The Compact Disc originally promised “perfect sound forever,” but the format’s acceptance among cognoscenti was nearly nonexistent until 1984. Then, a feisty little British company named Meridian unveiled the Pro MCD—the first CD player designed with demanding listeners in mind. It quickly established itself as the audiophile’s CD player of choice.

Nearly 20 years later, with the arrival of the new DVD-Audio format, Meridian again establishes the first true high-end product in a field cluttered with mass-market mediocrities. Thanks to a digital interface created by Meridian, the new 598 DVD player and its partnering processor, the THX Ultra-certified 568.2, are the first products that allow the DVD-Audio format to reach its full potential.

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The 598 DVD-Audio player (top) and the 598 preamp/processor (bottom), alongside Meridians unusual remote control.  (Click image to enlarge)

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DVD-Audio is a relatively new type of DVD created specifically for music. It carries 24-bit, 96-kilohertz digital audio, which covers more than twice the frequency range of 16-bit, 44.1-kilohertz CD audio, and also achieves substantially higher resolution. DVD-Audio also offers up to six channels of sound, as compared to two channels on a CD, which means this new format can carry 5.1-channel surround sound, but with much better quality than the 5.1-channel Dolby Digital and DTS soundtracks found on ordinary DVDs.

Meridian’s recent addition—the Smart Link interface—carries all of DVD-Audio’s six high-resolution audio channels using a single digital connection. Other DVD-Audio players convert the disc’s digital audio to analog audio, allowing a surround-sound preamp/processor to perform volume control and, sometimes, other processing on the analog audio signals. Smart Link, however, keeps the audio signals in the digital domain all the way through, which gives you cleaner sound, as well as other benefits discussed later. Denon is the only other manufacturer to offer a similar interface.

The greatest advantage of Smart Link is, for me, this: It allows the Meridian 568.2 processor to perform bass management for DVD-Audio. What is bass management, you ask? It is hardly a techno bauble thrown in just to dazzle engineers—it allows your installer to adjust the audio system to suit the bass capabilities of your speakers. The effects of this refinement are beneficial and readily audible, because bass management lets us enjoy DVD-Audio with high-quality satellite/subwoofer speaker systems to the max. (Most DVD-A players are optimized for five full-size speakers and a subwoofer, and only the über-enthusiast would dare fill a room with a quintet of refrigerator-sized speakers.)

Since listeners usually sit closer to the rear speakers than to the front ones, surround-sound preamp/processors delay the sound traveling to the rear speakers by a few milliseconds. That way, the sound arrives at your ears from all five speakers and the subwoofer at exactly the same time, regardless of which speaker is sounding. For arcane technical reasons, no preamp/processor or DVD-Audio player (save one Denon product) has been able to add the necessary delay without degrading audio quality. Thanks to Smart Link, the Meridian 568.2 can.

Go (con)figure

The 598 DVD-Audio player is available in a variety of configurations. My review sample was decked out with Smart Link; you can also order your 598 with six analog outputs so it works with non-Meridian preamp/processors. On the video side, you have a choice of either standard interlaced or progressive-scan video outputs.

I am so impressed with the audio part of the story, I almost forgot to mention that Meridian has fussed just as much with the video side. The 598 includes studio-grade video circuitry, and its progressive video output employs a unique implementation of Faroudja technology to deliver vivid video—all while suppressing the motion artifacts that so often appear in digital video images.

Once you pair the 598 with the 568.2 surround processor, things get really interesting. The processor upsamples your CDs, and the Dolby Digital or DTS soundtracks from DVDs to the 24-bit/96-kilohertz resolution used for DVD-Audio discs. This extraordinary and, as far as I know, unique feature pays major sonic dividends.

Meridian's mesmerizing resolution is not an end in itself—these components have the uncanny ability to deliver all of the sound quality embedded in every DVD-A, DVD movie and CD I play. My connection to the music or movie is stronger when the Meridian combo is in play. On the better-sounding movies, the Meridians executed perfectly seamless front-to-rear speaker pans—there was none of the audible “jumping” of sound from speaker to speaker that typically accompanies surround-sound systems. The sound is markedly more lifelike—more you-are-there, more real than I have ever before experienced. My familiar Dynaudio Contour speakers seemed to disappear more than usual, which is to say that I find it difficult to tell by ear where the speakers are placed. The sound appears to float in the room rather than emanate from speaker cabinets.

Remember my ramble a few paragraphs above about the virtues of Meridian’s speaker-distance compensation? That capability lets you hear remarkably coherent soundstages from your DVD-A discs. You no longer hear the front and rear speakers as two distinct soundfields. The music on Miles Davis’ Tutu or Yes’ Magnification DVD-Audio discs fully envelops the listener. And when you finally hear properly managed bass, the music will feel, literally, whole again. When playing Philip Glass’ Koyaanisqatsi score, I find the palpability of the organ, brass and strings exhilarating. And beyond the surround effect, DVD-Audio also sounds more solidly present and musically complete than the best CDs.

DVD-Audio discs are fun, but the Meridian’s unique ability to upsample DVD movies is the clincher for me. My favorite DVDs never sounded—and lest I forget, looked—better.

Measuring little more than a foot wide, the Meridians are a good deal smaller than most A/V components, and their elegant good looks are easy on the eyes. However, these components fall short in the touchy-feely department. Even though you rarely touch the units unless you are loading and unloading a disc, their plastic faceplates and plastic blade-shaped buttons seem out of place on premium componentry. I find the wide plastic remote control and its button layout unfriendly, but you will likely jettison it in favor of a Crestron or AMX touchscreen controller, anyway. Full-system automation through such controllers is possible via the Meridians’ RS-232 ports.

These incredibly versatile machines require skilled installation and setup, but I find them to be fairly intuitive in use. One last note—both products are software-updateable via free downloads. The components’ modular construction facilitates future hardware upgrades. Interested in no-holds-barred performance? Audition the 598 and 568.2.

PRICE
598 DVD-Audio/Video Player, $5,195-$5,995 (depending on options); 568.2 Digital Surround Processor, $7,445

CONTACT
404-344-7111
www.meridian-audio.com