Meridian Audio 861 User Manual

861 Reference Digital Surround
Controller User Guide

ii

Preface

Important safety instructions

Read the instructions.

•

Keep these instructions.

•

Follow all instructions.

•

Do not use this apparatus near water.

•

Clean only with a dry cloth.

•

Install only in accordance with the manufacturer’s

•

instructions.
Refer all servicing to approved service personnel.

•

WARNING: TO REDUCE THE RISK OF FIRE OR
ELECTRIC SHOCK, DO NOT EXPOSE THIS
APPARATUS TO RAIN OR MOISTURE.

This apparatus has been designed with Class 1
construction and must be connected to a mains socket
outlet with a protective earthing connection (the third
grounding pin).

To avoid overheating

Leave at least 10cm around the equipment to ensure

•

sufficient ventilation.

Do not position the unit:

In direct sunlight.

•

Near heat sources, such as a radiator.

•

Directly on top of heat producing equipment, such as

•

a power amplifier.

To avoid interference

Do not position the unit:

Near strong electrical or magnetic radiation, such as

•

near a power amplifier.

This apparatus uses a single-pole power switch. As
a result it is not isolated from AC mains power when
switched off at the rear panel. The apparatus may
be isolated from mains power either by unplugging
the power connector from the rear of the unit, or by
unplugging the connector at the opposing end of the
power cord or cable from its supply outlet. As a result,
either or both of these connectors should remain
accessible

Safety warnings

Do not expose the unit to dripping or splashing.

•

Do not place any object filled with liquid, such as a

•

vase, on the unit.
Do not place naked flame sources, such as lighted

•

candles, on the unit.

Radio interference

FCC Warning: This equipment generates and can

radiate radio frequency energy and if not installed and
used correctly in accordance with our instructions may
cause interference to radio communications or radio
and television reception. It has been type-tested and
complies with the limits set out in Subpart J, Part 15 of
FCC rules for a Class B computing device. These limits
are intended to provide reasonable protection against
such interference in home installations.

EEC: This product has been designed and type-tested
to comply with the limits set out in EN55013 and
EN55020.

Contents

iii

Contents

Introduction 1

The 861 Reference Digital Surround Controller 2

DSP presets and layouts 4

Specifications 6

Using the 861 Reference Digital Surround
Controller 7

Front panel keys 8

MSR+ keys 9

Switching on and off 10

Selecting a source 11

Adjusting the volume 12

Changing the DSP preset 13

Changing the display 14

Customising the 861 Reference Digital
Surround Controller 15

Locking and unlocking the menus 16

Changing the DSP parameters 17

Changing treble, bass, or phase 19

Changing the listening position 20

Changing the integration of the centre 21

Changing the spaciousness of the sound 22

Changing the LipSync 23

Changing the DSP preset for a source 24

Defining your own presets 25

DSP presets 27

DSP presets for two-channel material 28

DSP presets for multichannel material 32

Installing the 861 Reference Digital Surround
Controller 35

Unpacking 36

Applications 39

Configuring the 861 Reference Digital
Surround Controller 45

Choosing a standard setting 46

Calibrating the system 48

Calibration tests 49

Setting up sources 51

Sinewave sweep test 53

Index 55

iv

Preface

Copyright and acknowledgements

Sales and service in the UK

Meridian Audio Ltd
Latham Road
Huntingdon
Cambridgeshire
PE29 6YE
England

Tel [phone]
Fax [phone]

Sales and service in the USA

Meridian America Inc
8055 Troon Circle
Suite C
Austell
GA30168-7849
USA

Tel [phone]
Fax [phone]

Designed and manufactured in the UK

Meridian Audio Ltd
Latham Road
Huntingdon
Cambridgeshire
PE29 6YE
England

Copyright © 1999-2010 Meridian Audio Ltd.

Manufactured under license from Dolby Laboratories Licensing
Corporation (Canadian patent 1,037,877), Lucasfilm Ltd. (US
patents 5,043,970; 5,189,703; 5,222,059. European patent

0323830), Trifield Productions Ltd, and Nimbus Records Ltd.

MHR: this product incorporates copyright protection technology
covered by certain patent applications and intellectual property
of Meridian Audio Ltd. This technology is provided for the
express purpose of securely containing copyright audio within
the Meridian System only. Reverse engineering or circumvention
of this protection is strictly prohibited.

Dolby, Dolby Digital, Pro Logic, AC-3, PLII, and the double­D symbol are trademarks of Dolby Laboratories Licensing
Corporation. Lucasfilm, THX, and THX Cinema are registered
trademarks of Lucasfilm Ltd. Surround EX is a jointly developed
technology of THX and Dolby Laboratories, Inc. and is a
trademark of Dolby Laboratories, Inc. All rights reserved. Used
under authorisation. DTS is a registered trademark of Digital
Theatre Systems Inc. MPEG is a registered trademark of
the MPEG organisation. Ambisonic is a registered trademark
of Nimbus Records Ltd. Trifield is a trademark of Trifield
Productions Ltd. LaserDisc is a trademark of Pioneer Electric
Corp.

Boothroyd|Stuart Meridian, Meridian, Meridian Digital Theatre,
MHR, MLP, LipSync, and Sooloos are registered trademarks of
Meridian Audio Ltd.

This guide was produced by:
Human-Computer Interface Ltd,
http://www.interface.co.uk

Visit us on the Web:
http://www.meridian-audio.com

Part no: 861U/8 (P85625)

Introduction

Welcome to the Meridian 861 Reference Digital Surround Controller.

This User Guide provides full information about using the surround
controller in conjunction with your other equipment, to achieve the superb
results you can expect from it.

1

Introduction

2

Introduction

The 861 Reference Digital Surround Controller

Digital signal processing, or DSP, is a technique
pioneered by Meridian in hi-fi products for achieving
extremely accurate reproduction of audio signals.
Unlike conventional analogue systems – which process
signals using electronic circuits based on resistors,
capacitors, and inductors – DSP works by performing
exact mathematical calculations on digital versions of
the signals.

The advantage of DSP over analogue circuitry is that
the signals are held as precise numbers, rather than
voltages in a circuit. This means that any number
of stages of processing can be performed with high
precision, and without any of the cumulative noise or
degradation that inevitably occurs, even with high­quality analogue circuitry. In addition, several of the
surround-sound decoding techniques and signal
improvement techniques available in the 861 would be
virtually impossible to implement in analogue circuitry.

At Meridian we have taken advantage of the availability
of high speed DSP microprocessors to incorporate
DSP in hi-fi products, and the 861 is the result of over
a decade of our research and development in this field.

The 861 takes advantage of DSP for several different
functions:

To de-jitter incoming digital signals and expand the

•

precision of the signal.
To perform filtering or adjustment of the frequency

•

response; eg treble or bass.
To decode digitally-encoded signals from Dolby

•

Digital (AC-3), DTS, or MPEG Audio.
To process the audio into a multichannel signal, and

•

match the source channels to the configuration of
main loudspeakers and subwoofers in the system.

The 861 converts analogue input signals to digital
format, using high-quality analogue-to-digital converters
(ADCs). Digital signals, from CD, DVD, or digital
broadcasting, are already in digital format and do not
need to be converted.

The signals are then retained in digital form throughout
the 861 until they are converted back to analogue
form at the analogue outputs, to drive power
amplifiers. If you are using the 861 with Meridian DSP
Loudspeakers, the signals remain in digital form until
the last possible stage.

The architecture of the 861 allows for wide flexibility
– future sources and formats can be handled by
upgrading either software or cards.

Meridian MHR Smartlink and MMHR

The 861 Reference Digital Surround Controller
incorporates the unique MHR SmartLink and MMHR
multichannel links. The MHR SmartLink allows it to
receive an upsampled 6-channel PCM stream from a
compatible source such as the Meridian 800 Reference
DVD/CD Player. The MMHR receives an 8-channel
PCM stream from a compatible system such as the
Meridian HD621 HDMI Audio Processor.

Meridian MHR Smartlink and Meridian MMHR obtain
intelligent stream content information from the source,
allowing the 861 Reference Digital Surround Controller
to select an appropriate preset depending on whether
the source is music or a movie soundtrack, and
whether it is 2-channel or multichannel.

Inputs

The 861 is a full-system controller preamp that
provides seamless control of up to 12 sources.

By providing digital as well as analogue inputs the 861
can give radically higher sound quality for sources that
are originally digital – like CD, Digital Radio and DVD.

As well as accepting 2-channel or multichannel
digital audio, the 861 will handle SPDIF-encoded
Dolby Digital, DTS, or MPEG from sources like DVD,
Satellite, and BluRay.

Processing

The Meridian 861 routes all signals – if necessary via
a 24-bit A/D converter – into the digital domain for
processing in the highly developed Meridian DSP cards.

The incoming signals are processed using a variety of
proprietary algorithms, and up to eight output signals
are generated. These output signals can be used to
feed a number of speaker layouts, ranging from two to
eight loudspeakers.

The on-board algorithms include Meridian’s own highly
transparent Dolby Pro Logic, PLII, Dolby Digital, MPEG
Surround, DTS, THX extensions, TV Logic, and a
variety of award-winning music programs including
Trifield and Ambisonic.

Outputs

3

Introduction

The eight outputs can be provided as digital signals
to feed Meridian DSP Loudspeakers, or as variable
analogue outputs using a proprietary on-board 24-bit
resolution conversion method.

Room Correction

The Meridian 861 can be used in conjunction with the
Meridian Configuration Program to create a set of one
or more room correction profiles matched to your room.
A profile can then be selected to compensate for room
artefacts, including resonances and reflections, or for
imbalances between the speakers, to give a significant
improvement in the sound.

4

Introduction

DSP presets and layouts

The 861 provides an extensive range of options for
decoding and processing analogue and digital signals
for multichannel reproduction.

Music on CD or radio

The following DSP presets add a surround dimension
to stereo recordings, such as on audio CDs or radio.

Music extracts the mono and surround components
of the original recording for the centre and surround
speakers to give a spacious open sound field.

Trifield is similar to Music but generates a centre­front signal that is completely integrated with the front
stereo image, for a more stable, accurate, and focused
stereo image. The image width is also adjustable.

Super produces a very good surround effect with
many live recordings.

PLIIx Music and Music Logic are recommended for
use with studio produced music, and provide different
options for adjusting the sound field.

Two-channel movie soundtracks on
DVD, video, and TV

Many movie soundtracks are Dolby Surround Encoded
onto a two-channel stereo soundtrack.

The following DSP presets re-create the surround
components from this type of material:

PLIIx Movie is Dolby’s recommended choice for
Dolby Surround Encoded material, and PLIIx THX
provides a variant of this better suited to home
listening.

TV Logic uses the same processing techniques as
PLIIx Movie but with adjustable steering to give

better results with TV material.

Special presets for two-channel
materials

Direct uses only the left and right speakers; compare
this with the effect of surround processing using the
other modes. Stereo will use a subwoofer if it is
present.

Ambisonics is specially designed for two-channel
materials that are UHJ Ambisonically encoded, such as
certain audio CDs. The encoded surround information
is recovered and played back using all the loudspeakers
in your system. In addition it will give impressive results
with other two-channel material.

Multichannel movie soundtracks on
DVD

The following presets are designed for use with
multichannel movie soundtracks encoded using Dolby
Digital or DTS. Typically these are labelled 5.1 because
they provide five full-range channels (three front and
two rear) and one LFE (bass effects) channel.

Cinema and THX decode the soundtrack to render
the original six channels to your speaker layout. THX
adds some additional signal processing to match the
sound to typical home listening conditions.

PLIIx Mov6, PLIIx Mus6, THX Surround EX,
THX Ultra2, and THX Music create an additional

pair of surround channels from the 5.1 channel
soundtrack and are available if you have four surround
speakers in your system. Use PLIIx Mus6 or THX
Music for music.

Multichannel music recordings

The following presets are recommended for music
recordings containing more than two channels:

Discrete renders the source channels to your speaker
layout with the ultimate precision and transparency.

Ambisonics is especially designed for multichannel
recordings on DVD-Audio discs that use Ambisonic
encoding.

Speaker layouts

The surround controller provides great flexibility in the
way in which you use the loudspeakers in your system.
With the Meridian Configuration Program you can
specify three different speaker layouts, each with a
different use of subwoofers and centre speaker:

5

Introduction

Layout DSP presets

Music For music presets: two-channel (eg

Trifield) and multichannel (eg Discrete).

Logic For two-channel movie presets:

eg PLIIx Movie.

5.1 Movie For multichannel movie presets:
eg Cinema.

6

Introduction

Specifications

Audio in and out

Up to 12 analogue inputs. User-adjustable sensitivity.

•

Re-nameable legends.
Up to 12 digital inputs. Re-nameable legends. 32 to

•

96kHz sampling, and up to 24-bit precision.
Up to 8 digital outputs.

•

Up to 8 analogue outputs.

•

Up to 4 configurable 6-channel analogue inputs.

•

Control signals

3 trigger outputs, programmable by source.

•

Meridian Comms and RS232 for control and setup.

•

Controls, etc.

Front-panel facia controls for:

Source, DSP, Mute, Volume, and Off.

•

Hinged control panel provides additional switches for:

Display, Copy, Store, parameter menus, Assign,

•

Calibrate, and Configure.

Display

20-character dot-matrix display: adjustable brightness

•

and contrast.
Lights for Dolby, Digital, THX, DTS, and MPEG.

•

Using the 861 Reference Digital
Surround Controller

This chapter provides a summary of the functions of the 861 Reference
Digital Surround Controller to identify the controls which you use to
operate the unit.

It also provides step-by-step instructions for operating the digital
surround controller, using either the front panel or the MSR+.

7

Using the 861

Reference Digital

Surround Controller

8

Using the 861

Reference Digital

Surround Controller

OffDSP MuteSourceReference Digital Surround Controller 861

Calibrate

Configure

AssignStoreCopyDisplay

Display

Shows the current

source, DSP

preset, and volume

DSP

Changes the DSP

preset selected for

a source

Mute

Mutes or restores

the sound

Volume

down/up

Change the

volume

Off

Switches to

standby

Source

Selects the

source

Configure

Selects the

sinewave test

signal

Display

Changes the

information

displayed on the

front panel

Store

Stores the

parameters for a

preset

Menu keys

Allow you to

select and change

DSP

parameters

Indicators

Show the current

DSP processing

mode

Indicators

Show the current

DSP processing

mode

Calibrate

Sets up the

loudspeakers

Assign

Assigns the current

DSP preset to the

current source

Copy

Copies a source to

the tape output

Front panel keys

9

1

OpenOpen

AudioAudio

CD

1

4

7

FunctionFunction

RADIO

2

5

8

0

DVD

3

6

9

AUX DISC

Return

RecordRecord

TAPE

Enter

TV

Menu

SetupSetup

CABLE SAT VCR1

Store

SubtitleRepeat

Clear

DSP

Display Mute

VCR2 GAME OFF

PowerPower

BandBand AngleAngle OSDOSD

Top Menu

##

PagePage

SlowSlow

PhasePhase

PagePage

A-BA-B

OFF

Switches
Meridian
equipment to
standby

Volume
keys/Mute

Change the
volume

Menu keys

For navigating DVD menus or,
with the Function key, editing

DSP parameters

Indicator

Flashes when you send a

command.

Includes sensor for backlight

Transport keys

For controlling a CD player, DVD

player, or tuner

Display

Changes the front-panel display

of the current source or, with the

Function key, of the system

controller

Number keys

For controlling a

tuner, CD player, or

DVD player

Source keys

Select a source to

turn on from

standby

Function

Hold down to

select a secondary

command

Top Menu

For controlling a DVD player

Record/Band/Angle/OSD

For controlling DVD and other

sources, and colour commands

for TV services

Store/Clear

For programming a tuner or CD

player or, with the Function

key,

DSP presets

MSR+ keys

Using the 861

Reference Digital

Surround Controller

10

Using the 861

Reference Digital

Surround Controller

Switching on and off

When not playing, the digital surround controller should
be left in the standby state. This ensures that the
components of the digital surround controller operate at
maximum efficiency from the moment you start.

If you are not going to use the digital surround
controller for several days you should switch the unit off
completely at the rear panel, and disconnect it from the
AC power supply.

To switch on from standby

Press Source (front panel), or select a source by

•

pressing the appropriate source key on the remote;
eg CD.

If the digital surround controller is part of a Meridian
system it will automatically switch on any other unit
in the system, such as the 800 Reference DVD/CD
Player and Meridian DSP Loudspeakers.

To switch to standby

Press Off (front panel or remote).

•

If you have other Meridian equipment or Meridian
DSP Loudspeakers connected to the digital surround
controller these units will also switch to standby.

11

Selecting a source

The digital surround controller provides the following 12
sources:

CD, Radio, DVD, Aux, Disc, Tape, TV, Cable, Sat,
VCR1, VCR2, and Game.

The input and DSP preset associated with each source
depends on how the digital surround controller has
been set up; for more information see

sources

, page 51.

Your installer may have customised the labels
displayed for each source to suit your other
equipment.

To select a source

Press Source (front panel) until the display shows

•

the source you want, or press the appropriate source
key on the remote; eg CD.

The display shows the source, DSP preset, and volume
setting.

Setting up

Using the 861

Reference Digital

Surround Controller

For example, if you select the CD source:

The display shows:

The 861 Reference Digital Surround Controller
mutes the sound while you change source.

CD Trifield 65

12

Using the 861

Reference Digital

Surround Controller

Adjusting the volume

The 861 Reference Digital Surround Controller adjusts
the volume in precise steps of 1dB, where 9dB is
equivalent to doubling the loudness. The current volume
setting is displayed in dB on the front-panel display,
and can be varied in the range 1 to 99dB. When you
first connect power to the digital surround controller
the volume is set to 65, which is similar to the mid-way
position of the rotary volume control on a conventional
preamplifier.

A setting of 87 corresponds to THX reference gain,
the level at which film soundtracks are mixed.

For normal to high level listening you should expect to
use volume levels in the range 60 to 90.

On a system with analogue outputs the volume on
startup can be set using the Meridian Configuration
Program. For details see the

Program Guide

, available separately.

Meridian Configuration

To restore the sound

Press Mute again.

•

Alternatively, the sound will be restored if you adjust the
volume.

To change the volume

Press A or V (front panel), or the red A or V keys

•

on the remote.

As you adjust the volume setting the display shows the
current volume level.

For example:

CD Trifield 70

To mute the sound

Press Mute (front panel or remote).

•

The display will show: Mute

13

Changing the DSP preset

Each source has a set of DSP presets associated with
it, one for each of the alternative content types: Music
2 (2-channel music), Music 6 (multichannel music),
Movie 2 (2-channel movie soundtrack), or Movie 6
(multichannel movie soundtrack).

When you choose a source, a DSP preset is selected
depending on the incoming content type.

For example, if you have selected the CD source and
are playing a conventional CD, the Trifield DSP preset
will initially be selected.

You may then wish to choose a different DSP preset,
such as Music or Ambisonics.

You can also change the default DSP preset assigned
to the source; see
page 24.

The sequence of DSP presets for each content type is
as follows:

To assign a DSP preset to a source

,

To change the DSP preset

Press DSP (front panel or remote) to step between

•

the different DSP presets.

You will be able to choose any of the predefined DSP
presets, or any user-defined presets you have stored.

The 861 Reference Digital Surround Controller
mutes the sound while you change DSP preset, to
avoid clicks in the speakers.

Using the 861

Reference Digital

Surround Controller

Content type Presets available

Music 2, Movie 2 Music, Trifield, Ambisonics, Super

Stereo, Music Logic, PLIIx Music,
Stereo, Direct, PLIIx Movie, PLIIx
THX, TV Logic, Mono.

Music 6 Discrete, PLIIx Mus6, THX Music,

Ambisonics B format.

Movie 6 Cinema, PLIIx Mov6, THX, THX

Surround EX, THX Ultra2 Cinema.

In each case these will be followed by any user-defined
presets you have stored for the appropriate content
type.

14

Using the 861

Reference Digital

Surround Controller

Changing the display

The 861 Reference Digital Surround Controller displays
information about the current settings on the 20­character front-panel display. In addition, it can display
the same information superimposed on a video image.

You can adjust the contrast and brightness of the front­panel display for optimum viewing, and choose what
information is displayed.

The digital surround controller automatically stores
these settings, even with the power off.

To change the contrast

Hold down Function and press > or < on the

•

remote, or press the corresponding menu keys under
the front panel, until the display shows the current
contrast setting.

For example: CD Contrast 8

Hold down Function and press A or V on the

•

remote, or press the corresponding menu keys under
the front panel, to change the display contrast.

You can change the contrast between 0 and 15.

To change the brightness

Hold down Function and press > or < on the

•

remote, or press the corresponding menu keys under
the front panel, until the display shows the current
brightness setting.

To change the displayed information

Press Display (remote or under the front panel).

•

For example: TV ProLogic

Each time you press Display the display will step
between the options shown in the following table.

Display option Example

Source, DSP
preset, and volume.

Source, DSP
preset, and THX
reference level.

Audio format, no. of
channels, content
type, & sample rate.

Blank.

If the Diagnostic display option has been selected,
additional diagnostic displays are included; refer to
the Meridian Web site at www.meridian-audio.com for
details.

In addition, the following symbols on the front-panel
display indicate which of the DSP processing modes
are operating, or what the original format was if
received via the Meridian MHR Smartlink:

DVD-A Ambisonics 65

DVD-A Ambisonics -22

DVD-A PCM Music6 44k

For example: CD Bright 11

Hold down Function and press A or V on the

•

remote, or press the corresponding menu keys under
the front panel, to change the display brightness.

You can change the brightness between 0 and 15.

Symbol What it means

Dolby processing is operating.

DIGITAL

MPEG

Input is Dolby Digital.

THX processing is operating.

Input is DTS.

Input is MPEG.

Customising the 861 Reference
Digital Surround Controller

In addition to being able to change the source, volume, and DSP preset,
the 861 Reference Digital Surround Controller provides a sophisticated
range of more advanced adjustments for each DSP preset, to allow you
to tailor the sound.

This chapter explains how to change these parameters, using the
menu keys on the remote or under the front panel, and gives detailed
instructions for adjusting common parameters.

15

Customising the 861

Reference Digital

Surround Controller

For information about the parameters specific to individual presets see
the chapter

DSP presets

, page 27.

16

Customising the 861

Reference Digital

Surround Controller

Locking and unlocking the menus

To simplify the normal operation of the digital surround
controller, and to protect the settings from accidental
changes, you can lock the menus so that the DSP
parameters cannot be accessed.

The only parameters available with the menus locked
are Brightness and Contrast.

To display or change the DSP presets, or to define
your own presets, you first need to unlock the digital
surround controller menus.

To unlock the menus

Press Off (front panel or remote) to put the digital

•

surround controller in standby.

Press and hold down the Store button under the

•

front panel for a few seconds.

The display shows:

Unlocked

To lock the menus

Repeat the above sequence.

•

The display shows:

Locked

17

Changing the DSP parameters

Each DSP preset provides a series of parameters that
you can vary to customise the behaviour of the preset
to your specific requirements. For example, most
presets provide Balance and Depth parameters to
allow you to alter the characteristics of the sound.

For each of the built-in DSP presets these parameters
are set to standard values, designed to give the best
sound in typical listening conditions and with most
source materials. Each time you select a different DSP
preset the parameters are reset to these standard
values, even if you have previously altered them.

Parameter Range Default What it changes

Treble* -10dB to +10dB +0.0dB The slope of the frequency response.

Bass* -5dB to +5dB +0.0dB The bass response.

Phase* + or - + The absolute phase.

Axis† -2 to +3 -1 The vertical balance.

Balance <10 to 10> <0> The L-R balance.

HS Out?* Y or N Y

Centre -3.0dB to +3.0dB +0.0dB The level of the centre.

Depth -2.5ms to +5ms +0.0ms The delay of the centre.

Rear -30dB to +10dB +0dB The level of the rears.

Sides -30dB to +10dB +0dB The level of the sides.

R Delay 0ms to 30ms Varies The delay of the rears.

S Delay 0ms to 30ms Varies The delay of the sides.

LipSync 0ms to 50ms 0ms The sync. delay.

RC As defined Bypassed

Select Y for high-rate audio, upsampled if necessary. Select N for
standard-rate audio, downsampled if necessary.

The Room Correction profile, or Bypassed for no room correction

You can save the changes you have made to one or
more DSP parameters in place of the original DSP
preset. Alternatively you can create a new user-defined
DSP preset with a name of your choice. User-defined
presets appear in the list of DSP presets after the
built-in ones. For more information about doing this see

Defining your own presets

Standard parameters

All DSP presets (except Mono, Stereo, and Direct)
provide the following standard parameters:

Customising the 861

Reference Digital

Surround Controller

, page 25.

* These parameters apply to all DSP presets.
† Axis is only available with Meridian DSP loudspeakers.

Individual DSP presets provide additional parameters, to allow you to adjust specific features provided by that
preset. For full details refer to

DSP presets

, page 27.

Note: Parameters not relevant to your configuration, such as Sides in a five-speaker system, are omitted from
the sequence of menus.

18

Customising the 861

Reference Digital

Surround Controller

To change a DSP parameter

Make sure the menus are unlocked; see

•

the menus

Press > or < (remote or under the front panel) until

•

the display shows the name of the parameter you
want to change.

For example:

Press A or V (remote or under the front panel) to

•

change the value of the parameter.

As you change the value you will be able to hear the
effect on the sound, and the display will show the
current value. After a short delay the display will revert
to the normal display of DSP preset and volume.

, page 16.

CD Depth +0.0

To unlock

19

Changing treble, bass, or phase

The digital surround controller provides sophisticated
treble and bass controls, to allow you to adjust
the broad balance of the system to correct for the
acoustics of your listening room, or for a misbalanced
recording.

The controls are more subtle than conventional
tone controls, and take advantage of digital signal
processing techniques to provide a more natural
adjustment of the frequency response.

You can also change the absolute phase of the signal,
to compensate for recordings which are out of phase.

In each case all the outputs of the digital surround
controller are given the same frequency adjustment, to
ensure a correct surround effect.

If you have a Meridian DSP Loudspeaker the
Treble and Bass settings apply to all DSP presets.

To change the bass

Press < or > until the display shows the current

•

bass setting.

For example:

Press A or V to change the bass.

•

The bass control allows you to adjust the bass
response in the room by ±5dB in 0.5dB steps.
Normally settings between +3.0 and -2.0 will give the
most natural results.

To change the absolute phase

Press > or < until the display shows the current

•

phase.

For example:

Customising the 861

Reference Digital

Surround Controller

CD Bass +0.0

CD + Phase

To change the treble

Press < or > until the display shows the current

•

treble setting.

For example:

Press A or V to change the treble.

•

The treble control tilts the frequency of the response
over the entire frequency range to make the sound
more or less bright. It can be adjusted between ±10dB
in 0.5dB steps. Normally settings between +1.0 and

-2.0 will give the most natural results.

CD Treble +0.0

Press A or V to change the phase.

•

20

Customising the 861

Reference Digital

Surround Controller

Changing the listening position

A conventional stereo system provides a single balance
control, which changes the relative loudness of the
two speakers. The 861 Reference Digital Surround
Controller provides a more sophisticated adjustment
which corresponds to moving the listening position to
the left or right.

The axis control allows you to adjust the optimum
listening height of the loudspeakers, like a balance
control operating in the vertical plane. This option is
only available with Meridian DSP loudspeakers.

You can also change the level of the centre, side, and
rear loudspeakers relative to the main speakers.

To move the listening position to the
left or right

Press < or > until the display shows:

•

CD Balance <0>

To change the axis

Press < or > until the display shows the current axis

•

setting.

For example:

Press A or V to change the axis.

•

The axis can be adjusted between -2 and +3, where
0 corresponds to the axis of the treble unit. Usually a
listener will be below that position, so we recommend
settings of -1 or -2.

To change the relative level of the side
or rear loudspeakers

Press < or > until the display shows the speakers

•

you want to adjust.

For example: CD Rear +0dB

CD Axis -1

Press A or V to move the listening position.

•

The display shows the direction and position of the
listening position.

For example:

The arrow indicates the direction, and the number
indicates the position where 0 is central, 8 is in line
with the corresponding main speaker, and 10 is fully to
one side.

Note: This adjustment is not available for the Mono
preset.

CD Balance <3

Use A or V to change the relative level of the

•

speakers, in dB.

You can change the relative loudness of the rear
loudspeakers from -30dB (about one-eighth of the
loudness) to +10dB (about double the loudness).

For example, to double the loudness of the
loudspeakers:

Adjust their level until the display shows:

•

CD Rear +10dB

Note: This adjustment is not available for the Direct,
Stereo, or Mono presets.

21

Changing the integration of the centre

If you have a centre loudspeaker you can adjust its
relative loudness, to provide the best integration of the
centre with the main left and right speakers.

You can also adjust the relative delay, or depth, of the
centre speaker to give the best perspective between
the three front speakers.

Note: These adjustments are not available for the
Direct, Stereo, or Mono presets.

To change the relative level of the
centre speaker

Press > or < until the display shows the current

•

centre level.

For example:

Press A or V to change the relative level of the

•

centre speaker.

CD Centre+0.0dB

You can change the depth between -2.5ms, which
corresponds to moving the centre speaker 0.75m
(2  ') nearer to the listening position, and +5ms, which
corresponds to moving it 1.5m (5') further away from
the listening position.

Increasing the depth makes the sound more open.
Decreasing it makes the sound more focused.

Customising the 861

Reference Digital

Surround Controller

You can change the relative level by ±3dB.

To change the relative delay of the
centre speaker

Press < or > until the display shows the current

•

centre depth.

For example:

Press A or V to change the relative depth of the

•

centre speaker.

CD Depth +0.0

22

Customising the 861

Reference Digital

Surround Controller

Changing the spaciousness of the sound

You can adjust the spaciousness of the sound by
altering the delay on the rear and side channels.

Note: These adjustments are not available for the
Direct, Stereo, or Mono presets.

To change the relative delay of the rear
or side speakers

Press > or < until the display shows the current rear

•

delay.

For example:

Press A or V to change the relative delay of the rear

•

speakers.

Increasing the delay by 1ms is equivalent to moving the
speaker 0.3m (1') further away.

If you have side speakers an additional S Delay option
allows you to adjust the delay on the side speakers.

CD R Delay 0.0

For best results you should never set the S Delay
to be less than the R Delay.

23

Changing the LipSync

To adjust the LipSync

The LipSync parameter is a feature originated by
Meridian that allows you to adjust the delay between
the sound and the video image by up to 50ms, or up to
85ms if Meridian Room Correction is not being used.

Most movies are mixed for a viewing distance of 9m
(30'), and when viewed from 3.6m (12') or less the
sound arrives too early, giving a disconcerting effect.
Using the LipSync parameter you can add an overall
delay to the sound to accommodate your closer home
viewing distance.

Many TV broadcasts delay the picture by half a frame,
and can benefit from a LipSync setting of 12ms.

Note: The LipSync setting is associated with a source
rather than a DSP preset. The value set here will be
applied whenever that source is selected, whatever the
DSP preset.

Press > or < until the display shows the current

•

LipSync.

Customising the 861

Reference Digital

Surround Controller

For example: CD LipSync 0.0

Press A or V to change the delay in milliseconds.

•

You can adjust the delay between 0 and 85ms, where
30ms corresponds to sitting 9m (30') further away
from the screen.

24

Customising the 861

Reference Digital

Surround Controller

Changing the DSP preset for a source

Each source has an appropriate DSP preset associated
with it for each music format. For example, for a
standard stereo (PCM) signal the CD source uses
Trifield and the TV source uses TV Logic.

This section explains how to change the DSP preset
associated with any source.

To assign a DSP preset to a source

Make sure the menus are unlocked; see

•

the menus

Select the source you want to change by pressing

•

the Source key on the front panel or the appropriate
source button on the remote, eg CD.

If necessary, select a signal in the appropriate format.

•

For example, to change the DSP preset used for
DTS compact discs, play a DTS CD.

The display will show the source and the DSP preset
currently assigned to that source.

, page 16.

To unlock

For example:

Press A or V until the display shows the new DSP

•

preset you want to assign.

For example: CD MusicLogic 65

Press Assign (under the front panel) to save the

•

new assignment.

CD Trifield 65

25

Defining your own presets

The 861 Reference Digital Surround Controller allows
you to modify any of the built-in presets, and save
them for future use.

You can either save the changes to the built-in preset,
or you can create up to 10 presets of your own, with
names of your choice, so you can use them alongside
the built-in presets.

To save the preset settings

Make sure the menus are unlocked; see

•

the menus

Press DSP (front panel or remote) to select the

•

preset you want to modify.

Change the preset parameters to the values you want

•

to store; see

Press Store (remote or under the front panel).

•

The display shows the next available user-defined
preset.

For example: Store User 1

, page 16.

To change a DSP parameter

To unlock

, page 18.

A flashing cursor shows the letter you are editing:

•

Store •ser 1

Press > or < to select the character position you

•

want to edit.

Press A or V to change the character.

•

Each press steps through the sequence A to Z, a to z,
0 to 9, full stop, and blank. You can also select a blank
directly by pressing Clear on the remote.

For example, you could change the name to:

Store La Scala

When you have entered the name you want to use

•

press Store.

The display shows: Stored

To make the new preset the default for the current
source and audio format:

Customising the 861

Reference Digital

Surround Controller

If you want to overwrite an existing user-defined

•

preset press A to select the preset you want to
overwrite.

For example:

Alternatively press V to choose the built-in preset you
started with.

For example:

Press Store (remote or under the front panel).

•

The settings have been stored in the new or existing
preset you selected.

If you are defining a user preset you can now edit the
name of the preset if you wish.

Store Classical

Store Trifield

Press Assign (under the front panel).

•

To clear a user-defined preset

Make sure the menus are unlocked; see

•

the menus

Press DSP (front panel) or Preset (remote) to

•

select the preset you want to clear.

Press and hold down Clear (remote) for several

•

seconds.

The display shows: Preset Clear

If you clear a preset that was saved over a built-in
preset, the original preset name and settings are
restored.

, page 16.

To unlock

26

Customising the 861

Reference Digital

Surround Controller

DSP presets

This chapter gives technical information about each of the DSP presets
built in to the 861 Reference Digital Surround Controller, including
information about which preset you should select for different types of
material. It also gives details of the special DSP parameters available for
each preset.

27

DSP Presets

28

DSP Presets

DSP presets for two-channel material

The digital surround controller provides several signal
processing options for two-channel material. The Music
DSP presets are designed for use with music from
sources such as CD or radio:

Music, Trifield, Ambisonics, Super Stereo, Music

•

Logic, PLIIx Music, Stereo, and Direct.

The Logic DSP presets are designed for use with film
soundtracks or TV programmes:

PLIIx Movie, PLIIx THX, TV Logic, and Mono.

•

The Music and Logic DSP presets use the Music and
Logic speaker layout respectively; see
page 5.

Speaker layouts

Music

The Music DSP preset extracts the mono and
surround components of the original recording. These
components provide an alternative representation of
the original sound, and this is sometimes used for
recording systems or in broadcasts such as FM radio.
The mono element is equalised using a proprietary
Meridian technique to match the tone colour of the
centre speaker, and to compensate for the fact that the
frequency response of human hearing changes with
direction.

The Music DSP preset is recommended for recordings
made with spaced omnidirectional microphones, or
using a mono-surround technique.

Trifield

As for the Music DSP preset, the Trifield preset
extracts the mono and surround components of the
original recording. It then calculates the signals for the
front, left, centre, and right speakers, using the phase
and amplitude differences between the three front
channels, to redistribute the sounds on a frequency­dependent basis.

This gives a significant improvement over traditional

stereo, which converts the differences between the
microphone signals into amplitude differences in the
speaker signals. This version of the Trifield algorithm is
virtually impossible to implement without digital signal
processing.

Trifield is recommended for well-made recordings
and stereo television broadcasts that are not Dolby
Surround encoded. An advantage over the Music DSP
preset is that the front stereo image is more focused,

and the width of the image can be adjusted.

Music and Trifield DSP preset

,

parameters

Parameter Options What it changes

Centre Flat, EQ1–3 The timbre of the centre

Width† 0–1.5 The width of the image.

Surr. Rear Surr. Rear,

Surr. Side,
Surr. All

R Filter Off, 1kHz,

3kHz, 7kHz

S Filter Off, 1kHz,

3kHz, 7kHz

† Trifield only.

Ambisonics

The Ambisonics DSP preset can decode two-channel
UHJ format, the stereo-compatible surround encoding
found on Ambisonically-recorded discs and broadcasts.
This material is specifically encoded for surround
reproduction and can give breathtakingly realistic sound
when replayed using the digital surround controller.

loudspeaker.

Switches the surround
signal between the side
and rear speakers.

The cutoff of high
frequencies from the
rear surrounds.

The cutoff of high
frequencies from the
side surrounds.

29

DSP Presets

Ambisonic surround sound is quite unlike conventional
stereo. A special microphone can be used to capture
the sound of the original performance in all three
dimensions, allowing a recording to be made in a
special format (B-Format) that describes the soundfield
exactly at the microphone position. Alternatively,
special mixing techniques including Ambisonic spatial
localisation controls (panpots) can be used to mix
conventional multitrack into the same Ambisonic
surround format. The channels of this recording can
then be encoded using a phase-amplitude matrix (UHJ)
to allow the surround information to be conveyed,
typically via a two-channel medium such as disc or FM
broadcast. On playback, the decoder reconstructs the
soundfield captured by the original recording.

The digital surround controller uses accurately matched,
frequency-dependent, phase-amplitude matrices to
decode the signal and construct the signals for each
speaker feed.

The fundamental difference between Ambisonics
surround sound and conventional stereo is that the
signals from all the speakers combine to produce a
coherent soundfield at the listening position, giving the
illusion that you are sitting inside the recording space
whether you are at the exact central seat or well off to
one side.

Of all the signal-processing options, Ambisonics is the
one that requires the greatest attention to speaker
choice and positioning.

Super

Super synthesises a signal from a conventional stereo
recording or broadcast so that it can be decoded using
the Ambisonic decoder. The result is especially effective
for two particular types of recordings:

Those using true coincident microphone techniques.

•

Multi-tracked or multi-miked recordings.

•

Ambisonics and Super DSP preset
parameters

Parameter Options What it changes

Width* 0 to 1 The width of the image.

Row† A, C, E, G, I,

K, M

Channels 7, 6, 5, 4 The number of

R Filter Off, 3kHz,

7kHz, 9kHz

S Filter Off, 3kHz,

7kHz, 9kHz

The seating position;
the letters are like rows
in a hall.

speakers.

The cutoff of high
frequencies from the
rear surrounds.

The cutoff of high
frequencies from the
side surrounds.

* Super only.
† Ambisonics only.

MusicLogic

MusicLogic is a music DSP preset based on Pro Logic
II with the addition of user-adjustable steering, designed
to provide an exciting experience with many types of
studio-produced music.

MusicLogic DSP preset parameters

Parameter Options What it changes

Roll Off, Low,

Med, Max

Yaw Off, Low,

Med, Max

Steered All Steered Rear,

Steered Side,
Steered All

The degree of left-right
steering.

The degree of front-rear
steering.

Which of the four
surround channels are
generated by steering.

30

DSP Presets

PLIIx Music

The PLIIx Music preset is designed to use the Pro
Logic IIx DSP processing mode to decode music
sources. It provides additional Width, Dimension,
and Panorama preset parameters to allow you to
adjust the soundfield.

PLII Music DSP preset parameters

Parameter Options What it changes

Steered All Steered Rear,

Steered Side,
Steered All

Width 0 to 7 The centre spread,

Dimension -3 to +3 The spatial soundfield,

Panorama No, Yes Extends the front stereo

Which of the four
surround channels are
generated by steering.

where 0 is full centre
and 7 is full left and
right.

where -3 puts the
balance to the rear of
the room and +3 puts it
to the front.

image to include the
surround speakers, to
give a wrap-around
effect.

Stereo and Direct

The Stereo preset passes the left and right input
signals directly to the left and right main speakers. Any
mono or front left and right subwoofers continue to be
used. With the Direct preset only the left and right main
speakers are used, bypassing any spatial processing
and bass management.

PLIIx Movie and PLIIx THX

PLIIx Movie and PLIIx THX use the Dolby Pro Logic
IIx DSP processing mode, and are the recommended
choice for Dolby Surround encoded material. They also
give excellent results with two-channel sources not
specifically encoded for Dolby Surround, including two­channel Dolby Digital sources.

Pro Logic IIx re-creates 7.1-channel movie surround
from the two-channel source, using improved
decoding techniques that preserve the directness of
the soundfield, resulting in enhanced image stability
compared with the original Pro Logic decoding.
Meridian’s implementation of Pro Logic IIx uses
proprietary code based on 48-bit precision to give
outstanding clarity.

The PLIIx THX DSP preset uses the same PLIIx
processing as PLIIx Movie, but adds THX Cinema
processing. THX is a set of standards and technologies
developed by Lucasfilm Ltd. with the aim of making
your experience of the film soundtrack as faithful as
possible to what the director intended.

Re-equalisation is used to restore the correct tonal
balance for watching a film soundtrack in a small home
environment. The information going to the surround
speakers is filtered so that it closely matches the tonal
characteristics of the sound coming from the front
speakers, to ensure seamless panning between the
front and surround speakers.

THX can also be used with the 5.1 Movie DSP
presets; see

THX

, page 33.

There are no additional DSP preset parameters for
Stereo and Direct.

31

DSP Presets

PLIIx Movie and PLIIx THX DSP preset
parameters

Parameter Options What it changes

Surrounds Rear, Side, All Which of the four

surround channels are
generated by steering.

Pro Logic Off, On

On selects an
emulation of the original
Pro Logic decoding.

TV Logic

TV Logic is a Logic preset based on Pro Logic IIx with
the addition of user-adjustable steering, designed to
give higher intelligibility and a more appropriate spatial
presentation for studio-based TV material.

TV Logic DSP preset parameters

Parameter Options What it changes

Roll Off, Low,

Med, Max

Yaw Off, Low,

Med, Max

Surrounds Rear, Side, All Which of the surround

The degree of left-right
steering.

The degree of front-rear
steering.

channels are generated
by steering.

If Party? is set to No, the combined or selected signal
is played only through the centre speaker, or the left
and right speakers if there is no centre, to centrally
localise high-frequency hiss and clicks.

Note: If Party? is set to Yes, full range bass is
played through any speakers that are not supplemented
by a subwoofer, and this may damage small speakers
at high volume levels.

Mono DSP preset parameters

Parameter Options What it changes

Input Auto L+R,

Input L, Input
R, Input L+R

Academy Off or On

Party? No or Yes

The channel selected.

Select On to include
an equalisation
(recommended by
Lucasfilm Ltd) to correct
for a high-frequency
balance in some old
mono films.

Select Yes to play the
mono signal through
all speakers, including
subwoofers.

Mono

In the Mono DSP preset you can choose to listen to:

Only one of two input channels, such as when

•

different languages or material are carried on each
channel.
A combined version of the two input channels, such

•

as if the material was originally mono and has been
conveyed on a two-channel carrier.

32

DSP Presets

DSP presets for multichannel material

Multichannel audio signals can come from either
encoded data streams (such as Dolby Digital) or as
discrete channels from a DVD player. If you are using
Meridian SmartLink then all formats will reach the 861
as discrete channels. With suitable loudspeakers the
861 can upsample these to provide a more enjoyable
surround experience.

The 861 Reference Digital Surround Controller will
automatically select the right decoder algorithm and
present the same set of preset choices for all streams.
Note: Some presets are only available if there are four
surround speakers in the system.

There are four multichannel Music presets:

Discrete, PLIIx Mus6, THX Music, and Ambisonics B

•

format (discrete inputs only).

There are five multichannel Movie presets:

Cinema, PLIIx Mov6, THX, THX Surround EX, and

•

THX Ultra2 Cinema.

The multichannel Music presets all use the Music
speaker layout and the multichannel Movie presets all
use the 5.1 Movie speaker layout; see

Speaker layouts

page 5.

Cinema

The Cinema preset is recommended for listening
to multichannel movie soundtracks when no further
processing is required.

Discrete

The Discrete preset is similar to Cinema, except that it
uses the Music speaker layout and sets the LFE level
to -10dB.

Discrete and Cinema DSP preset
parameters

Parameter Options What it changes

2+2+2* Off, 5.1,

Side, 7.1

Surround† Surr. Rear,

Surr. Side,
Surr. All

R Filter Off, 1kHz,

3kHz, 7kHz

,

S Filter Off, 1kHz,

3kHz, 7kHz

LFE -28dB to 0dB The relative level of the

* Discrete only.
† Cinema only.

Allows you to specify
how DVD Audio
channels 3+4 should be
interpreted: Off ignores
them, 5.1 and 7.1 use
them for centre and
LFE, Side uses them
for the side speakers,

7.1 adds side speakers
to 5.1.

Allows you to specify
which speakers the
surround channels
should be sent to in
a system with four
surrounds.

The cutoff of high
frequencies from the
rear surrounds.

The cutoff of high
frequencies from the
side surround.

LFE bass channel.

33

DSP Presets

THX

As with the PLIIx THX DSP preset, THX re-equalises
the signals to suit domestic listening conditions, and
applies frequency-response correction and decorrelation
to the surround channels to make the surround sound
more realistic. It can be used whether or not your other
equipment is THX approved.

THX DSP preset parameters

Parameter Options What it changes

Surround Surr. Rear,

Surr. Side,
Surr. All

Switches the surround
signal between the side
and rear speakers.

PLIIx Mov6, THX Surround EX, PLIIx
Mus6, THX Ultra2 Cinema, and THX
Music

These presets are available if you have four surround
speakers. They use Dolby Pro Logic IIx, Dolby
Surround EX, and THX Ultra2 Cinema processing to
generate multiple signals for larger home theatres.

Cinema is recommended for movie soundtracks that
are not Dolby Surround EX encoded, and THX Music is
recommended for listening to multichannel music.

PLIIx Mov6, THX Surround EX, PLIIx
Mus6, THX Ultra2 Cinema, and THX
Music preset parameters

Parameter Options What it changes

LFE -28dB to 0dB The relative level of the

LFE bass channel.

Ambisonics

The Ambisonics preset allows you to decode
multichannel sources which have been encoded in
Ambisonics B format.

Ambisonics B format contains four independent
channels of information to give a three-axis
representation of the sound at the recording position.
The signals are: mono sound pressure, left-right
velocity component, front-back velocity component, and
up-down velocity component.

PLIIx Mov6 uses extended PLII technology from Dolby
to generate four surround signals from traditional
multichannel source material like Dolby Digital 5.1. It is
intended for use with movie soundtracks.

PLIIx Mus6 also creates four surround signals; it is
intended for multichannel music playback from sources
such as DVD-A or SACD music discs.

THX Ultra2 Cinema and THX Music use a THX
proprietary process called advanced speaker array
to provide a mix of ambient and directional surround
sounds using four surround speakers. Optimum
performance of THX Ultra2 Cinema and THX Music
is produced when the two rear speakers are placed
close together behind the listening position. THX Ultra2

34

DSP Presets

Using dynamic range control

If the input format is Dolby Digital, the 5.1 Movie DSP
presets provide an additional Compress parameter
to allow you to take advantage of the dynamic range
information provided in the Dolby Digital format to
provide dynamic range control without the distortion
involved in analogue methods.

The Compress parameter allows you to set one of
the following options:

Option Description

Compress off No compression.

Quiet boost Provides a moderate amount of

bottom-up compression. This raises
quiet sounds above the background
noise, which is ideal for demonstration
and quiet listening.

Compress med Provides moderate amounts of both

bottom-up and top-down compression.

Loud cut Provides a moderate amount of top-

down compression. This reduces loud
sounds.

Compress max Provides full bottom-up and top-down

compression. Quiet sounds are raised
to be audible and loud passages are
minimised to avoid disturbance, which
is useful for late-night listening.

Compress mix Bypasses dialogue normalisation and

references the sound pressure level
in the studio where the material was
mixed

Dialogue Normalisation display

Dolby Digital audio streams include Dialogue
Normalisation and Mix levels, to specify the
recommended listening level of the soundtrack.

The surround controller uses the Dialogue
Normalisation level to adjust the volume level so that
the soundtrack is reproduced at the correct absolute
level, assuming the system is calibrated to produce
75dB SPL at volume 87.

The Mix level is an alternative level which you can
select by setting the Compress parameter to
Compress mix.

The Dialogue Normalisation or Mix level is shown in a
separate display option for Dolby Digital sources:

For example:

Or: MixLevel -27

DialNorm -31

Installing the 861 Reference Digital
Surround Controller

This chapter explains how to install the 861 Reference Digital Surround
Controller. It describes what you should find when you unpack the
product, and how you should connect it to the other equipment in the
system.

You should not make any connections to the product or to any other
component in the system while the AC power supply is connected and
switched on.

35

Installing the 861
Reference Digital

Surround Controller

36

Installing the 861

Reference Digital

Surround Controller

D1

D4

D2

D5D60102

2

1

D3

800-IE44

REAR L+R SIDE L+R C+SUB L+R

MASTER

(ONE ONLY,

THIS ROW)

800-OE14

SPEAKERL

INK OUT

DIGITAL

OUTPUT

DIGITAL

INTPUT

S

PEAKER

LINK

IN

MMHR

MULTI-

CHANNEL

SL1

ANALOGUE

INTPUTS

800-IA04

B1

A1

B2

A2

B3

A3

B4

A4

B5

A5

B6

A6

COMPUTER

MERIDIAN COMMS

3

TRIGGER

2

1

RS232

Analogue

inputs

SpeakerLink

outputs

SpeakerLink

input

MMHR

input

Meridian

Comms

Power

Digital coax

inputs

Optical

inputs

Trigger
outputs

Switch and

fuse

Unpacking

The 861 Reference Digital Surround Controller is
supplied with the following accessories:

MSR+ remote control with batteries, manual, and

•

spare key caps.
Meridian Comms lead.

•

Power cord.

•

This manual.

•

If any of these items are missing please contact your
dealer.

NOTE: You should retain the packaging in case you
need to transport the unit.

Back panel

The following diagram gives details of the back panel
connections on a standard 861. Note that your unit
may include optional cards to provide additional inputs
and/or outputs:

Standard and optional cards

OE14 + IE44

CO00

IEC

IA04

(ID26)

(OA08) (OA08)

(ID40)

(IA04)

(OA18) (OA18)

The following diagram shows the cards supplied as standard to the 861, and the optional cards (shown in
brackets):

37

Installing the 861
Reference Digital

Surround Controller

Analogue inputs – IA04

Use this output To connect to this

A1 to A6 and B1 to B6* The analogue outputs of a

source, such as a TV or tape
deck.

Extra analogue inputs – IA04 (optional)

Use this output To connect to this

A1 to A6 and B1 to B6* The analogue outputs of a

source, such as a TV or tape
deck.

* A1-A6 and B1-B6 can each be configured as a single
6-channel input.

Balanced outputs – OA18 x 2 (optional)

Use this output To connect to this

1 to 4 and 1 to 4 The balanced analogue inputs

of a preamplifier, or a power
amplifier such as the G57,
using XLR leads.

Unbalanced outputs – OA08 x 2
(optional)

Use this output To connect to this

1 to 4 and 1 to 4 The unbalanced analogue

inputs of a preamplifier, or a
power amplifier such as the
G57, using analogue phono
leads.

SpeakerLink outputs – OE14

Use this output To connect to this

L+R, C+SUB, SIDE
L+R, REAR L+R

Digital loudspeakers, using
Meridian SpeakerLink leads
or standard CAT5 network
cables. The Master speaker
must be connected to the
appropriate socket on the
right-hand column.

38

Installing the 861

Reference Digital

Surround Controller

Digital inputs – IE44

Use this input To connect to this

D1 to D6* The digital output of a source

such as a DVD player.

O1 and O2 The optical output of a source

such as a satellite receiver or
computer.

SL1 The SpeakerLink output of

a Meridian source with a
SpeakerLink output.

MMHR A multichannel digital source

with an MMHR output, such
as the Meridian HD621 HDMI
Audio Processor.

* D1-D3 and D4-D6 can each be configured as a
multichannel digital input for MHR SmartLink sources.

Extra digital inputs – ID26 (optional)

Use this input To connect to this

O3 to O6 The optical output of a source

such as a satellite receiver or
computer.

SL2 and SL3 The SpeakerLink output of

a Meridian source with a
SpeakerLink output

Communications connections – CO00

Use this connection To connect to this

MERIDIAN COMMS Other Meridian equipment, or

Meridian DSP loudspeakers.

RS232 A computer, for configuring the

861, or a serial control system.

TRIGGER 1, 2, and 3 Equipment that can be

triggered by a 12V 100mA
signal.

Sooloos connections – ID40 (optional)

Use this connection To connect to this

Network An Ethernet network, for use

in a Sooloos system.

USB For maintenance of the

Sooloos software.

39

861 Digital Surround Controller

Meridian G06 CD Player

DIGITAL

IN

DIGITAL

OUT

Digital coax leads

MERIDIAN

COMMS

MERIDIAN

COMMS

Meridian Comms lead

861 Reference Digital Surround Controller

Analogue source

ANALOGUE IN

A2

ANALOGUE

OUT

Phono leads

Applications

To connect to a digital source (eg G06 24-bit CD Player)

You can connect up to six digital coax sources to the
861 Reference Digital Surround Controller, or 12 with
the optional ID26 card.

Connect the digital source to one of the digital input

•

sockets, using a 75Ω screened coax phono lead.

If the source is a Meridian product, connect together
the COMMS sockets using the Comms lead provided.

Installing the 861
Reference Digital

Surround Controller

To connect to an analogue source (eg TV tuner)

You can connect up to 12 analogue sources to the 861
Reference Digital Surround Controller.

Connect the analogue source to one of the analogue

•

input sockets of the digital surround controller, using
screened coax phono leads.

40

Installing the 861

Reference Digital

Surround Controller

SpeakerLink lead

SPEAKERLINK

OUTPUT

SPEAKERLINK

INPUT

861 Digital Surround Controller

Meridian 808.3 CD Player

861 Digital Surround Controller

Meridian HD621 HDMI Audio Processor

MMHR

IN

MMHR

OUT

MMHR Lead

MERIDIAN

COMMS

MERIDIAN

COMMS

Meridian

Comms lead

To connect to a digital source using SpeakerLink (eg 808.3)

Connect the DIGITAL output from the 808.2/808.2i

•

to the SpeakerLink input on the digital surround
controller, using a Meridian SpeakerLink lead.

To connect to a Meridian HD621 HDMI Audio Processor

The 861 provides an MMHR multichannel input which
can be used with the HD621 HDMI Audio Processor.

• Connect the MMHR output from the HD612 to the

MMHR input on the 861, using an MMHR lead.

• Connect together the COMMS sockets using a
Comms lead.

To connect to a source with analogue multichannel outputs (eg SACD player)

861 Reference Digital Surround Controller

SACD player

A1-A6ANALOGUE OUT

Phono leads

DIGITAL

IN

DIGITAL

OUT

Digital leads

41

Installing the 861
Reference Digital

Surround Controller

The 861 Reference Digital Surround Controller provides
two sets of 6 analogue inputs, called A1-A6 and B1­B6. Each set can be used as a multichannel input from
a source with a suitable analogue multichannel output,
such as an SACD player.

• Connect the Left, Right, Centre, Sub, Left Surround
and Right Surround sockets from the source to the
A1, A2, A3, A4, A5, and A6 analogue inputs on the
digital surround controller (or the corresponding B1­B6 inputs), using six phono leads.

• Optionally connect a digital output from the source to
a digital input on the 861, using a digital phono lead.

You can then select the source corresponding to the
multichannel input for playing surround material, and
the source corresponding to the digital input to decode
other formats.

Note: Multichannel analogue sources may have
subwoofer level outputs that vary by up to 10dB, so
it may be necessary to reduce the LFE level to give
correct bass integration; see

DSP presets

, page 27.

42

Installing the 861

Reference Digital

Surround Controller

861 Reference Digital Surround Controller

SPEAKERLINK

Centre – Slave

MERIDIAN

SPEAKERLINK

INPUT OUTPUT

Front L – Master

Rear L – Slave

MERIDIAN

SPEAKERLINK

INPUT OUTPUT

MERIDIAN

SPEAKERLINK

INPUT OUTPUT

Rear R – Slave

Front R – Slave

MERIDIAN

SPEAKERLINK

INPUT OUTPUT

MERIDIAN

SPEAKERLINK

INPUT OUTPUT

SpeakerLink lead

SpeakerLink lead

SpeakerLink lead

SpeakerLink lead

To connect to DSP loudspeakers using SpeakerLink (daisy chain)

This is an alternative to the “home run” wiring
configuration shown opposite.

Connect the appropriate SpeakerLink output on the

•

right-hand column of the 861 to the digital speaker
you have chosen as the master (typically the front left
speaker), using a Meridian SpeakerLink lead.

Connect the appropriate SpeakerLink outputs on

•

the 861 to one of each of the remaining pairs of
speakers, using a Meridian SpeakerLink lead.

Link each pair of speakers together with a Meridian

•

SpeakerLink lead, out of the first speaker and into
the second speaker, as shown in the diagram.

The speakers should then be configured appropriately
as master and slaves, and Left, Right, Centre,
Surround; see
for more details.

Alternatively you can use standard CAT5 network
cables instead of SpeakerLink leads.

Meridian DSP Loudspeaker User Guide

To connect to DSP loudspeakers using SpeakerLink (home run)

861 Reference Digital Surround Controller

SPEAKERLINK

Centre – Slave

MERIDIAN

SPEAKERLINK

INPUT OUTPUT

Front L – Master

Rear L – Slave

MERIDIAN

SPEAKERLINK

INPUT OUTPUT

MERIDIAN

SPEAKERLINK

INPUT OUTPUT

Rear R – Slave

Front R – Slave

MERIDIAN

SPEAKERLINK

INPUT OUTPUT

MERIDIAN

SPEAKERLINK

INPUT OUTPUT

SpeakerLink lead

SpeakerLink lead SpeakerLink lead

SpeakerLink lead

43

Installing the 861
Reference Digital

Surround Controller

This is an alternative to the “daisy chain” wiring
configuration shown opposite.

Connect the appropriate SpeakerLink output on the

•

right-hand column of the 861 to the digital speaker
you have chosen as the master (typically the front left
speaker), using a Meridian SpeakerLink lead.

Connect the appropriate SpeakerLink outputs on

•

the 861 to each of the remaining speakers, using a
Meridian SpeakerLink lead.

The speakers should then be configured appropriately
as master and slaves, and Left, Right, Centre,
Surround; see
for more details.

Alternatively you can use standard CAT5 network
cables instead of SpeakerLink leads.

Meridian DSP Loudspeaker User Guide

44

G Series, 500 Series, or 800 Series unit

MERIDIAN

COMMS

Meridian Comms lead

MERIDIAN

COMMS

861 Reference Digital Surround Controller

Installing the 861

Reference Digital

Surround Controller

To connect to other Meridian G Series or 800 Series equipment

In a system of Meridian products, one of the products
acts as the controller for the system, receiving infra-red
commands from the MSR+ and then, if appropriate,
relaying them to the other products via the Comms link.

The following automatic setup procedure should be
used to set up the Comms correctly between several
products:

Connect one of the DIN COMMS sockets on the back
panel of the 861 Reference Digital Surround Controller
to one of the COMMS sockets on another G Series,
500 Series, or 800 Series unit, using the Comms leads
provided with the products.

The sequence in which you connect the units is not
important.

Switch all the units to standby.

•

Press Clear (remote).

•

Each unit will display:

One unit will then be designated as the controller.

The display shows:

Auto

Controller

All the other units will be configured as non-controllers.

The displays show:

Not Con.

If for any reason the automatic setup does not work,
make sure you are operating the remote from a
position where all the units can receive the infra-red,
and try again.

If this fails:

Restore the default operation by selecting one of the
standard types; see

Choosing a standard setting

, page

46.

Do not, under any circumstances, connect any
equipment other than Meridian G Series or 800
Series to any socket marked COMMS on the back
of the product.

Configuring the 861 Reference
Digital Surround Controller

This chapter explains how to set up the 861 Reference Digital Surround
Controller for most standard configurations of loudspeakers and sources
using just the front-panel controls and MSR+.

For complete control over all aspects of the digital surround controller’s
configuration, or to take advantage of Room Correction, it is
recommended that you set up the unit using the Meridian Configuration
Program; for full information see the

Guide

, available separately.

Meridian Configuration Program

45

Configuring the 861

Reference Digital

Surround Controller

46

Configuring the 861

Reference Digital

Surround Controller

Choosing a standard setting

The digital surround controller provides six standard
settings, called Types, which configure all aspects
of the 861 into the most commonly needed
configurations. In addition, any User Types you create
using the Meridian Configuration program are also
available.

Types 0 to 5 are factory settings, designed to cater
for the most commonly needed configurations of
associated equipment.

These standard Types are shown in the following table:

Type Speakers Music

Sub

0 All analogue. LFE Centre LFE

1 All analogue. Mono Mono Mono

2 All digital. LFE Centre LFE

3 All digital, large

centre.

4 Digital left, right,

and centre.

5 Digital left and

right.

In this table Music Sub refers to a subwoofer used for
all Music DSP presets, Logic Sub to a subwoofer used
for all Logic DSP presets, and 5.1 Movie Sub to a
subwoofer used for all 5.1 Movie DSP presets.

Choosing one of the Types overrides any other
configuration you may have performed, and so can
be used to reset the configuration of the unit. Note:
Selecting a Type will clear any configuration and
calibration changes you have made, or any DSP
presets you have defined. It does not reset any Room
correction profiles stored to the 861 using the Meridian
Configuration program.

None None None

LFE Centre LFE

LFE Centre LFE

Logic
Sub

5.1
Movie
Sub

To select a standard setting

Warning: This procedure will reset any
configuration and calibration changes you
have made.

Put the digital surround controller into Standby by

•

pressing Off (front panel or remote).

Hold down the A key on the front panel until the

•

display shows:

Type in... 3

Keep holding down the A key for a further three

•

seconds.

The display will show:

Type- please wait.

Then after a short delay the display shows the current
Type.

For example:

Press A or V on the front panel to change the Type

•

number.

The display shows:

Wait for one second, and then put the digital

•

surround controller into standby by pressing Off
(front panel or remote).

Switch on again to use the standard settings you

•

have selected.

Type 3

Typing, please wait.

Setting up the digital surround
controller with other Meridian
equipment

If you are using the 861 with other Meridian equipment,
such as the 800 Reference DVD/CD Player, you
should set up the Comms with the following automatic
setup procedure:

Switch all the units to standby.

•

Press Clear (remote).

•

47

Configuring the 861

Reference Digital

Surround Controller

Each unit will display:

The 861 will then be designated as the controller, and
display:

Controller

This is the unit that will respond to the remote.

All the other units will be configured as non-controllers,
and display:

Not Controller

Your system is now set up and ready for use.

If for any reason the automatic setup does not give the
configuration you want, restore the default operation by
selecting one of the standard Types; see

standard setting,

Auto

Choosing a

page 46.

48

Configuring the 861

Reference Digital

Surround Controller

Calibrating the system

To help you to set up your installation to give the
best possible sound with any particular combination
of associated equipment, the 861 Reference Digital
Surround Controller includes a built-in calibration
procedure.

This calibration procedure uses test signals to present
a series of sounds, which you use to adjust certain
aspects of the system to their optimum settings.

You should work through the calibration procedure the
first time you set up your surround sound system, and
whenever you want to check the calibration, such as
after changing the layout of your room.

Using the calibration procedure

We recommend that you perform the calibration
procedure using the MSR+ from the listening position.

As you run the calibration procedure the name of each
calibration test is shown on the front-panel display,
followed by the parameters adjusted in the test.

Each calibration test uses a test signal designed to give
the best results.

Using a Sound Pressure Level meter

Although you can perform the calibration procedure by
ear, it is recommended that you perform the tests using
a Sound Pressure Level meter.

To start the calibration procedure

Put the digital surround controller into standby by

•

pressing Off (front panel or remote).

Press and hold the Calibrate key, under the front

•

panel, for at least five seconds.

The display shows:

After a few seconds the display shows:

Calibration

Left Level +0.0dB

For more detailed information about this and the other
calibration tests see the following sections.

To move between the calibration tests

Press > (remote), or the corresponding menu key

•

under the front panel.

Press < (remote), or the corresponding menu key

•

under the front panel, to move back to an earlier test.

To jump to the next set of tests

Press Store (front panel or remote).

•

The calibration tests are described in the following
sections.

Set the Sound Pressure Level meter to C weighted,
80dB range, and slow response. Take readings with
the meter at the listening position, pointing vertically.
You should hold the meter with an outstretched arm to
minimise reflections from your body.

To exit from the calibration procedure

You can exit from the calibration procedure at any time,
and any parameters you have set will be retained.

Press Off (front panel or remote).

•

49

CentreSub

Left Right

Left
Side

Right

Side

Left Rear Right RearSurround Sub

Calibration tests

Levels

These tests allow you to adjust the output level to
each speaker individually, and it follows the general
guidelines from Dolby Laboratories and Lucasfilm Ltd.
A Sound Pressure Level (SPL) meter can be useful at
this stage; see
page 48.

In each test the display shows the speaker being
tested, and the current relative level.

For example: Left Level +0.0dB

Press > or < to move between each of the speakers

•

in the layout in the sequence: Left, Centre, Right,
Side R, Rear R, Rear L, Side L, and subwoofers.

Press A or V to adjust the level of the speaker.

•

Ignore any tonal difference.

For correct THX reproduction you should adjust each
speaker to 75dB SPL using an SPL meter. Even if
your speakers are not THX approved this setting is
recommended.

Note: You cannot directly set the level of a subwoofer
by ear, because low-frequency noises sound quieter. To
set the subwoofer correctly either use an SPL meter,
or set it by ear and then reduce the subwoofer gain by
15dB to correct for human hearing.

When you have completed the Levels section press

•

> or Store to proceed to the next test.

Using a Sound Pressure Level meter

Before setting up the speaker outputs you need to
measure the distance, in feet and inches, to each
speaker from the listening position:

,

Measure from the ear height at the listening position to
the tweeter on each speaker (where applicable).

Press > or < to move between each of the speakers

•

in the layout.

The display shows the speaker being tested, and the
distance in feet.

For example: Left Distance 18'0

Press A or V to change the distance, in feet.

•

Configuring the 861

Reference Digital

Surround Controller

Distance

These tests allow you to adjust the delay of each of the
speakers in the layout to time-align the system so that
sounds are coincident when they arrive at the listening
position.

Repeat this for each of the speakers in your layout.

Press > or Store to proceed to the next calibration

•

stage.

50

Configuring the 861

Reference Digital

Surround Controller

Fine tuning

These tests allow you to fine-tune the phase and delay
of each speaker when used in conjunction with other
speakers on the layout.

Press > or < to move between each of the speakers

•

in the layout.

The first display allows you to adjust the phase.

For example: Left Phase

The next display shows the distance (or delay) for the
same speaker.

For example: Left Distance 18'0

Choose the setting that gives an even sound between
the speakers, that does not change radically as you
move your head. If the setting is incorrect the sound
will appear diffused, and change in timbre and apparent
location as you move your head.

Pay particular attention to the centre channel, as this
can have a dramatic effect on the overall sound.

As you increase the delay the speaker will appear to
move away from you.

For example: Left Size 15

Press > or < to move between each of the speakers

•

under test.

Press A and V to adjust the Size value for the

•

speaker.

As you increase the Size value, the test signal will get
louder, since the bass protection is treating the speaker
as one capable of handling more bass.

Adjust the Size value until the speaker is just

•

beginning to produce distortion, indicating that it is
reaching its bass handling limit.

You have now completed the calibration of your system.

Press Off (front panel or remote) to exit from the

•

calibration procedure.

Press > or Store to proceed to the next calibration

•

stage.

Speaker size

These tests allow you to determine the bass handling
capability of large analogue speakers and subwoofers.
Once set, the 861 will limit the bass level to protect the
speakers from potential damage.

In each test the display shows the speaker being tested
and the current size value chosen for the speaker. This
value will default to zero, corresponding to maximum
bass protection.

51

Setting up sources

This section explains how to use Gain/Sub mode to
set up the sources connected to the digital surround
controller, and configure them to suit your other
equipment.

You can also adjust the subwoofer crossover frequency
to suit the subwoofers in your system.

To turn on Gain/Sub mode

Put the digital surround controller into standby by

•

pressing Off (front panel or remote).

Press and hold the Configure key under the front

•

panel for at least five seconds.

The display shows:

The digital surround controller will then return to
standby with Gain/Sub mode turned on.

Gain/Sub mode adds two extra options to the DSP
parameter menus: Sensitivity and Xover.

To turn off Gain/Sub mode

Repeat the above procedure until the display shows:

•

Gain/Sub Off

To adjust the sensitivity of a source

To obtain the best signal-to-noise ratio for your
analogue sources you can adjust the sensitivity of each
input to give the highest level that does not produce
clipping.

Turn on Gain/Sub mode, as described above.

•

Gain/Sub On

For example: Radio 2.0V In

Press A or V (remote or under the front panel) to

•

change the sensitivity.

You can select between sensitivities of 0.5V (most
sensitive), 1.0V, 2.0V, or 2.5V (least sensitive).

If the sensitivity is set too high the input will clip the
loudest passages.

The display shows, for example:

Radio 0.5V In Clip

In this case reduce the sensitivity.

If you have selected a digital source you cannot adjust
the sensitivity. The display shows, for example:

CD Not Analogue

To adjust the subwoofer crossover
frequency

The digital surround controller allows you to adjust the
crossover frequency of any subwoofers between 30
and 150Hz. The crossover can be set independently
for Music, Logic, and 5.1 Movie speaker layouts. The
default is the THX standard of 80Hz. For details of
which speaker layout is used by each DSP preset see

Speaker layouts

Turn on Gain/Sub mode, as described above.

•

Press < or > (remote or under the front panel) until

•

the display shows the current crossover frequency.

, page 5.

Configuring the 861

Reference Digital

Surround Controller

Select the source you want to adjust, with loud

•

source material playing.

Press < or > (remote or under the front panel) until

•

the display shows the current sensitivity.

For example: Radio Xover 80Hz

Press A or V (remote or under the front panel) to

•

set the crossover frequency.

52

Configuring the 861

Reference Digital

Surround Controller

For THX loudspeaker systems you should leave the
crossover setting at 80Hz.

80Hz is also the recommended setting for all movie
listening. You may prefer, however, to lower the
crossover frequency for music if your main speakers
have good bass handling down to, say, 50Hz.

53

Sinewave sweep test

The 861 Reference Digital Surround Controller includes
a sinewave signal test, to help you set the subwoofer
crossover frequencies, or check for room resonances.

Select a PCM source; eg an analogue source or CD.

•

Press Configure (under the front panel).

•

The displays shows: CD Sine 80.0Hz

An 80Hz sinewave will be played through all channels.

You can change the test signal using the menu keys,
as described in the following sections.

To change the sweep rate

Press < or > (remote or under the front panel) until

•

the display shows:

CD Pause 80.0Hz

Press A or V to change the sweep rate and

•

direction, as follows:

Display Description

CD >> 88.5Hz

CD > 81.5Hz

CD Pause 80.0Hz

CD < 78.5Hz

Fast sweep up.

Slow sweep up.

Paused.

Slow sweep down.

To change the volume

Use the volume keys in the usual way.

•

Warning: Very loud low-frequency signals may
damage speakers.

To select other test signals

Press < or > (remote or under the front panel) until

•

the display shows the current signal.

For example:

Press A or V to choose between the following test

•

signals:

Display Description

CD Sine

CD Silent

CD Input

CD Noise

CD Sine

A sinewave.

Silence.

The source signal in
mono (left + right).

Pink noise (band pass
500Hz to 2kHz for main
channels).

To select the channel

Press < or > (remote or under the front panel) until

•

the display shows the current channels.

Configuring the 861

Reference Digital

Surround Controller

CD << 70.5Hz

The sine sweep will stop when it reaches 0.5Hz or
200Hz.

Fast sweep down.

For example: CD All Channels

Press A or V to select a specific channel, or All

•

Channels.

54

Configuring the 861

Reference Digital

Surround Controller

Index

55

Index

A

Academy (DSP parameter) 31

accessories 36

Ambisonics (DSP preset) 28, 33

analogue inputs 37

analogue source, connecting 39

analogue sources, adjusting sensitivity

51

Axis (DSP parameter) 17

axis, changing 20

B

back panel connections 36

Balance (DSP parameter) 17, 20

balanced outputs 36, 37, 38

Bass (DSP parameter) 17, 19

bass, changing 19

brightness, display 14

built-in presets, replacing 25

C

calibration procedure 48

exiting 48

starting 48

calibration tests 49

Distance 49

Fine tuning 50

Levels 49

Speaker size 50

Centre (DSP parameter) 17, 21, 28

centre speaker

changing the relative delay 21

changing the relative level 21

Channels (DSP parameter) 29

Cinema (DSP preset) 32

clip indicator 51

Comms, connecting 44

communications connections 38

Compress (DSP parameter) 34

compression 34

configuration 45

resetting 46

connecting

to DSP loudspeakers 42, 43

to Meridian G Series, 500 Series,

or 800 Series equipment 44

content types 13, 14

Movie 2 13

Movie 6 13

Music 2 13

Music 6 13

contrast, display 14

crossover frequency, adjusting 51

D

Depth (DSP parameter) 17, 21

Dialog Normalisation 34

digital inputs 38

Digital signal processing 2

digital source, connecting 39

Dimension (DSP parameter) 30

Direct (DSP preset) 30

Discrete (DSP preset) 32

display

brightness 14

contrast 14

information 14

Distance (calibration test) 49, 50

DSP 2

DSP loudspeakers

connecting via SpeakerLink 42,

43

DSP parameters

changing 17, 18

standard 17

DSP presets 27

Ambisonics 28, 33

assigning to a source 24

changing 13

Cinema 32

clearing 25

Compress parameter 34

defining 25

Direct 30

Discrete 32

editing name 25

Mono 31

multichannel 32

Music 28

PLIIx Mov6 33

PLIIx Movie 30, 31

PLIIx Mus6 33

PLIIx Music 30

PLIIx THX 30, 31

selecting 13

Stereo 30

Super 29

THX 32, 33

THX Music 33

THX Surround EX 33

THX Ultra2 Cinema 33

56

Index

DSP presets

Trifield 28

two-channel 28

user-defining 25

dynamic range control 34

(continued)

F

front panel keys 8

G

Gain/Sub mode 51

H

HD621 HDMI Audio Processor 40

HS Out? (DSP parameter) 17

I

Input (DSP parameter) 31

inputs

analogue 37

digital 38

MMHR 38

SpeakerLink 38

installing 35

L

layouts 5

5.1 Movie 32

Logic 28

Music 28

Levels (calibration test) 49

LFE (DSP parameter) 32, 33

LipSync 23

LipSync (DSP parameter) 17, 23

listening position, changing 20

locking the menus 16

M

menus, locking 16

Meridian DSP loudspeakers,

connecting to 42, 43

Meridian System Remote keys 9

Mix level 34

MMHR input 38

MMHR multichannel input 40

Mono (DSP preset) 31

Movie 2 13

Movie 6 13

multichannel digital inputs 38

multichannel link 2

Music (DSP preset) 28

Music 2 13

Music 6 13

Music DSP presets 28

muting the sound 12

O

outputs

balanced 37, 38

SpeakerLink 37

unbalanced 37

P

Panorama (DSP parameter) 30

Party? (DSP parameter) 31

Phase (calibration test) 50

Phase (DSP parameter) 17, 19

phase, changing 19

PLIIx (DSP preset) 30

PLIIx Mov6 (DSP preset) 33

PLIIx Movie (DSP preset) 31

PLIIx Mus6 (DSP preset) 33

PLIIx Music (DSP preset) 30

PLIIx THX (DSP preset) 30

presets

defining 25

multichannel 32

two-channel 28

user-defined 25

Pro Logic (DSP parameter) 31

R

R Delay (DSP parameter) 17, 22

Rear (DSP parameter) 17, 20

rear speakers

changing the relative delay 22

changing the relative level 20

resetting the configuration 46

R Filter (DSP parameter) 28, 29, 32

Roll (DSP parameter) 29, 31

Room Correction 3

Row (DSP parameter) 29

RS232 connection 38

S

SACD player, connecting to 41

safety warnings ii

S Delay (DSP parameter) 17, 22

selecting a source 11

57

Index

S Filter (DSP parameter) 28, 29, 32

Sides (DSP parameter) 17, 20

side speakers

changing the relative delay 22

changing the relative level 20

sinewave sweep test 53

Sooloos connections 38

Sound Pressure Level meter 48

sources 11

adjusting sensitivity 51

assigning DSP presets 24

default DSP preset 13

selecting 11

setting up 51

spaciousness of the sound, changing

22

speaker layouts 5

5.1 Movie 32

Logic 28

Music 28

SpeakerLink 37, 42, 43

connecting with 42, 43

SpeakerLink input 38

SpeakerLink outputs 37

standard DSP parameters 17

standard settings, selecting 46

standby, switching to 10

Steered All (DSP parameter) 29, 30

Stereo (DSP preset) 30

subwoofers, crossover frequency 51

Super (DSP preset) 29

Surr. Rear (DSP parameter) 28, 32,

33

switching on and off 10

T

THX (DSP preset) 32, 33

THX level 49

THX Music (DSP preset) 33

THX Surround EX (DSP preset) 33

THX Ultra2 Cinema (DSP preset) 33

time-aligning the system 49

Treble (DSP parameter) 17, 19

treble, changing 19

Trifield (DSP preset) 28

trigger outputs 38

2+2+2 (DSP parameters) 32

Types 46

U

UHJ format 28

unbalanced outputs 37

unlocking the menus 16

unpacking 36

user-defined presets 25

clearing 25

editing name 25

V

volume

adjusting 12

W

Width (DSP parameter) 28, 29, 30

Y

Yaw (DSP parameter) 29, 31

58

Index