Good small HiFi recommendations?

[0b5cur1ty]

Originally Posted by A Y

Congrats! Hope you enjoy it for a while, and will write more about it when it's all set up.

--Andre
Thanks, will do!

 

[0b5cur1ty]

In the meantime, here's a bad pic of the F80 in its new (temporary) home:

 

[0b5cur1ty]

Been doing a little comparative listening:

Most instructive; and helpful in tuning the digital stereo width.

 

[Andrewc2232]

This makes me really want to hear that Meridian. It's incredible that something that small can really produce any imaging at all.

Think I'm going to find the nearest dealer and go listen to one myself when I get a chance.

Congrats on the purchase, hope you enjoy it!

 

[0b5cur1ty]

Originally Posted by Andrewc2232

This makes me really want to hear that Meridian. It's incredible that something that small can really produce any imaging at all.

Think I'm going to find the nearest dealer and go listen to one myself when I get a chance.

Congrats on the purchase, hope you enjoy it!
Thank you. I most certainly am.

The digital stereo width functionality is remarkably effective, but the increments are very subtle - and the factory preset on it (width +2) is too conservative. I've learned (and since heard from others on the Meridian owner's forum) that unless you're sitting right in front of the unit, it basically sounds better the more you increase the digital stereo width. I have mine ramped up to the maximum of +6 and it sounds wonderful, with a convincing stereo image.

The above does go to show that the F80 rewards careful tuning - and there are a lot of settings to play with...

 

[0b5cur1ty]

I may have to take back the promise of a review of the F80. I'm not sure I can be objective about this little box any more.

I just listened to the 1812 overture on it for the first time and can only conclude it is powered by a combination of alien technology and magic. This thing defies the laws of physics: It just let off a firework show with accompanying strings, drums and cannon-fire right in my living room... and it's the size of a large toaster.

 

[amerikajinda]

the horse looks like the ferrari horse?

 

[A Y]

It's codesigned with Ferrari. Ferrari supplied the materials science engineering.

--Andre

 

[0b5cur1ty]

After two weeks of ownership, it's time for the promised review of the the Meridian F80:

http://clockworktechnology.blogspot....idian-f80.html

I tried to be objective. No, really I did.

 

[A Y]

Thanks for writing that up. To answer one of the questions in your review, to get digital data out of an iPod, you need a special licensing chip from Apple, and apparently the application process was pretty arduous. Wadia makes a relatively affordable dock that does have the chip and supplies a digital output, so you could use that with the F80.

--Andre

 

[Artisan Fan]

I'm really glad you are enjoying it Chris. Filling the house with music is a wonderful thing.

Thanks for the review.

 

[0b5cur1ty]

Thanks guys.

Unfortunately, and you won't believe this, very shortly after posting the review - disaster struck. I tried to eject the CD the F80 had been playing (beautifully) and heard the familiar electric motor noise of the eject function... which continued and continued, without ejecting the CD. The only way I could get it to stop was to switch off the whole unit. When I switched it on again, the electric churning continued endlessly without producing the CD from the drive. My F80's drive is kaput.

Today it went back to the dealer, where it will be repaired or replaced, but there is no stock of new F80s at the moment so I will be sans high-quality tunes for while.

 

[0b5cur1ty]

My F80 is back already... The dealer phoned yesterday to say that they had extracted the disc (now scratched) and that the player was now tested and working fine. I went to pick it up today and it was suggested that the disc itself was the problem - the dealer suggested this was because the disc was copy protected.

This struck me as highly unlikely as I had played the disc in question successfully in the F80 before, as well as in my old Marantz player and my computer. Further googling when I got home also revealed the disc is almost certain not to be copy protected as it is from 2009 and copy protection was no longer used then. I agreed with the dealer to 'trail' the unit for the next 2 weeks - should the problem recur, a new unit will be ordered for me.

I must admit this has given me some feeling of doubt about my F80, but it is now playing CDs (and ejecting them afterwards) again without problems... and I still keep stopping to sit in front of it and listen because it sounds wonderful.

 

[0b5cur1ty]

In the unlikely event that anyone is still interested in my small HiFi trials and tribulations...

Last night the same problem occurred (with another disc). Clearly the unit is at fault and, after a rather 'pointed' phone call to the dealer today, a new unit has been ordered for me from the importer. Hopefully I will soon have the replacement and can get back to saying how great the F80 is!

 

[0b5cur1ty]

I picked up the new F80 from the dealer yesterday. Apparently it was the last silver unit in the Netherlands.

Since being set up, it's been behaving well and sounding as wonderful as the first one (when it was working). In addition to which...

A few hours ago I bought an Apple Airport Express and am now streaming music (Apple Lossless) wirelessly from my Mac to the Meridian's optical imput. I still need to do some comparative listening with something difficult (piano) but so far I'm pretty blown away by this combo.