I have heard a number of opinions on this topic. Can a Meridian 210 streamer connected into a non-meridian preamp and then into an amp and wired into a Network be grouped with other non-meridian endpoints and play as a group? Supposively, the 210 is not using the Sooloss protocol and is compatible with other RAAT endpoints like Raspberry Pi. Anyone know if this is true?
Yes, this is true. The Meridian 210 is a RoonReady device that can be grouped with other RoonReady devices and/or devices running Roon Bridge, like the Raspberry Pi you mention.
Thank You. I just had a reputable Meridian Dealer tell me otherwise. So If I purchased a 210, I can connect it to a preamp, with ethernet to the network where my roon core is, enable it in Roon and I should be able to play it with other Roon ready endpoints that are not meridian in a group with no issues. Is that correct?
I have a 210 streamer feeding my Meridian system via a 218 pre amp. This works perfectly and I link it with Bluesound zones from time to time.
If I am using EBA on my Meridian speakers, I have to turn this off for perfect sync but that’s not an issue when listening to talk radio.
The 218 handles upsampling and Apodising.
The 210 will not group with legacy Meridian zones like an MS200 etc.
So, the simple answer is, yes you can group those zones.
So, that was my understanding. If I have no Meridian components besides this 210 streamer, it looks like I could connect it to a digital preamp, enable it on the network in roon and it could be grouped with other RAAT endpoints that are not sooloss and stream from the server. .
Can you put it through a digital Preamp first that has a digital input and then analog out into amp? Or, is it possible to go 210 enabled in roon and then into 218 not enabled that is not used as an endpoint or enabled but is a passthrough. and then analog into an amp. I just want to be able to group with other RAAT endpoints!
The 210 and 218 work perfectly together connect via speakerlink. The 218 has analog outs so you will get MQA etc.
The 218 is on my network for acces s to the control app but I don’t enable it in Roon.
That was exactly my idea but I am not working within a Meridian system and I want to use Roon, so in theory, it should work but I can’t buy it until I am sure. My plan is to gradually move into Meridian so that is why I am trying to get at least one endpoint out of this in Meridian. Plus, the Meridian dealer is along ways away and with the Pandemic, its not easy.
Yes, the 210 is a Roon Ready Streamer , check the specs on Meridians web site. It also does Bluetooth and UPnP.
The 218 is a Meridian preamp and a full MQA decoder with analog outputs. This also upsamples and apodises. This is also seen as a Roon endpoint but won’t group zones with other Roon Ready devises but will with other Meridian endpoints.
I started with a 218 and my DSP speakers to run Roon. That works great. Later I added the 210 so I have Bluetooth and Full Roon Ready capability.
I am just not sure if this streamer will work in my ethernet connected network, not airplay or bluetooth, with non- meridian endpoints. I think, but I may be wrong, that because you are connecting this in a meridian system to begin with, it changes things. I can’t connect the M10 into my system without connecting it to a digital preamp which I have or I could use the 218 as a preamp if it can act as a pass through past sooloss so I can get to analog and then into an amp. Using the 218 with speaker connect would be my preference but I would have to use the 210 as the endpoint and disable the 218 as an endpoint so sooloss doesn’t mess it up. It seems possible. It may be redundant as both are streamers but I need the connections of the 218 as I can’t connect the 210 digitally into my amp.
All connections are here for the 210
It has an aux digital out with makes it compatible with third party DACs. You would just need to turn MHR off in the app.
Thanks Chris!
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