Hello, awesome people.
Wanted to ask is it worth buying old, Meridian DSP5200 5.1 audio system with old G91 Processor.
I would pariciate any advice.
Only you can answer whether or not it’s worth buying. Here are some things I’d think about:
- These are powered speakers. Do you have outlets near all the speaker positions?
- This is, as you say, older gear. What service (and at what price?) is available for Meridian in your part of the world, should you need it? Used gear can be a bargain, but generally comes without warranty.
- The G91, if I remember, is the combination DVD player/controller. How are you going to use Blu-ray or streaming services? Are you okay with purchasing another Meridian box, the 4K-capable HDMI switcher for a few thousand more USD to integrate with modern digital video sources? Does this box (I’m not sure about the model number, but want to say 722) work with the G91?
- At this point in time, the G91 has minimal economic value. The speakers were expensive new, and are still worth something. I don’t have a good estimate off the top of my head, as older digital gear depreciates rapidly, while speakers can hold a little more value. The DSP5200 is a combination, so hard to guess at. Check around on pricing, unless you’re being offered a bargain, say < $3000 for everything.
- I believe that generation of Meridian gear is limited to a max of 96/24 audio. Are you okay with that? (There is no right answer, especially on this forum.)
- Meridian has some unique surround sound modes such as Trifield. Do those modes add value for you?
- For the same money, what else could you buy, either new or used? Which suits your needs/desires better?
Good luck!
Thank you.
- That would not be the problem,
- The price is 8,373.10 Euro, We have meridian service in our country.
- I am also not shure about, 722. Do you have someting to suggest, for modern switcher?
- Yes, the price is 8,373.10 Euro, its probably not a bargin
- What is todats standart for qudio quality?
- Yes, that would be nice.
- As I am new to all Hi-Fi audio I do not know what options there are in this price ange.
This was the brand in demo show what was suggested to me. And I really liked the feel of the sound.
Thank you again for your comprehensive answer.
The Meridian sound is awesome and the philosophy behind active DSP speakers is sound…
Hi, Rolands. I am like Chris biased towards Meridian sound. I would also inquire and think about the following:
- Meridian slot loading disc mechanisms have had their share of issues; some are easily replaceable if still stocked others it’s more complicated and will easily cost € 200-300 to replace so you may want to check if the drive has been replaced and since when it is in the device
- are these 5200.1 only: does that mean they use the old s/pdif combo cables or does it have speakerlink. You may also want to find out if they can be upgraded to Special Edition (that brings MQA if that matters to use) as well as other sonic enhancements which, in my DSP 8000s were well worth investment. With SE models, if you have certain Meridian dacs/preamps/streamer, you can play up to 24/192 or single DSD files and they can take up to 24/376 MQA files
- as regards price you may find more information on the Meridian Hitchhikers website. I don’t know what used G91s are worth, but if these are non SE speakers, all I can say is that is does not like the bargain of the century (all this subject to condition, etc)
What matters most as always is enjoyment of the music. As for alternatives, in your budget, you will find plenty but it will be more tricky to match some of intergrated specs active speakers bring. Beyond speakers, you will need to factor a preamp, amps and cables in an alternative set-up.
The price is reasonable, but not a bargain. When new, those were fairly expensive speakers. Which subwoofer is included, if any? Meridian, in the last decade, has moved to the luxury end of the market from the hobbyist side. There are good and not so good points to this. Are you looking at this as a purely audio system, or do you want to integrate it with your video system?
I think the real challenge is that the G91 is basically obsolete, except as a CD player or 2-channel DAC using an external USB/SPDIF interface to hook to a computer running Roon. From looking at the data sheet, it doesn’t appear to have any digital multichannel inputs, which means it won’t integrate with the Meridian UHD722 HDMI switcher/audio de-embedder. DVD-Video is two generations back at this point (behind Blu-ray and UHD Blu-ray). DVD-Audio never took off as a format, and has been basically dead since circa 2005, so you’re pretty much shopping used record/CD stores and eBay for multichannel audio-only content to play in the G91. You may not care if you have a large DVD library and no interest in Blu-ray or streaming content, but only you know that.
Especially if you want to integrate video, I suspect you’re really going to end up with a newer controller, Blu-ray player, and UHD722. I don’t know pricing in your country, but if purchased new in the USA, I think a G65 has a list price somewhat more than you’re paying for the package. I’m not familiar with UHD722 pricing, but its predecessor, the HD621 was ~$3000 in the US about 8 years ago. (I purchased one to go with a used 568 controller. I’ve since moved on.) Perhaps you can work a good deal out, or find a used Meridian controller near you. So if you’re okay with a €15,000-20,000 total purchase, you could have a quite nice system, at a large discount over buying new.
Most contemporary systems will handle at least 192/24 audio. However, don’t get caught in a numbers game: a really good CD can sound better than a poor hi-res recording.
Tough decision. Is the price negotiable? Good luck, no matter what you decide.