Meridian upgrades speaker firmware for MQA

@joel I have a bit more info for you. Thank you for the effort you are putting into this.

First of all, the signal paths in the post above are with the ID41 set to Decoder and Renderer. Sticking with that for the moment, I have noticed the following: with a 24bit 44k authenticated MQA file and no DSP the file is passed through as with the 96k file above and shows PCM 44k on the 808 and MQA. 44k on the 8ks. However, if I turn DSP on, the Roon decoder decodes the file to 24bit 88k before applying the DSP. Is that how it should be? The 808/8ks then display PCM 88k and MHR 88k. See below:

Turning to your question about setting the ID41 to Renderer only. With no DSP the Roon decoder decodes to 24/88 with MQA signalling in spite of the fact that it is an authenticated 24/44 MQA file, and the Meridian kit displays PCM 88k and MHR 88k,:


If I turn DSP on I get exactly the same signal path as I get with the ID41 set to be Decoder and Renderer.

In no case can I get the Meridian kit to recognise a file decoded by Roon as MQA and I have never seen the OFs display. I can only get the Meridian kit to recognise the file as MQA if Roon passes it through unchanged.

This is wrong and points to a bug in the 808v6 firmware or something not right with your firmware upload. Why? Because the 44k MQA stream must be reaching the ID41 in a bit perfect state for it to be decoded there and for you to get MQA. 44k on your 8kSEs.

I have just verified that, in this situation, I see MQA. 44k on both 818v3 and 8kSEs.

Yes. The idea is that the DSP is applied to the decoded MQA (“MQA Core”) before re-applying the “signalling” information necessary for the stream to be rendered.

I have just verified that, in this situation, I see OFs 44k on both 818v3 and 8kSEs.

Ok - I can see that. I’ll contact the Meridian dealer who installed th firmware for comments.

My point was that the Roon decoder is decoding an MQA 44k stream (which is authenticated at 44K) to 88k. Is that correct? If I pass that stream through to the Meridian kit the 8ks display MQA. 44k.

To be clear if Roon decodes, it decodes to 88k. If Roon does not decode, it passes through 44k and the 808/8ks decode/render to 44k.

Both of these are expected. All MQA is decoded, in the first instance, to 2x rate “MQA Core”. The 808v6 and 8kSEs should both display the original sample rate of the master, even though they are both actually receiving a 2x rate stream.

Thanks. The dealer’s in contact with Meridian and I’ll report the outcome. Thanks again.

Hello hecd2. While you’re at it, could you please get Meridian to release new MQA firmware for my 218? -And also 3.16 for my center channel DSP5200SEHC? Thanks!

My influence at Meridian is not what you think it is :wink:

I have a 218 with DSP 5200.2 speakers I purchased last Janurary. Are there software updates for this set up I should be looking for? If so How do I access and download them?

I am running roon with a Nucleus as well

There has been an update for the DSP speakers and there is a thread about it on

https://www.meridianunplugged.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php?ubb=cfrm

how do you get the upgrade. Meridian website?

You could contact your dealer or register on the weblink forum I posted. Ask there and help will surely come.
You can do the update yourself if you have the correct cables and the firmware.

Thanks for you response, ill contact a dealer for more info

Just so you know, I updated my SE’s in about 3 minutes for free with the help of a trusted hitchhikers forum member who also supplied me the firmware.
All I needed was the cables to connect my laptop.

After some time and some experimentation at HQ, the dealer came back today and reflashed the firmware in my 808v6. All is now working as expected, and I see OFs on 808v6 and 8kSEs when decoding in Roon with DSP room correction so they are recognising an MQA stream.

Ok, three days in and everything is reliably working as expected. For MQA sources, unfolding in Roon and then applying DSP in Roon, I see OFs on the 808v6 and 8kSEs. So the problem was something to do with the firmware on the 808. When that was reloaded the problems disappeared and everything worked as expected. Apparently Meridian HQ ran some tests in the lab and dierected my dealer what to do. @Peter_Overbosch, you might want to contact Meridian again for advice as they are definitely aware of the problem now. @joel, thanks for your help in resolving this.

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Thanks! I will reach out again and see if they can fix this for me also. It may take a couple of days (busy), but I’ll report back.
Great news!

Peter

The Netherlands distributor for Meridian had a look at my 818v3. Turns out the 818 plus DSP7200SE will
do OFs with DSP engaged in Roon, but not if the analog output on the 818 is engaged. That means that I now have a choice: either replace my (analog input) REL SUB with a (digital speakerlink input) MeridianDSW.2 SUB, or do without MQA/OFs. Still thinking about that. Not quite happy about having this choice forced upon me, but at least it is clear now. Thanks for the feedback and support on this forum.

@Peter_Overbosch Ok.

Just as a data point, my 808v6 and 8ks work as expected with OFs etc, with the analogue output engaged (in my case going to a headphone amp).

To be honest I can’t tell the difference between the SQ before and after the OFs problem was solved. It might well be the same and it is just a display issue. Maybe that will help make your mind up.