Meridian Audio 598 Brochure

Background

Meridian has an outstanding reputation for disc players, having built the world’s
first audiophile CD player in 1984 and the first two-box player (transport and
converter) in 1986. Since then, Meridian has remained the undisputed leader of
CD, keeping consistently ahead of the field. The 508.24 CD Player received more
than 20 awards including a coveted Stereophile Class A rating.

Meridian has been a major force for high quality audio within the DVD Forum
during the evolution of the DVD formats. Bob Stuart, Meridian’s founding
technical leader has been a prime mover in the development and international
standardization of advanced and high-resolution audio formats. Meridian is also
the provider of MLP, the ultimate lossless coding system that is mandatory for
DVD-Audio and DVD-AR systems. Meridian’s intimate involvement with the
evolution of DVD has allowed the company to develop a product range that
includes the most capable and high performance DVD Players available.
Meridian’s award-winning 596 DVD Video Player has been widely acclaimed for
its extraordinary sound and picture quality. Most recently this pioneering
development has lead Meridian to launch Version 3 of the Class A+ 800
Reference DVD-Audio/Video and CD Machine, a player which is rapidly setting
new industry standards.

Through a process of continued development many of the features in the new
800 can be found in the company’s latest 500 Series DVD player. The much
anticipated 598 delivers the high-resolution sound of DVD-Audio and the
operational advantages of MHR Smart Link to Meridian 500 Series systems.

DVD-Audio

The 598 introduces DVD-Audio to the 500 Series. DVD-Audio is the most exciting
and flexible music format ever launched. DVD-Audio was developed with
international cooperation that included all the major music, consumer electronic
and computer manufacturers – 44 companies combined their expertise to create
this formidable specification.

The most important facet of DVD-Audio is the exquisite sound quality that it can
deliver. DVD-Audio provides for high resolution – up to 192kHz 24bit in stereo
and up to six channels of 96kHz 24bit surround. When you have experienced the
wonderful clarity of space, timbre and expression that high-resolution PCM
provides and when you have sampled the many different approaches music
producers bring to surround sound you will be addicted!

The sound of DVD-Audio is literally lifelike because, unlike any other coding or
disc system, Meridian’s lossless PCM actually delivers bit-for-bit exactly what is
on the master tape. There is absolutely no re-encoding or loss between the
mastering lab and the disc: a unique opportunity for perfection to which we are
proud to contribute.

598

Meridian DVD-Audio Player

Sales information
July 2002

• DVD-Audio, DVD-Video, CD, VCD,

CVCD and MP3 discs

• Integrated software based movie

format decoding

• Encrypted digital audio output via

MHR Smart Link (optional)

• Superb picture quality

• Exceptional sound quality

• Composite, S and

Component/RGB video outputs

• Optional DCDi progressive video

• SCART version available

• Exceptional CD performance

• High-quality 6-channel analogue

version using 192kHz 24-bit DACs

• Full RS232 control and status

• Software updateable

• Modular internal construction

facilitates upgrades

Meridian Audio Limited

Stonehill, Stukeley Meadows
Huntingdon
Cambridgeshire PE29 6EX

T [phone]
F [phone]

Meridian America Inc.

Suite 122, Building 2400
3800 Camp Creek Parkway
Atlanta GA 30331

T [phone]
F [phone]

www.meridian-audio.com

As part of the DVD family, DVD-Audio also provides visual content and the option
for added-value materials such as menus, playlists, lyrics, biographies and a
seamless transition to and from movie segments.

As you might expect from Meridian, the user interface in 598 gives you the
complete option to enjoy or ignore visual content while listening to music and
discs can be played with or without access to their visual menus.

Meridian 598

Meridian’s 598 incorporates many of the technologies on which Meridian have
built their pioneering reputation. Designed around a proven DVD-ROM drive and
with proprietary disc navigation for CD, DVD-Video and DVD-Audio, the 598 is a
true Meridian thoroughbred. No fewer than two powerful DSP engines and three
FIFO buffers are used to smooth the delivery of audio and video, the resulting
low jitter benefits picture and sound quality alike.

598 introduces many exciting features to Meridian’s 500 Series in addition to
DVD-Audio.

The ability to decode movie soundtracks inside the player using Meridian’s
proprietary software-based format decoding is another of 598’s impressive
features. This powerful facility enables the player to output multichannel audio
from DVD-Video discs encoded with PCM, Dolby Digital or DTS. For those lucky
enough to pair 598 with either Meridian’s 568.2 or 861 Surround Processors, this
output enables the processor to upsample and resolution-enhance CD and DVD
recordings and to distribute audio through up to eight channels at up to 96kHz
24bit resolution. The playback process brings dramatic improvements to movie
soundtracks and to music of all kinds. It also means that favourites such as
Trifield can be enjoyed with high-resolution audio through all your speakers.

Naturally, 598 is also a first-rate CD player, incorporating Meridian’s extensive
techniques for extracting every last ounce of detail and performance from your
CD collection.

Output Options

To allow compatibility with other products and to ensure maximum functionality in
a wide range of systems, the 598 is made available in six different output
configurations.

Model name Audio Output type Video Output type

598 D MHR Smart Link Standard BNC
598 DP MHR Smart Link Progressive BNC
598 DS MHR Smart Link Standard SCART
598 A 6 Channel Analogue Standard BNC
598 AP 6 Channel Analogue Progressive BNC
598 AS 6 Channel Analogue Standard SCART

MHR Smart Link

MHR Smart Link is Meridian’s digital multichannel connection that allows the
latest generation of Meridian DVD players to feed high-resolution audio directly to
a compatible surround sound controller or Meridian DSP Loudspeakers. To
achieve this, MHR Smart Link uses proprietary encryption and signalling
technology and is the first digital connection to be officially sanctioned by the
music industry for DVD-Audio content.

The option to specify an MHR Smart Link output from 598 means that when used
in combination with either Meridian’s 568.2 or 861 V3, the full resolution of DVD­Audio recordings (as well as those from CD and DVD-Video) is losslessly
transferred in the digital domain from player to surround controller and on to the
loudspeakers.

This technically advanced feature brings real performance benefits to your home
audio system. By allowing signals to be transferred with uniquely low levels of
jitter, MHR Smart Link delivers the most transparent audio from DVD-Audio,
DVD-Video and CD. In addition to audible benefits, intelligent stream information
passed through the MHR Smart Link enables the surround controller to
automatically select correct DSP modes and speaker settings for music and
movies, distinguishing also stereo and multichannel material.

MHR Smart Link: a simple benefit with dramatic effect.

598

Meridian DVD-Audio Player

Meridian Audio Limited

Stonehill, Stukeley Meadows
Huntingdon
Cambridgeshire PE29 6EX

T [phone]
F [phone]

Meridian America Inc.

Suite 122, Building 2400
3800 Camp Creek Parkway
Atlanta GA 30331

T [phone]
F [phone]

www.meridian-audio.com