ohms and >70W per channel into eight ohms.
Also on display at its stand is the Meridian 857 Power Amplifier. This reference two-channel Hi-Res audio power amplifier delivers 500W per channel into four ohms, is bridgeable to >1.5KW, and is available as a dedicated rack-mount variant. The 857 incorporates a totally new design based upon extensive research. Similar to the 258, the 857 has been specifically designed with the custom installer in mind, allowing it to work with nearly any audio product, so that dealers can include Meridian Hi-Res-enabling technology with their client’s preferred brand of loudspeaker.
Combining digital and analog inputs and outputs, the Sooloos/MQA–enabled Meridian 218 Zone Controller is suitable for a wide range of distributed audio applications from single-zone to multi-zone use. With control features including IP and IR, the 1U 218 can be rack, shelf, or wall mounted. Priced at $1,000 (MSRP), the 218 is priced at $1,000 (MSRP).
Meridian is also promoting its newly updated, free Design and Specification Service designed to help installers integrate Meridian’s products into designs for home theaters, using any ancillary equipment. Installers simply send a plan of the room or home, and Meridian will return a schematic that details where to position speakers, audio panels, projector, and screen to ensure that audio is optimized for movie-watching. The service can also show how Meridian components can interface with third-party control options and existing audio and video distribution systems. The Design and Specification Service saves design time and reduces costs for dealers working on whole-home, home theater, or super-yacht projects.
Meridian recently entered into a new partnership with Barco Residential that enables dealers to specify Barco projectors into Meridian projects. Building upon each brand’s legacy, dealers will have access to a wide range of Barco projectors, offering significant performance advantages for a number of applications, specifications, and price points.
Meridian has also signed recent partnerships to distribute Cinema–ATS, an acoustic treatment solution for home theaters; and DT Screens, projection screen specialists that have developed a superior masking technology for improved screen size accuracy. Meridian can now offer dealers a comprehensive range of home theater technology that can be specified alongside Meridian’s existing product portfolio of high-resolution audio solutions.
