All G Series components have the same footprint, and are built into an elegant enclosure suitable for free-standing operation, or can be rack-mounted with additional hardware kits. All units are available both in traditional Meridian black and in a sleek new silver finish. In addition, the units all feature a similar user interface, based around an easy to read dotmatrix vacuum fluorescent display (VFD).
The G Series is accompanied by a new multi-function programmable/learning remote control, the Meridian System Remote Plus, that features automatic backlighting.
While all G Series components can be configured from the front panel and remote control, full installation configuration of many G Series components is achieved by running a special setup program on a Windows computer, connected to the G Series unit via serial link. The program enables a graphic plan of your system to be constructed, showing all the components and the interconnections between them, and permits set-up of all the parameters available
Inside, the Meridian G Series is new from the ground up. Technologies originally invented for our flagship 800 series products have been re-cast and included in the G Series. Other aspects of the design are developments of our award-winning 500 Series components while the G Series also incorporates brand new approaches, particularly as far as the combination o
The Meridian products shown on our website are only a small selection of what's available, if you are interested in a Meridian product other than those shown on our website: Mail Us
Meridian built the world’s first audiophile CD player in 1984 and the first two-unit transport and converter in 1986; and has been leading the way ever since. We have to date received over 50 major industry awards for our CD players.
Meridian’s G06 CD Player is a superb, cost-effective introduction to the G Series line. Its heritage lies in the 508, which won over 20 awards, including a Class ‘A’ rating from Stereophile, and it takes cues from the astonishing 800 player, for which the Class ‘A+’ rating was specially added!
Inside the G06 you’ll find advanced design – both digital and analogue. Multi-layer PCBs, four separate power supplies, the latest surface- mount technology and carefully-selected audiophile-quality components – and of course, Meridian’s signature quality design and manufacturing.
At the heart of the G06 are fully-integrated electronics and a computer-style CD/DVD-ROM drive. Although it normally runs at standard CD speed, the drive is capable of spinning the disc much faster, allowing multiple high-speed re-reads to ensure accurate recovery of data from even the most difficult disc. This feature alone provides ten times the error correction of a conventional CD player.
The G06 maximises audio quality by reducing jitter to extremely low levels, for a smooth open, well-defined sound and pinpoint stereo imaging. This is achieved by re-clocking the digital outputs and by a superb direct-coupled audiophile-quality output stage.
The player utilises 192 kHz, 24-bit digital to analogue converters for the very highest analogue quality, while the internal circuitry includes a superb analogue design to complement the high-spec DACs and delivering 2V rms with less than –95dB noise and distortion.
The result is dramatically improved stereo imaging, and a clear, open and authoritative sound. Both S/PDIF coaxial and TOSLink optical digital outputs are provided, and all audio cable interfaces are via gold-plated connectors.
An RS232 serial port is provided for remote control operation. This port can be used to update the G06’s system software, thanks to Flash ROM storage.
The G06 is supplied with the Meridian System Remote Plus backlit remote control. This controller not only operates all controllable Meridian products; it can also be used to control the vast majority of components from other manufacturers, thanks to its built-in product library that includes literally hundreds of manufacturers. And if a product is not in the database, it can be added via the remote’s learning function.
Specifications:
Formats: CD Audio (CD-DA), CD-R, CD-R/W)
Audio outputs: Analogue: 1 unbalanced on phono, 2.3V rms fixed, Class A, 47Ω impedance.
Digital: S/PDIF (IEC60958), coax and Toslink optical.
Controls: Front-panel soft keys include Play, Stop, Pause, Previous, Next, etc. Buttons for On/Off, Open, Display. Full remote control of all features via MSR+.
Comms: Full RS232 control and status enables custom integration or automation. Meridian Comms (2 x DIN plus BNC)
THD: Better than –95dBFS
Noise: Better than –95dBFS
Mechanism: Triple-beam laser, multi-speed CD/DVD-ROM transport
The G08 24-bit Upsampling CD Player takes Compact Disc playback to an entirely new level, with a heritage that includes the multiple award winning 588 and 800, and two dozen optical disc players from 1984 to the present day.
The G08 is CD-optimised, and able to play virtually any Red Book CD, as well as CD-R and CD-R/W. It also plays the CD layer of an SACD disc.
At the heart of the G08 are fully-integrated electronics and a computer-style CD/DVD-ROM drive. Although it normally runs at standard CD speed, the drive is capable of spinning the disc much faster, allowing multiple high-speed re-reads to ensure accurate recovery of data from even the most difficult disc. This feature alone provides ten times the error correction of a conventional CD player.
Once the digital data stream has been recovered from the disc, powerful on-board digital signal processing (DSP) with a capability of an impressive 150 MIPS (million instructions per second) up-samples the digital information from the 44.1 kHz, 16-bit signal of conventional CD to 24 bits, and to a sample rate of 176.4 kHz for digital to analogue conversion to drive the analogue outputs, and 88.2 kHz for the digital outputs.
Upsampling enables filtering to take place far beyond the range of human hearing, as well as offering other, audible benefits, right across the audio band, for ultimate transparency from a CD source.
The G08 employs a triple buffering system to minimise jitter, and therefore maximise HF transparency and stereo image precision and stability. This, and the digital electronics as a whole, are driven by a new design of high-stability clocking system which further reduces jitter and ensures that the highest level of detail is recovered from a disc. All digital data is accurately re-clocked. Multiple power supplies ensure that digital and analogue circuitry are kept apart and can provide the required power when called upon to do so.
The G08 player includes both balanced (on XLR connectors) and unbalanced (on phono connectors) 2-channel analogue outputs.
The S/PDIF (Sony/Philips Digital Interface, IEC 60958) digital outputs are also provided and both optical (Toslink/EIAJ) and coax digital formats are included. In addition, the optical digital outputs can support surround-encoded bitstreams such as those derived from DTS-encoded CDs, which can be replayed via an external decoder.
Specifications:
Formats: CD Audio (CD-DA), CD-R, CD-R/W), DTS-CD (bitstream out only: external DTS decoder required)
Audio outputs: Analogue: 1 unbalanced on phono, 1 balanced on XLR-3M: 2.3V rms fixed, Class A, 47Ω impedance.
Digital: S/PDIF (IEC60958), coax operating at up to 2 x CD sample rate (88.2kHz), 24-bit, and Toslink optical.
Controls: Front-panel soft keys include Play, Stop, Pause, Previous, Next, etc. Buttons for On/Off, Open, Display. Full remote control of all features via MSR+.
Comms: Full RS232 control and status enables custom integration or automation. Meridian Comms (2 x DIN plus BNC)
THD: Better than –96dBFS
Noise: Better than –96dBFS
Mechanism: Triple-beam laser, multi-speed CD/DVD-ROM transport
Meridian's 808 is the latest in a series of optical disc players that use a specially-selected ROM drive for reading. The ROM drive allows multiple passes to be made, ensuring that the correct data are recovered from the disc and improving Compact Disc's error-correction a hundredfold. It also allows complete buffering of the recovered data.
To ensure the lowest possible jitter, 808 incorporates three buffers, two of which are used as FIFOs. By the time the data is passed to the DACs or the digital output, the jitter is incredibly low - in fact 808 has the lowest jitter we have ever measured on a CD player: around 90 picoseconds, with the jitter spectrum held below 0.1Hz.
The signal path includes proprietary error correction and concealment, and Meridian's acclaimed 'Resolution Enhancement' DSP, in which the original 44.1kHz, 16-bit audio is upsampled to 176.4kHz, 24-bit in one of three 150MIPs processors operating with 48-bit internal precision. This is 'true' DSP upsampling, unlike anything else available in the marketplace.
This upsampling allows conversion-related filtering to take place far above the limits of human hearing, so there are no artefacts added to the sound - simply the pure music.
The 808 employs exquisite multibit over-sampled delta-sigma D/A converters, combined with a matching proprietary analogue output stage of the highest quality.
To ensure the finest sound, the 808's construction employs a motherboard and multiple cards. Each card has its own power supplies and buffering so that each section - computer, decoder, FIFO buffers, DSP upsampling, D/A conversion, digital output, analogue input and digital input - is on a separate and isolated card. As is traditional with Meridian products, the construction uses audiophile-grade capacitors throughout and each component - even each resistor - has been selected for its sonic contribution. The PCBs are all multilayer, many of them using 6-layer technology for the lowest noise and jitter and for optimum grounding.
The 808 features a solidly-constructed case built of metal and glass, finished in black lacquer or satin silver. The casework itself is non-magnetic to maintain the sweetest sound.
Meridian CD players have been optimised for the same, accurate sound to which we aspire in all our products. The chief designer, Robert Stuart, has a definite view that the sound should be totally natural in the midrange, and that the high and low ranges should never intrude - but should remain precise. We believe that the tonality of our players is best judged with the finest recordings of human voice, piano and violin. We audition our new designs using recordings like these, and if they sound 'wrong' in any way, the design is not accepted.
Another important target for us is that the player must reveal the 'space' in the original recording. Meridian CD players, and 808 in particular, are unique in their ability to allow the listener to hear depth in the recording and to interpret the side and back walls of the recording location.
Most of all, the words we would use to describe the sound of 808 are 'exquisitely musical'. Those who are lucky enough to own this Signature Reference CD Player will find immense enjoyment, and new depth and subtlety in well-loved recordings, gaining a lifetime of musical insight that is simply not possible with lesser designs.
Specifications:
THD & Noise: Better than -96dBFS
Mechanism: Triple-beam laser, multi-speed CD/DVD-ROM transport
Converters: 192kHz-capable, 24-bit, Delta Sigma converters operating at 4 x CD sample rate (176.4kHz)
Stereo Outputs: Analogue: 1 unbalanced on phono, 1 balanced on XLR-3M: 2.3V rms fixed/variable, Class A, 47R impedance. Digital S/PDIF (IEC60958): main coax with MHR plus auxiliary coax, operating at up to 2 x CD sample rate (88.2kHz), 24-bit
Stereo Inputs: (808i only) Analogue: 6 unbalanced on phono. Digital S/PDIF: 3 coax and 2 Toslink optical
Formats: CD Audio (CD-DA), CD-R, CD-R/W, MP3
Comms: Two 5-pin 240¡ DIN sockets for Meridian Comms, and RS232 full remote/configuration interface. Three programmable 12v trigger outputs
Construction: Black lacquer or satin silver finish in metal & glass
Dimensions: 480mm (18.9in) x 175mm (6.9in) x 411mm (16.2in) (whd)
Controls: Front-panel keys for Open/Close, Play, Stop, Pause, Previous, Next, On/Off. Additional controls behind hinged front access cover include Repeat, Fast Forward/Reverse, Display, Mute, Volume Up/Down, Store/Clear; Source. Full remote control via MSR+, RS232
Display: 20-character dot matrix display with adjustable brightness and contrast. Indicators for Phase, Repeat and EQ (emphasis).
Power: Universal power supply for 100-240Vac, 50/60Hz, 25W
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