My thoughts on the Meridian 808.3

jtein

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Mar 25, 2012
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Agree...that is a big part of any system, though often the most challenging one to get right. It is far more disruptive to pull apart the walls, flooring and ceilings...than to buy a new cable. As for DCS Scarlatti, i think it is a sensational technical accomplishment...but if i had to choose, i think i would: a) choose Meridian to play my music collection, or b) really have to ensure the rest of my system was setup to get that extra bit of lyrical 'magic' out of the DCS.

Enjoy!

That's true, but there won't be any tearing down though. I'm building an annex room from the ground up....it's gonna be my man-cave :cool:
 

LL21

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Dec 26, 2010
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That's true, but there won't be any tearing down though. I'm building an annex room from the ground up....it's gonna be my man-cave :cool:

niiiiiice!!!
 

jtein

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Mar 25, 2012
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FUnny...i thought Meridian 808.2 alwso used Esoteric. Perhaps not. In any event, reducing jitter and lowering noise floor i bet. Both of which result in dramatic improvements in microdynamics, decay and detail...which it seems have been big parts of your observations.

Yessir, that's correct. But I do miss my Esoteric's X-03 SE's bottom-end grunt. It also gives you an "open air" performance kind of feeling. I guess that's the trade-off, of which I have no problem with at all.
 

LL21

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You might think about power cable...i know plenty of people will say that is crazy. You might be one of them! But all i can say is it made a difference on my digital. If you want to experiment and not go crazy...Sablon Audio is superb. Gran Corona power cable. i use it, and the rest of my cables are Purist Audio Dom or Ann Contego.
 

jtein

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Mar 25, 2012
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You might think about power cable...i know plenty of people will say that is crazy. You might be one of them! But all i can say is it made a difference on my digital. If you want to experiment and not go crazy...Sablon Audio is superb. Gran Corona power cable. i use it, and the rest of my cables are Purist Audio Dom or Ann Contego.

I'm using JPS Labs Kaptovator for all my components. Haven't heard of Sablon or Gran Corona. Are they boutique brands?

I was vacillating between MIT Magnum MA and the PAD Dominus, in the end I went for the former. I'm now ruing what might have been if I had chosen the PAD Dominus.
 

LL21

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Dec 26, 2010
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I'm using JPS Labs Kaptovator for all my components. Haven't heard of Sablon or Gran Corona. Are they boutique brands?

I was vacillating between MIT Magnum MA and the PAD Dominus, in the end I went for the former. I'm now ruing what might have been if I had chosen the PAD Dominus.

Yes, the Sablon Audio is a boutique firm...i know the owner but have no affiliation whatsoever. i just like mark and his products. He is just passionate and hard working. If you google, you will find very strong reviews from several sources. sablonaudio.com

I like the PAD Dominus a lot, in some cases, better than the newer Ann Contego which i also own and use. Try to get one second hand...worth a shot.
 

jtein

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Mar 25, 2012
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So, I have been listening to the 808.3 using its onboard preamp for a week. My initial observations are that vocals and instruments are slightly more immediate and richer. The soundstage is brought forward to about the same plane as my speakers' baffle. When using my Parasound JC2 preamp, the soundstage was along the plane of the back of the speakers. I think I prefer the latter. With the JC2, I find the presentation slightly airier, more musical and involving. However, imaging is much more stable with the 808.3's preamp. I think I still prefer the presentation of the JC2....but only just....can't say for sure...I need to do more listening. But this made me realize what a great job John Curl (together with Thompson and Crump) has done with the JC2.
 

LL21

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Dec 26, 2010
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So, I have been listening to the 808.3 using its onboard preamp for a week. My initial observations are that vocals and instruments are slightly more immediate and richer. The soundstage is brought forward to about the same plane as my speakers' baffle. When using my Parasound JC2 preamp, the soundstage was along the plane of the back of the speakers. I think I prefer the latter. With the JC2, I find the presentation slightly airier, more musical and involving. However, imaging is much more stable with the 808.3's preamp. I think I still prefer the presentation of the JC2....but only just....can't say for sure...I need to do more listening. But this made me realize what a great job John Curl (together with Thompson and Crump) has done with the JC2.

Two observations:

1. You have a very resolving system to enable you to have such distinct differences in presentation between such good equipment.

2. i can imagine that these differences and your potentail preference for theJC2...could lead you to wonder what a different preamp might do! ;) To be fair, the JC2 is a great preamp...i do wonder what interconnect cabling and power cabling might do for preserving the JC2 soundstaging and air...and perhaps solidifying the imaging...
 

jtein

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Mar 25, 2012
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Two observations:

1. You have a very resolving system to enable you to have such distinct differences in presentation between such good equipment.

2. i can imagine that these differences and your potentail preference for theJC2...could lead you to wonder what a different preamp might do! ;) To be fair, the JC2 is a great preamp...i do wonder what interconnect cabling and power cabling might do for preserving the JC2 soundstaging and air...and perhaps solidifying the imaging...

Hi Lloyd, yes the Thiel CS3.7s are pretty resolving, as are the JC1 monoblocks.

I'm presently using MIT Magnum MA interconnects and speaker cables so I don't know how I could improve on those short of getting ultra high-end cables. I have a strong feeling that a dedicated listening room with good acoustic treatment will get the job done.
 

jtein

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So I have reverted to using my JC2 preamp after listening via the Meridian's onboard preamp for a week. First thing that came to mind is that there's definitely more bloom. Next thing is that it's more musically involving. Bass has more grunt yet articulate. I was listening to a track via Meridian's preamp last night and the same track today through the JC2 and could hear a bongo at the left side at the back of the soundstage which I did not hear last night. Dare I say that there's even more transparency through the JC2!

Listening to the Meridian directly plugged into my monoblocks, the timbre is perhaps slightly richer and "fatter" (not a very audiophile term but that's the only word I can think of), but it's more hifi-ish. The soundstage definitely feels more 'live' and 'open' through the JC2. No wonder Mr. Valin of TAS proclaimed the JC2 a near-reference product that many can afford. :D
 

LL21

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Dec 26, 2010
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JTein,

I have read that comment about preferring the preamp from many people with really good preamps. I thought yours might be the exception since the 808.3 volume stageis supposedly excellent. But apparently the JC2 is still better yet! Good for you!
 

U6asik

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Aug 17, 2012
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Guys, hello.

Can you tell me whether it is possible to switch the built-in pre-amp off in the 808.3.
I would like to use Electrocompaniet EC 4.8 instead.

Thanks in advance.
 

jtein

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Mar 25, 2012
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Guys, hello.

Can you tell me whether it is possible to switch the built-in pre-amp off in the 808.3.
I would like to use Electrocompaniet EC 4.8 instead.

Thanks in advance.

Hi U6asik, sorry for the late reply as I haven't been frequenting the forum as of late.

The default position of the 808.3 preamp is in the "off" mode and you'll need to switch it on to use it to drive your amp directly. Anyway, the 808.3 user manual provides instructions on how to switch on and off the preamp. The user manual can be downloaded from Meridian's website. All the best!
 

LL21

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Dec 26, 2010
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Has anyone heard the Merdian 40th Anniversary 808.3i? In fact, has anyone heard ANY of the Meridian 40th Anniversary equipment?
 

still-one

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I had a friends 808v3 in my system for a few days about a week ago. I was impressed with the unit and decided to swap out my McIntosh MCD-1100 for a 808v3. Both units have a built in pre-amp. The Meridian had analog inputs that I could connect a phono stage for the two times a year I might want to listen to vinyl. They both have a minimum of 3 digital inputs for the connections I require. I am concerned that I have lost SACD playback capabilities.

My question for any of you who own the unit, was there a upgrade that allows the unit to handle 24/176 & 24/192 files via the digital inputs? My friends unit could not play anything above 24/96. Is it just the SooLoos units that were upgraded to handle 24/192?

Jim
 

LL21

Well-Known Member
Dec 26, 2010
14,411
2,509
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I had a friends 808v3 in my system for a few days about a week ago. I was impressed with the unit and decided to swap out my McIntosh MCD-1100 for a 808v3. Both units have a built in pre-amp. The Meridian had analog inputs that I could connect a phono stage for the two times a year I might want to listen to vinyl. They both have a minimum of 3 digital inputs for the connections I require. I am concerned that I have lost SACD playback capabilities.

My question for any of you who own the unit, was there a upgrade that allows the unit to handle 24/176 & 24/192 files via the digital inputs? My friends unit could not play anything above 24/96. Is it just the SooLoos units that were upgraded to handle 24/192?

Jim

Congrats! I have heard the 808v2 and it was quite impressive. Enjoy! As for 24/176...i am no techie...this is from Meridian's website:

"Conversion
• 192kHz-capable, 24-bit, Delta Sigma converters operating at 4 x CD sample rate (176.4kHz).
• Apodising-style upsampling filter system."

I will say, when the Dealer brought the Audio Aero La Source, there were a few options that took 10 minutes to figure out how to select. Perhaps there was one in the Meridian to accept higher-res files?
 

jtein

New Member
Mar 25, 2012
97
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0
Malaysia
I had a friends 808v3 in my system for a few days about a week ago. I was impressed with the unit and decided to swap out my McIntosh MCD-1100 for a 808v3. Both units have a built in pre-amp. The Meridian had analog inputs that I could connect a phono stage for the two times a year I might want to listen to vinyl. They both have a minimum of 3 digital inputs for the connections I require. I am concerned that I have lost SACD playback capabilities.

My question for any of you who own the unit, was there a upgrade that allows the unit to handle 24/176 & 24/192 files via the digital inputs? My friends unit could not play anything above 24/96. Is it just the SooLoos units that were upgraded to handle 24/192?

Jim

Hello Jim, I only play CDs on my 808.3 so I'm unable to answer your question. The reason I invested in the 808.3 is because of my large varied collection of CDs, most of which will never be available in hi-res files. I'm pretty happy with it. Now to work on my man-cave... :b
 

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