Meridian 818v3 Reference Pre Amplifier - Audio Controller
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A high performance home audio system hub, the 818v3 Reference Audio Core hosts the full suite of unique resolution enhancement technologies that have made Meridian famous. With extensive connection options for all of your audio sources, the 818v3 also has Meridian Sooloos end point built in, for the ultimate streaming experience.
Meridian Audio unveils the 818v3 Reference Audio Core, the latest version of its ultimate HI-FI system hub. This Pre-Amplifier adds significant upgrades to its multi-talented forebear's audio arsenal and, in keeping with its maker's inclusive engineering disciplines, offers an upgrade path to existing 818 owners.
In common with the rest of Meridian’s 800 Reference Series, 818 employs triple FIFO buffering, DSP upsampling and apodising filters to get the very best performance from all digital sources. 818 fully supports MQA – Master Quality Authenticated – sources. MQA is Meridian’s revolutionary audio processing system that captures the essence of a studio master with advanced sampling technology and encapsulates it into a lossless stream or file. On replay, the sound of the original studio master is reproduced – guaranteed. On the 818, MQA sources are decoded and can then be rendered externally in the case of the digital outputs, and both decoded and rendered in the case of the analogue outputs.
The 818v3 to connects directly to a Meridian Sooloos Digital Media System. When connected, the 818 becomes an audio endpoint and renders audio streamed from the Sooloos system. The card has been designed with particular attention paid to magnetic isolation, which helps maximise the performance of the source without the need for external cable filtering. Control commands sent through 818 can be used to manage music held in the Digital Media System current Play Queue, while the apps for iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch can all be used to control 818 as a source within a Meridian Sooloos Digital Media System.
818 offers a diverse range of high performance audio inputs, both analogue and digital. These allow all your audio sources to be switched and processed using the same powerful audio enhancing DSP as the internal Digital Media source. It also offers an elegant way to connect and control almost any audio source you might want to enjoy on a pair of Meridian DSP Loudspeakers.
A high-resolution USB input allows a simple high-quality connection to be made between your personal computer and the Reference Audio Core, allowing 818 to function as an external soundcard for your computer.
This simple method of digital connection enhances the sound from all media on your computer, whether stored locally or streamed across a network or the internet, limited only by the source material. 818 Reference Audio Core features an advanced linear power supply design for minimum noise and maximum signal integrity.
FLEXIBILITY MEETS PERFECTION
818 is the highest performance two channel preamplifier and Digital Media System end-point manufactured by Meridian. Connecting at the centre of an incredible Meridian music system, 818 offers simple networked integration with any Meridian Sooloos Digital Media System plus an array of other sources including MQA.
818 features twin SpeakerLink outputs for “home run” connection in an all-digital system with any of Meridian’s SpeakerLink equipped DSP Loudspeakers. And as part of the 800 Reference Series, 818 features superb, high-quality analogue pre-amplifier outputs via both balanced and singleended connectors, ensuring 818 can also be used in more traditional audio systems, where sophisticated DSP algorithms feeding the analogue outputs result in an even sweeter sound than before.
Meridian’s SpeakerLink connection system delivers the highest quality digital signals to Meridian’s DSP Loudspeakers on discreet, low-cost cables with simple connectors. SpeakerLink helps make a Meridian system easier to install and far less intrusive than other high-end audio systems. The advantage of the twin SpeakerLink output is that left and right loudspeakers can both be connected directly to the 818, further simplifying wiring structure and making cables even easier to hide.
In common with other Audio Core units such as the Audio Core 200, 818 may be used to control and configure Meridian DSP loudspeakers that do not have their own display, such as the DSP3200 and M6. Features such as Bass, Treble, Balance, Enhanced Bass Alignment and Enhanced Boundary Control can be set from the Audio Control unit.
