News

Meridian's new SW1600 and SW5500 subwoofers offer powerful bass for analogue and digital systems (1/7/2005)

CEDIA UK Expo 2005

Meridian Audio Limited, award-winning manufacturer of luxury home entertainment systems based in Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, is showing two new subwoofers, the SW1600 with a single 300mm driver and the SW5500 with dual 300mm drivers, both designed to emphasise extreme bass, depth, clarity, control, and articulation.

Each subwoofer provides both digital and active analogue inputs, allowing them to be connected either to a Meridian digital surround controller or digital source with a digital coax output, or to an analogue preamplifier or surround controller with either phono or balanced (XLR) outputs. The subwoofers' digital inputs employ 96kHz/24bit digital to analogue conversion and accept inputs up to 96kHz Ð including Meridian High Resolution (MHR) signals. If you are using the subwoofers with a digital source such as CD or DVD, these inputs allow signals to remain in digital form until the last possible stage.

Separate analogue and digital power supplies are used to feed the subwoofer's precision electronic circuits, ensuring that both high and low power sections receive continual smooth supply. The whole electronic assembly is supplied from a substantial toroidal transformer feeding high quality, audiophile-grade capacitors.

The subwoofers are based on 300mm (12in) high-efficiency long-throw custom bass drivers. The SW1600 uses a single driver, and the SW5500 uses two drivers in a single enclosure. In both cases, the enclosure is sealed for maximum flexibility of positioning. The speakers are driven by Class G high efficiency ultra-low output impedance amplifiers. The combination of idealised magnetic design, careful star earthing, and very fast output devices gives the amplifiers extremely low noise and fast bass, optimised for both music and movie soundtracks.

Each subwoofer is carefully constructed from 22mm MDF with inert basket bracing and bitumen damping to produce an ultra-rigid, damped cabinet that minimises colouration. The subwoofers are finished with 6mm annealed glass top-plates, and thick veneered MDF sides are bolted to the main cabinet, resulting in extremely low levels of cabinet resonance.

The SW1600 and SW5500 can be used to complement Meridian DSP Loudspeakers in both stereo and surround systems. In addition, the analogue input capability makes them ideal for analogue systems too. A Meridian surround processor such as the G68 can handle several DSP loudspeakers, and the SW5500 is ideal as a mono subwoofer for a Meridian Digital Theatre system, in particular to give exciting cinema effects and added realism in DVD movies.

The recommended configuration for music is to provide two subwoofers, one for each of the main left and right channels, for a superb stereo image. The SW1600 is ideal for this application. In a large system, multiple subwoofers can be employed to provide even more impressive effects. The SW1600 and SW5500 are supplied with feet, spikes and castors, allowing maximum versatility of mounting and position, including built-in or cabinet installation. Included are the cables required to use the subwoofers in a Meridian system.

The SW1600 and SW5500 subwoofers are now shipping, and carry UK retail prices of £1995 and £2560 respectively.

www.meridian.co.uk