Meridian Audio 562 Owners manual
Meridian 562 Control Unit
User Guide
Meridian 562V Multimedia Controller
Addresses 2
Fax (404) 346-7111
Author: J R Stuart
Sales and service in the UK
Meridian Audio Ltd
14 Clifton Road
Huntingdon
Cambs. PE18 7EJ
England
Tel (0) 480 52144
Telex 32577 (MERIDN)
Fax (0) 480 459934
Sales and service in the USA
Meridian America Inc
3800 Camp Creek Parkway
Building 2400, Suite 112
Atlanta, GA 30331
Tel. (404) 344-7111
Designed & manufactured in the UK by
Digital Gramophone & Wireless Ltd
14 Clifton Road
Huntingdon
Cambs. PE18 7EJ
Copyright © 1993 Digital Gramophone & Wireless Ltd
Boothroyd|Stuart Meridian and Meridian are registered
trademarks of Meridian Audio Ltd.
Contents 3
Sales and service in the UK ..............2
Sales and service in the USA............2
Introduction .......................................5
About this manual .............................5
About the 500-Series ......................... 5
Unpacking the 562/V..........................6
Installing your 562/V..........................6
General precautions.......................6
Customising features......................6
Connections...................................7
Siting..............................................7
Starting off with 562/V.......................8
Checking........................................8
Switching on...................................8
If there is no display .......................8
Standby..........................................8
Basic operation of 562/V ...................8
Selecting a source ..........................8
Putting the 562/V in standby...........8
Coming out of standby....................9
Adjusting the volume......................9
Muting the sound..........................10
Changing the display....................10
Advanced operation using
the Remote Control....................11
Balance control.............................11
Operation summary.........................12
On the 562/V front panel ..............12
With the Remote Control ..............12
Customising 562/V, an
overview .....................................12
Restoring default settings ............. 12
Type: an overview ........................ 13
Config: an overview......................13
Gain: an overview.........................14
How to customise 562/V..................14
Customising, general
procedure............................... 15
Customising using Type..................16
Customising using Config...............20
How to use Config........................20
Setting up sources........................23
Setting up video sources ..............27
Customising using Gain..................29
How to use Gain...........................29
Setting the sensitivity for
analogue inputs.......................29
Audio connections ...........................30
Analogue audio connections.........30
Digital audio connections..............31
Video connections in 562V............32
Monitor control connections
in 562V...................................33
Communications
connections................................33
To connect to other
Meridian 500 Series
equipment...............................33
Connecting digital
recorders; CDR, DAT or
DCC........................................34
Connecting analogue tape
recorders................................34
Connecting video recorders
to 562V...................................34
Connecting a video camera
to 562V...................................34
Making recordings...........................35
Making video recordings.................36
Using D600, DSP5000 or
D6000 speakers with
562/V ........................................... 37
Contents 4
200 Mode digital speakers............38
500 Mode digital speakers............38
Additional technical
information.................................40
Understanding input
sensitivity in a digital
preamplifier............................. 40
Clipping and overload...................40
How to get the best out of
LP...........................................40
Setting up an A-V system................42
Understanding video
connections ............................42
Video signals in sources...............43
Monitor switching and
FNSEL.................................... 45
Planning a video
installation...............................45
Connector diagrams.....................47
Specification....................................48
Help!.................................................50
Standby point not lit......................50
Audible hiss at high volume
settings...................................50
Poor sound quality........................50
Hum on LP inputs .........................50
Hum on other inputs.....................51
‘TV doesn't work’ using
562V....................................... 51
Poor picture quality .......................51
Communications not
working between 562/V
and other Meridian
products..................................51
Radio interference........................51
Cleaning ...........................................52
Maintenance & Service....................52
Guarantee.........................................52
Index.................................................54
Notes ................................................57
Installing 562 5
Introduction
The Meridian 562 Control Unit and 562V Multimedia
Controller are part of the 500-Series of advanced high-fidelity
equipment.
The 562V Multimedia Controller is a version of 562 that
incorporates an additional video switching board. This manual
describes the operation of both units.
In purchasing a Meridian 562 Control Unit or a 562V
Multimedia Controller, you have acquired a refined piece of
equipment that will continue to bring you listening pleasure for
many years. This manual will enable you to get the most from
it.
Owners of 562 can have the unit upgraded later to the ‘V’
version.
About this manual
562/V. means the instruction refers to both 562 and 562V.
506. A number such as 506 refers to a component in the
Meridian 500-Series of audio equipment.
Mute. Whenever a key name is printed in bold typeface, it
means that you should press this key. If the key name is
not in bold type, it indicates that the course of action is not
required at present, e.g. ‘if you want to change the
display, press Display' means you can do this, but it is not
essential as part of the operation currently being
discussed.
Standby Italic form normally refers to the state of the 562/V.
In some instances, a key and the status of the equipment
share the same name, e.g. the Standby key and the
Standby state.
RD54
1. In this book, sequences of actions are given in numbered
lists.
Displays are illustrated in this form.
About the 500-Series
The Meridian 500-Series is a unique system of digital,
analogue and video components designed to meet the
demand for absolute quality, ease of use and lasting value.
The flexibility of the Meridian 500 Series is such that you can
assemble a system as simple or as complex as you need,
perfectly suited to your requirements, and with the ability to
add to it or change it at a later date should those
requirements change. The 500 Series is also compatible with
the existing Meridian 200 and 600 Series components.
Each Meridian 500 Series component is housed in a matching
slim line case. Full access to all functions is provided from the
front panel controls and from the Meridian 509 or System
handsets.
The Meridian 500 Series includes a sophisticated
communications link, to ensure that any configuration of units
will work together as a fully integrated system.
Installing 562 6
The 500 Series communications system allows you to control
any combination of units using a single handset, and ensures
that your commands from the handset are interpreted
unambiguously. Any unit can be designated as the controller
for the system, allowing you to position the other units out of
range from the handset beam if desired. It also allows all the
units to be switched off from the front panel of any unit in the
system.
Unpacking the 562/V
On opening the carton, you should have found the following
parts:
• Meridian 562/V Control Unit
• Power cord
• This manual
• 500-Series communications lead
If any of these items is missing, please contact your dealer.
We suggest that you retain the packing carefully as it
provides maximum protection for the unit in transit.
Installing your 562/V
General precautions
Before carrying out any installation, you should ensure that
the 562/V is marked with the correct voltage for your local AC
supply. Should this not be the case, do not proceed – but
contact your dealer.
As a general rule, you should not make any connections to
the 562/V, or to any other component in your system, whilst
the AC power supply is connected and switched on.
Customising features
The 562/V is very flexible. You have the opportunity to
significantly customise its functions. In the end this gives you
a preamplifier that exactly suits you.
The Meridian 562/V is not a product that you are likely to use
stand-alone, you are quite likely to be using some other
Meridian components and getting the best out of the system
will require a little thought.
The section ‘Customising 562/V, an overview' on page 12
describes the options in detail. Obviously, when you have set
up 562/V to your needs, you will be aware of the differences
from the standard configurations.
We recommend that you first get to know the 562/V using one
of the standard setups, and by working through this manual.
Do not be afraid later to experiment with customising – we
have given you a simple way to get back to where you
started! (See page 16).
562/V as provided has nine standard configurations that we
call Type settings. Each Type gives a different set of options;
this feature is described fully on page 16. There are many
more than nine possible configurations for 562/V, but these
were chosen to give good starting points for customising.
By selecting a Type you automatically reset all custom
settings for 562/V to that default.
Installing 562 7
562/V has five operating modes (not to be confused with
setup Types):
• Normal
• Standby
• Type
• Config
• Gain
Normal and Standby are the everyday operating modes: the
basic operating instructions refer to these.
Type, Config and Gain are used to make choices about the
way 562/V works. These are described later in the section:
‘Configuring 562/V, an overview' on page 12.
Connections
There are four types of connection that need to be made to
the 562:
• power
• analogue audio
• digital audio
• communications.
In addition 562V requires you to make connections of:
• composite video
• S-video
• video control via SCART
Audio connections need to be made to other components in
your system. Communication connections have to be made to
most of the other Meridian components in your system in
order for them to act as one system. The connections to your
562/V are very important and care should be taken in
deciding which connections to make.
Connection details for a wide variety of systems are described
in the sections following page 30.
Siting
We recommend the following guidelines for location.
• The 562/V should not be placed on top of a power
amplifier.
• If you intend to use a moving coil LP input keep the left-
hand-side of the 562/V as far as possible from other
mains-operated equipment. See help item on page 50.
• Avoid sites where it would be subjected to direct sunlight
or where it is near a heat source, e.g. a central heating
radiator
• Avoid sites where the 562/V could be subjected to strong
magnetic radiation, like near a power amplifier.
• Not too close to a television, or where connecting cables
may be subject to, or cause, interference.
Tip In common with all digital products, the 562/V emits
some radio-frequency signals. For this reason, try to keep all
power cables and network leads away from audio, antenna
and loudspeaker cables. Some time spent laying out the
cables carefully will repay you with the best possible
performance later.
Using 562 8
amount of power. However, when you are not going to
Starting off with 562/V
Checking
Before turning on the power, check once again that you have
made all the connections correctly and that you have not
disturbed any existing connections in the process.
Switching on
The power switch is located directly next to the power inlet on
the right-rear of 562/V.
1. Turn on the power switch at the rear of the unit. A small
point on the display should now be illuminated.
••
use your system for an extended period of time, e.g. when
you are going on holiday, we would advise you to
disconnect it from the AC power supply.
Basic operation of 562/V
Note 562/V can be used with or without Meridian digital
loudspeakers like D600, DSP5000 or D6000. When it used
alone as the main system control unit it is normally the
‘System Controller’ and operates exactly as described below.
Systems including digital speakers always designate the
speakers as System Controller and there are some functional
differences. The section ‘Using digital speakers with 562/V' on
page 36, describes how the operation differs from the
following description.
If there is no display
Check the integrity of your power connections, including any
fuses in your supply. If the standby point is still not illuminated
and the rest of your system is functioning, contact your dealer
for help.
Standby
The entire 500-Series is designed to be left connected to AC
power at all times.
1. This standby state ensures that the components operate
at maximum efficiency from the moment you start
listening. It is perfectly safe and consumes a negligible
Selecting a source
1. press Source until the input you require is indicated
2. release Source
Selecting a source will bring 562/V out of standby.
Putting the 562/V in standby
1. press Off, the coloured key on the 562/V
or
press Standby on the Remote Control
Using 562 9
Coming out of standby
To start up the 562/V from standby
1. Select a source from the front panel or using the Remote
Control. Tapping Source once brings the 562/V on with
the last-used source selected.
or
If the 562/V is part of a Meridian
component out of standby. For example start up a
Meridian CD-player.
system, bring any
Adjusting the volume
The standard 562/V does not have a volume control. If you
want a variable output, making it very like a conventional
preamplifier, then you need to fit the optional DAC module.
Ask your dealer for details.
When used in a system based on Meridian digital speakers
which is operating in 500 communications mode, the volume
keys on the front of 562/V will operate the speaker volume.
If you have a DAC option fitted, or are using digital speakers
in 500 mode you can adjust the volume on the front panel of
the 562/V.
To increase the volume
1. press ,, the right-hand volume key on the 562/V
or
press the top red key on the Remote
To decrease the volume
1. press ,, the left hand volume key on the 562/V
or
press the bottom red key on the Remote Control
As you adjust the volume setting, the display will change to
show the current source and volume level. For example:
CD65
65. The volume level displayed will count up or down and
ranges from 1 to 99. Each step is 1dB.
If you have selected a different display, the display will then
revert to your selected information.
Subjectively a volume increase of 9dB is equivalent to a
doubling of loudness. Each volume number represents about
a 11% change in loudness; nine steps to double loudness. In
a traditional preamplifier using a rotary volume control the
mid-way position offered between 20dB and 30dB of
attenuation. On 562/V 20dB attenuation is at volume number
79, 30dB at 69. For normal to high-level listening you should
expect volume numbers in the region 60 to 90. For this
reason 562/V starts at power-up with volume number 65.
Note When 562/V is set up for use with D600, DSP5000 or
D6000; volume, balance and mute are handled by the
speaker and 562/V will not respond to the Remote control.
would indicate that you were listening to
a Compact Disc at a volume setting of
Using 562 10
Mute
Muting the sound
The mute facility cuts off the sound by setting the volume
level to zero, but the signal will only be muted if you are using
the DAC option, or if 562/V is used with other Meridian
components like digital speakers or surround decoders.
To mute the sound
1. Press Mute on the 562/V or the Remote Control. The
output will mute and the display will change to:
To restore the sound
1. Press Mute a second time, either on the 562/V or the
Remote Control.
The volume level and display will be restored.
or
Use the Volume keys.
Changing the display
The 562/V has three display modes. To change the display:
1. Press Display.
The 562/V will cycle through the displays:
• Source and first volume number
• Source only
• Display blank
Tape Copy
562/V can be arranged to feed any one of the standard
sources to the tape outputs independently of the source to
which you are listening. Where possible the tape signal will be
available on both the analogue and digital tape outputs. In the
case of the 562 Multimedia Controller, the corresponding
video signal is also sent to the VCR tape outputs, allowing
Tape Copy of a video + sound combination.
Note Depending on whether you have fitted the DAC option,
or on whether you have connected both analogue and digital
outputs of your source products, there may be circumstances
where some combinations of different sources may not be
listened to and copied simultaneously. This is explained in
detail on page 35.
To change the copy setting:
1. Press Copy.
The 562/V will cycle through the options:
• CSrc, meaning Copy Source – i.e. what you are
listening to
• CAtt, meaning Copy Attenuate. Tape outputs are
muted.
• C CD, then a series of options to copy specific
sources.
Note Copy can also be used to provide a second independent
output from 562/V for 2-room or simple Multiroom
applications.
Using 562 11
1.1
1
0
Information reviewed in standby
1. Press and hold Display.
The display will show the version number of the
microcontroller software, e.g.:
Advanced operation using the Remote
Control
Balance control
The balance can only be adjusted from the Remote control.
Note 562/V only has a balance feature if you have fitted the
optional DAC module and correctly configured the unit. See
page 21 for more details.
Note When 562/V is set up for use with D600, DSP5000 or
D6000; volume, balance, phase and mute are handled by the
speaker and 562/V will not respond to the Remote control.
To move the sound to the left
1. Press Left
The display will show the current balance, e.g.
←←
The number indicates the dBs
advantage given to the left.
To move the balance back again
1. Press Right until the display says:
←←
→→
or
Press
(also only on the Remote control)
To move the sound to the right
1. Press Right
The display will show the current balance, e.g.
9→→
Note When 562/V is set up for use with D600, DSP5000 or
D6000; volume, balance and mute are handled by the
speaker and 562/V will not respond to the Remote control.
The number indicates the dBs
advantage given to the right.
Operation summary 12
Operation summary
On the 562/V front panel
Key Action
Source Select the sources available.
Copy Select or review the Copy
function.
Display Cycle the display through:
source and volume number
source
display off.
Mute Switches between mute and
demute.
Volume Down Decrease the volume.
Volume Up Increase the volume.
Off Puts the 562/V into the standby
state.
Customising 562/V, an overview
562/V is a very sophisticated device with a huge number of
options to allow you to set up exactly the system you need or
to experiment with new possibilities.
Programming 562/V is a straightforward process and you
should not be timid about experimenting. Although the setup
is stored in non-volatile memory called EEPROM, the
With the Remote Control
Source keys Selects input depending on
customisation.
Standby Puts the 562/V into the standby
state.
Reset Restore balance
Left Moves the balance to the left
Right Moves the balance to the right
Down Resets the balance to centre
∧∧ and ∨∨
Red
Mute Mutes output.
EPROM (which you cannot change) contains default Type
settings and you can return to these at any time.
Change the primary volume.
Restoring default settings
1. Switch off any power amplifiers that are connected to
562/V.
2. Switch off the 562/V using the power switch on the back.
Customising 13
Type
3. While pressing the Off key on the 562/V front panel,
switch the power on again. The display will read:
4. Release the Off key
At this stage you can change the Type from 1 – 9 using
the ▲ and ▼ Volume keys; see details on page 16.
5. Switch off the 562/V using the power switch on the back.
6. After half a second, switch the 562/V power on again.
Caution Some power amplifiers are very susceptible to small
surges that may result from the process of switching a
preamplifier on and off. Some – like the Meridian
605 incorporate DC-offset protection that may be triggered by
this process. Meridian active or digital loudspeakers are
inherently proof against these surges and need not be
switched off. In general digital products like power amplifiers,
recorders etc. will be unpredictable when they have the digital
signal interrupted.
562/V has three setup options; Type, Config and Gain. These
together with Normal and Standby give the 562/V five
operating states. The following sections give an overview.
205, 555 or
Type: an overview
Type just described, restores one of the default settings. No
further actions are possible.
Config: an overview
Config mode is used for setting fundamentals of options and
control. Consequently in Config the outputs of 562/V are
muted while you make the necessary choices. The choices
available in Config are outlined in the following sections.
Config: control settings
In Config you can make selections that effect the way 562/V
responds to certain keys. The main choices of this kind are:
• whether you use 500 or 200 communications protocol in
the system. See page 20.
• whether the 562/V is to auto-configure, or you will
determine the controller in the system. See page 36.
• The ‘address’ of the product.
• whether or not there is an internal or external DAC fitted.
• choices on how the volume control works.
• how the product treats the handset ‘Menu’ keys
• whether the unit has video switching
• whether there is a Meridian CD player in 200 mode. See
page 22.
Details of these are described in the sections referred to.
Config: sources and inputs
In Config you can make selections to do with sources, e.g.
• how many inputs will be active
• which sources you can select
• which key on the remote control selects which source
• the Logo for that input on the 562/V display
Customising 14
• the physical input connection to 562/V including by
implication whether they are analogue or digital.
• the secondary analogue input for any digital source
• the comms type of the source, i.e. whether it is a Meridian
controllable source like CD or Radio
• the address for that source product
In addition, for a 562V Multimedia Controller, you can make
selections that tie the video and sound sources together, e.g.
• which video inputs is selected for each source
• the status of the ‘function select’ outputs for each source
to control the TV monitor.
Gain: an overview
Gain mode is quite different from Type or Config in that the
preamplifier actually functions in this mode. In Gain the front
panel controls operate normally – with the exception of the
Volume keys. Copy does not function in Gain.
Gain is used to adjust the level of analogue sources fed to the
A/D converter.
Digital inputs have a fixed sensitivity defined by the digital
data. Analogue inputs however should have their levels
adjusted so that the best use is made of the dynamic range of
the Analogue–to–Digital converter built in to 562/V. Best
results will be obtained if the analogue gain for each input is
set to provide the largest signal that does not cause
overloading or clipping.
The ‘flat response' analogue inputs like Radio, Video etc.
have four choices for sensitivity; 0.5V, 1.0V 2.0V and 2.5V for
full-scale. Phono inputs using the optional Moving-Coil or
Magnetic (MC or MM) module in input A1, also have four
settings.
Note An important feature of Gain is that you can adjust the
analogue input and output settings while listening to the
music. When you feel you have the correct combination of
settings you can revert to Normal which protects the settings.
Note The input sensitivities for the 562/V digital preamplifier
are not expressed in the same way as those for analogue
counterparts. Caution should therefore be used in comparing
these sensitivities. The input level for the 562/V, in common
with other digital equipment is expressed in terms of full-scale
in the digital signal – i.e. more equivalent to the input overload
point of an analogue preamplifier. See specifications on page
48.
How to customise 562/V
562/V needs no customising to become operational. Once
you have your system established you may wish to review the
customising options in the section ‘Customising 562/V, an
overview', page 12.
Although the 562/V comes configured as a standard digital +
analogue – digital preamplifier, there are a very large number
of different configurations possible. This section tells you how
to change the configuration.
Customising 15
Customising, general procedure
562/V has five operating modes (not to be confused with
setup Types):
• Normal
• Standby
• Type
• Config
• Gain
Normal and Standby are the everyday operating modes: the
basic operating instructions refer to these.
Type, Config and Gain are used to make choices about the
way 562/V works. These are described in the section:
‘Configuring 562/V, an overview' on page 12.
How to change to Type, Config or Gain
To change to Type, Config or Gain you use the same basic
procedure.
1. Switch off any power amplifiers that are connected to
562/V.
2. Switch off the 562/V using the power switch on the back.
3. While pressing the specific key for the operating mode
you want on the 562/V front panel, switch the power on
again.
562/V will display a message to inform you which mode it
is in.
4. Release the key
At this stage you can make the adjustments required.
In step 3, the front panel key is:
• Type – press and hold Off.
• Config – press and hold Display.
• Gain – press and hold Mute.
• Normal – do not use any key!
Caution Some power amplifiers are very susceptible to small
surges that may result from the process of switching a
preamplifier on and off. Some – like the Meridian
incorporate DC-offset protection that may be triggered by this
process. Meridian active or digital loudspeakers are inherently
proof against these surges and need not be switched off. In
general digital products like power amplifiers, recorders etc.
will be unpredictable when they have the digital signal
interrupted.
205 or 605
How to change back to Normal
To revert to Normal .
1. Switch off the 562/V using the power switch on the back.
2. After half a second, switch the 562/V power on again.
Customising with Type 16
A full customising process
A full customising process will generally involve using all the
configuring modes of 562/V. A full procedure is as follows.
1. Change to Type and select the configuration closest to
your requirements.
2. Change to Config and make choices about:
• keys, displays, inputs.
• control options
3. Change to Gain and make choices about:
• analogue input sensitivity.
4. Change back to Normal.
Making changes to an existing setup
Config and Gain are configuration editing modes, they do not
reset on entry. Type however performs a full reset of all
parameters.
To make any changes to your custom configuration:
1. Change to Config or Gain – whichever is appropriate,
2. make the changes you want,
3. change back to Normal.
Customising using Type
Type is a mode used specifically to setup 562/V into one of
nine factory-preset configurations. Type resets the following
for all nine Types.
Type Mode DAC
?
1 500 N 12 – 0,1,2
2 200 N 8 Y 0,1
3 500 N 6 – 0,1
4 500 N 8 – 0,1
5 500 V 12 – 0,1,2
6 500 V 8 – 0,1
7 500 T 12 – 0,1,2
8 500 T 8 – 0,1
9 200 N 8 N 0,1
1
For DAC settings, see page 21.
2
See page 33.
Sources CD ? FNSEL
1
2
Customising 562 using Type 17
Source-Logo-input mapping for 562
Source Logo Input 2nd i/p Gain Comms
type
CD CD D1 A2 n/a 1
Radio RD A3 N 2V 2
LP LP A1 N +2dB –
TV TV A4 N 1V –
Tape1 T1 A5 N 2V –
Tape2 T2 D2 N n/a –
CDR CR D3 N n/a –
Cable Cb A6 N 1V –
Text Tx
VCR1 V1 A7 N 1V –
VCR2 V2 A6 N 1V –
LD LD A4 N 2V –
LV
1
N n/a –
• Source-Logo-input mapping for 562V is as shown overleaf.
1
The symbol LV stands for ‘Last Valid’. This means that there is no requirement to change the input. Even though you have
changed the Source name, the sound remains on the last selection. This is explained further on page 27.
Customising 562 using Type 18
Source-Logo-input mapping for 562V
Source Logo Audio
Input
CD CD D1 A2 n/a 1
Radio RD A3 N 2V 2 LV LV LV
LP LP A1 N +2dB –
TV TV A4 N 1V – V5 LV 0
Tape1 T1 A5 N 2V – LV LV LV
Tape2 T2 D2 N – – LV LV LV
CDR CR D3 N – – LV LV LV
Cable Cb A6 N 1V – V4 LV 1
Text Tx LV N n/a – V5 LV 0
VCR1 V1 A7 N 1V – V1 S1 2(1)
VCR2 V2 A6 N 1V – V2 S2 2(1)
2
The symbol LV stands for ‘Last Valid’.
3
The symbol BL stands for ‘Blank’. This selection attempts to blank the picture.
2nd i/p Gain Comms
type
C-video
Input
2
LV
3
BL
S-video
Input
LV LV
LV LV
FNSEL
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