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Meridian has invented a number of significant
concepts in high quality home audio/video,
including the audiophile Compact Disc player,
the DSP loudspeaker and the digital surround
processor.
Meridian has established an unequalled
reputation for outstanding use of digital
audio and DSP (Digital Signal Processing)
technology in our products, giving us
unprecedented quality, flexibility and
functionality. The 861 represents the most
advanced representation of Meridian’s
ground-breaking DSP control and processing
system for high-quality audio and video
signals.
Its card-based construction allows the
unit to be configured to suit your personal
requirements – as well as helping to futureproof the system by being able to accept new
cards with additional features as they are
developed.
The 861 features Meridian’s unique
‘apodising’ upsampling filter, which makes
standard resolution audio sources sound
like high-resolution. It also includes Meridian
Room Correction, an innovative, semiautomated method of managing a room’s
acoustic behaviour for improved clarity,
imaging and overall realism, advanced
DSP algorithms that audibly improve audio
performance and a linear power supply along
with carefully-selected audiophile-grade
components.
Reference Digital Surround Controller
Since its introduction in 1998, the Meridian
861 Reference Digital Surround Controller
has consistently offered the industry’s
highest standard in surround processing
and system control.
The 861’s modular architecture allows
each unit to be individually specified and
manufactured. Modular architecture also
means that as technology standards
advance and new features are developed
existing 861s can be upgraded – adding
new processing features and connectivity;
a service that maintains the value of the
customer’s original investment.
The 861v8 Reference Digital Surround
Controller, the most recent version of this
landmark processor, incorporates the
latest linear power supply design, USB
input, enhanced SpeakerLink control and
output connectivity for up to eight channels
of Meridian DSP Loudspeakers and an
eight-channel MMHR input as standard
features. It also incorporates a number of
other connectivity and performance updates
which makes the 861 ideal for today’s
market and easy to specify.
861v8 makes a perfect front end for the
‘Class A’ rated Meridian Digital Theatre,
where the 861 can receive super-highresolution MMHR digital signals from a
Meridian product such as the HD621 HDMI
Audio Processor.
861v8
Product highlights
The heart of the ultimate movie system,
861v8 links all your audio sources at
the very highest quality, with advanced
DSP algorithms and loudspeaker
management.
Latest design of linear power supply
for enhanced overall performance.
8-channel SpeakerLink outputs
maximise performance with Meridian
DSP Loudspeakers, make installation
quicker and easier, and include
enhanced loudspeaker controls
including Centre Elevation and
Enhanced Bass Alignment with
supported loudspeakers.
Includes, as standard, digital outputs
to drive a full Meridian Digital Theatre,
plus an 8-channel MMHR input, fully
compatible with HD621 for HDMI
sources such as Blu-Ray Disc.
Meridian Room Correction measures
room acoustics and applies filters to
smooth out resonances, increasing
clarity, definition and imaging for a
more natural, convincing listening
experience.
Each 861 is individually built for its
owner, with optional cards allowing
inclusion of specific features to suit
the individual installation.
USB input for computer playback, plus
optional ID41 card for ultimate quality
integration with Meridian Digital Media
Systems.
Improved DSP feeding the analogue
outputs provides a sweeter sound.
Redesigned master oscillator and
clocking circuitry reducing jitter by
40% compared to previous models,
and the unique proprietary ‘apodising’
upsampling filter pioneered in the
808.2 for enhanced performance.
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861v8
861 Core Layout
Reference Digital Surround Controller
Apparatet må kun tilkoples jordet stikkontakt
Laite on liitettävä suojamaadoituskoskoskettimilla varustenttuun pistorasiaan
Apparaten skall anslutas till jordat uttagt
COMPUTER
MULTI-
800-IA04
A1
A2
A3
A4
B1
B2
B3
B4
L+R
SPEAKERLINK OUT
MASTER
(ONE ONLY,
800-OE34
THIS ROW)
1
D1
D2
D3
CHANNEL
800-IE44
2
3
2
D4
TRIGGER
1
D5D60102
RS232
800-ID29
U1
O1O3 O2SL2 SL1
POWER
OFF
LECTRIQUE
Voltage
É
ON
CHARGE
É
WARNING!
ATTENTION!
RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK - DO NOT OPEN
NE PAS OUVRIR - RISQUE DE D
Warning: Shock Hazard - Do Not Open
No user serviceable parts inside
Power Input : 220-230V
~ 50-60 Hz 40W max
Caution: Replace
with same type fuse
T1.6AL 250V
40W max
Débrancher le câble électrique avant d'enlever ce couvercle.
service d'entretien agréé.
ATTENTION!
Unité intégrale - ne doit être révisée que par le
A5
A6
INTPUTS
ANALOGUE
IA04
B5
B6
REAR L+R SIDE L+R C+SUB
DIGITAL
MMHR
INTPUT
OUTPUT
DIGITAL
OE34 IE44
SL1
IN
SPEAKERLINK
MERIDIAN COMMS
CO00
861v8 rear panel layout showing core cards (see panel below)
Movie sound
861v8 includes an MMHR (Meridian
Multichannel High Resolution) input
allowing eight channels of audio to be
sourced from a Meridian HD621 with a
single RJ45 cable plus Meridian Comms.
The 3D-compatible HD621 is designed
to maximise audio quality from HDMI-
equipped High Definition sources such
as Blu-ray Disc players. It splits audio and
video components and sends them to the
Controller and the display respectively.
There’s simply no better way to get the very
highest audio quality from HD sources.
Dolby Digital (AC-3) remains a common
sound format on video, and the unique
Core and optional cards
Core Cards
The following cards are fitted as standard inside a Meridian 861 Version 8 (See above):
IE44 6x Digital Audio Inputs, Phono, D1 to D6 can be configured as 2x six-channel
digital inputs with Meridian SmartLink performance. 2x Optical Audio Inputs,
Toslink. SpeakerLink Input, RJ45. Meridian Multi-channel High Resolution (MMHR)
Input, RJ45.
IA04 6x Analogue Stereo Inputs, Phono. Can be configured as 2x six-channel analogue
inputs.
ID29 Digital Input card with 1x USB input, 3x Optical Audio Inputs, Toslink,
2x SpeakerLink inputs, RJ45.
OE34 8x Digital Output, SpeakerLink. L, R, C, SUB, Side L, Side R, Rear L, Rear R.
CD20 & EF20: Internal (no rear panel) 48-bit DSP cards each containing two Motorola
56367 chips running in dual precision mode, each card offering 300 MIPS (million
instructions per second) capability.
CO00 Control computer card. Complete with Flash memory, RS232 port for control and
status, 3x configurable trigger outputs and 2x Meridian Comms.
SPEAKERLINK IN
MERIDIAN 800 SERIES
Designed and made in England by:
Meridian Audio Limited.
Registered Design and Copyright 2010 ©
DIGITAL
INPUT
MADE IN ENGLAND
WARNING!
No user serviceable parts inside. Disconnect power cable before removing this cover.
This equipment must be connected to an earthed mains socket outlet.
ID29
Meridian Dolby Digital decoder in the
861 delivers the highest quality sound of
which this format is capable. The 861 also
decodes MPEG and DTS signals from DVD
– as well as DTS surround CDs.
Improved performance
Meridian’s 861 uses carefully-crafted
processing to gain the maximum benefit
from high-precision PCM inputs. The 861
accepts multiple input channels of 24-bit,
96kHz sampling PCM, and delivers the
maximum resolution on these signals.
The processor also performs improved
high-resolution up-sampling on signals
coming in at lower sampling rates,
de-jittering them and significantly
improving their audio quality. Meridian’s
acclaimed ‘apodising’ upsampling filter
and redesigned oscillators and clocking
structure new to 861v8 reduce jitter by
40%, significantly improving audio quality
for all sources managed by the 861.
SpeakerLink in and out
Meridian’s SpeakerLink technology allows
two channels of balanced digital audio plus
all associated Meridian Comms and control
signals to be carried between components
via a single, low-profile, inexpensive
Screened Twisted Pair (STP) cable.
Apparatet må kun tilkoples jordet stikkontakt.
Optional Cards
OA18 Analogue Output card 4x Analogue Outputs, XLR, configurable, with 24-bit,
192kHz DAC.
OA08 Analogue Output card, with 4x Analogue Outputs, Phono, configurable, with 24-
bit, 192kHz DAC.
ID41 Digital Media System Card. Audio endpoint card with 1x Ethernet network, RJ45.
861v8 includes three SpeakerLink inputs
for the connection of components like
the 808 CD Player, and a full eight
channels of SpeakerLink out – able to
drive a complete Meridian Digital Theatre
consisting of Meridian’s high-performance
DSP Loudspeakers – making the 861
particularly easy to specify and to install.
861 now includes the latest SpeakerLink
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861v8
Reference Digital Surround Controller
The press on Meridian’s 861
“Brilliant in conception, mind-boggling
in execution, more powerful and bettersounding than almost anything else ever
made.”
—What Hi-Fi
“…the 861 is beyond reproach.…There is
no need for discussion, it is simply the best.”
—Home Entertainment
“A life-changing experience…”
—The Absolute Sound
“…the best AV technology that money can
buy… a benchmark to which all others can
be judged.”
—Audio & Video Lifestyle
“…the most flexible and capable device
in audio. …it offers as much insurance
against the winds of technological change
as is possible. It’s a formidable machine.”
—Stereophile
“…this ‘reference-grade’ pairing [of 800
& 861] is top-notch. …the strength of
these components is their ability to… take
domestic sound reproduction to a new level
of enjoyment and involvement.”
—Hi-Fi Choice
“Has the 861 brought me the best playback
to date I have heard in my own home and
in my room? Without a doubt it has by far.
The 861 is a technological tour-de-force…
the reference standard … Meridian Room
Correction… places the 861 into the
realm of truly reference grade products.
Meridian’s flagship processor is a great
product… a leading contender for the best
preamp/processor on the market.”
—Widescreen Review
“The 861 has always been and still is:
the best-sounding audio processor I have
heard.”
—Stereophile
“If you wanted to make the argument that
the Meridian 861 was the best-sounding
AV preamp money can buy – I wouldn’t
argue with you. It’s that good.”
—Home Theater Review
features such as Centre Elevation – which
allows the image height of a compatible
centre-channel loudspeaker to be elevated
to the centre of the screen, for example,
when mounted beneath it – and Enhanced
Bass Alignment, which ensures that all
bass frequencies are time-aligned.
With both digital and analogue output
capability, the 861 is also ideally suited
to driving conventional amplifiers and
passive loudspeakers. 861v8’s analogue
outputs include improved DSP with filter
optimisation, giving a sweeter sound than
ever before.
Digital Media System Integration
The optional ID41 Card delivers the highest
possible playback quality from a Meridian
Digital Media System as well as offering
Stop/Play/Previous/Next control of the
current Play Queue from the MSR+ remote
control.
In addition to Meridian Digital Media
System compatibility, the 861 includes
a built-in USB input, allowing the 861 to
replay computer sources at the highest
possible quality, limited only by the source
material.
What makes 861 so special?
The single most important feature in all our
DSP products – including the 861 – is the
incredibly high standard we set for sonic
performance.
Instead of using chips that have their
firmware irrevocably ‘burned into’ them,
Meridian’s signal processing is software
based, and therefore can be improved or
modified in future – for example, Dolby, DTS
and THX specifications have all advanced
a great deal since the initial standards were
set. Meridian’s solution gives the customer
exceptional value over the years to come
– a Meridian 800 Series system does not
go out of date. Most important, however, is
the quality sound resulting from including
highly accurate decoding algorithms at the
heart of the surround decoder. Signals are
processed with 48-bit precision where
possible.
Smart Source functionality
With the profusion of formats that may
appear at the inputs of a decoder, there is
room for confusion. The 861 continually
monitors the active digital input and
automatically loads the correct decoding
software for the format, speaker layout and
encoding of the incoming signal. You can
also store separate user parameters for
each source, depending on whether the
incoming signal is stereo or surround.
These capabilities are enhanced by
MHR SmartLink and MMHR (Meridian
Multichannel High Resolution), which
provide a digital link between a Meridian
source and controller, carrying explicit
information about the nature of the
datastream as well as encrypted highresolution digital signals.
Bass Management
The 861’s bass management system
ensures that all bass signals are fed to
the speakers that can handle them –
seamlessly and optimally, irrespective of the
channels from which they originate.
Movie soundtracks have the potential to
require a 12dB increase in bass powerhandling in a system. Not only can the
LFE (Low Frequency Effects – the ‘0.1’ in
‘5.1’) channel convey 10dB more bass, but
potentially this can coincide with full bass
level in the other five channels. Although the
Dolby Digital, DTS and MPEG encoders
limit the total bass level to +15dB, the
resulting bass energy can still be incredibly
demanding for even the very best systems.
This amount of bass energy may also
be disastrous for other, less capable,
speakers.
The Meridian 861 incorporates a highly
sophisticated series of bass management
schemes for Digital Surround formats. The
user can control the overall amount of LFE
added in, with Music and Movie modes
that address the fundamentally different
approaches to bass management that
these sources may require. In addition, the
861 has a bass limiting function ensuring
that the total amount of bass passed to the
system does not exceed operational limits
of the downstream components.
The 861 continually monitors all active
speaker feeds. Sophisticated DSP
determines how hard each individual
speaker is working and compares that
to a capacity rating for each speaker,
measured when the system is installed,
via a calibration routine that actually tests
the speaker’s capabilities. If the signal
demands more bass than a speaker can
supply, a proprietary, psychoacoustically-
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861v8
Reference Digital Surround Controller
optimised limiting filter momentarily and
elegantly manages the load on that speaker.
This unique protection method means you
can get the most out of all the speakers
in the room without any fear of damage or
unpleasant overload noises.
Sample rates & de-jittering
The 861 embodies the very latest
developments in digital audio, including
high sample-rate capability throughout.
Meridian, famous for smooth-sounding
digital audio components, has made
a major breakthrough with a memorybased de-jittering system that renders
the processor almost entirely immune
to input-signal quality – making it by far
the sweetest and most open-sounding
controller that Meridian has built to date.
861v8 includes a new master clock and
associated circuitry that has made it
possible to reduce jitter to levels of 40% or
better below previous models.
Digital signals are upsampled to 24bit, 96kHz sampling using Meridian’s
unique ‘apodising’ filter and de-jittered
by a powerful DSP processor and FIFO
memory buffer, while analogue signals
are transferred into the digital domain via
precision high-sample-rate 24-bit DeltaSigma A/D converters.
surround with multiple subwoofers (with
adjustable crossover parameters), to more
specialised layouts such as with-height
configurations and Ambisonic layouts such
as square/rectangle, pentagon, hexagon
and heptagon. Up to eight loudspeakers
can be active simultaneously, though
different setups can address different
combinations of outputs (for example, one
layout might use digital outputs 1–8, while
another might use digital outputs 1-6 and
two analogue outputs).
Algorithms include Meridian’s own highly
transparent Dolby Pro Logic IIx and Dolby
Digital implementations, MPEG Surround,
DTS, THX extensions, TV Logic and a
variety of award-winning music programs
including Trifield and Ambisonics – in the
latter case handling both 2-channel UHJ
and planar B-Format sources.
Trifield, recently brought to prominence
through its starring role in Meridian’s
automotive systems, actually decodes
a stereo signal to a three-speaker front
soundstage, providing greatly improved
stereo imaging and stability irrespective
of listener position, as well as extracting
surround information from stereo
recordings.
Meridian Room Correction
861 includes Meridian’s powerful Room
Correction system. A simple microphone is
used by the installer to measure a room’s
resonances. Software then computes
digital filters to control these resonances,
or “modes”, and uploads them to the 861.
The result is a dramatic improvement in
the sound, with reduced ‘muddiness’, and
enhanced clarity and imaging.
Physical Characteristics
861 architecture provides wide flexibility –
future sources, formats and features can
be handled by upgrading software and/
or cards. 861 includes an advanced linear
power supply and a backplane with slots
for both digital and analogue audio cards.
The slots can be populated with a selection
of available 800 Series cards, the total
number depending on the owner’s specific
requirement (see over).
The 861v8 is available as a table-top box,
or in a rack-mountable version with or
without cover. It is supplied finished in
Graphite, Silver or Black; the full range
of Meridian Select colour options is also
available.
Inputs
The 861 is a full-system controller/preamp
that provides seamless control of up to
12 analogue or digital audio sources. By
providing digital as well as analogue inputs,
861 can deliver radically higher sound
quality for sources that are originally digital
– like CD, DVD and Blu-ray Disc. As well
as accepting multichannel digital audio,
the 861 will handle S/PDIF-encoded Dolby
Digital, DTS or MPEG from sources like
DVD and set-top boxes.
Processing
The Meridian 861 is a digital processor,
and all signals are handled within the
digital domain. The processing engine
can consist of between two and ten
modular processor cards, each offering
an astonishing 300 MIPS of processing
power and housing multiple ultra-fast
processors running a variety of proprietary
algorithms to drive a number of different
possible outputs. These can be used to
feed a number of speaker layouts, ranging
from conventional 2- to 8-speaker stereo/
Meridian Room Correction smooths out reverberation and resonance for a
cleaner, more precise sound without muddiness.
861V8DS v2.6 • 20121204 REƒwww.meridian-audio.com
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