News

New Active Monitor Speakers from Meridian (1/6/2006)

Stand E7, CEDIA UK Expo 2006

M3100 Offers Power and Performance in a Compact Package

In addition to inventing the DSP loudspeaker almost 20 years ago, Meridian was also a pioneer in analogue active loudspeaker development. The M3100 from Meridian represents a new benchmark in the development of elegant, compact, high-performance active loudspeakers.

The M3100 active analogue loudspeaker and its DSP counterpart, the DSP3100, are compact 'bookshelf' designs for near-field monitoring and small living spaces. Specially-designed aluminium stands are available that may be sand-filled for maximum stability and to minimize any impact on sound quality. These new compact monitors also include universal wall bracket mountings for additional flexibility in location. For multi-channel systems there is an accompanying horizontal centre speaker dubbed M3100HC which is magnetically-shielded for positioning closely above or below TV sets in home cinema setups.

M3100s are tonally similar to other Meridian loudspeakers and as a result they are ideal for use, for example, as surrounds in a Meridian system featuring 'floor-standers' as the main stereo pair. They are equally suited for use in smaller stand-alone systems - in a study or bedroom, perhaps - and can be used as second zone speakers in a Meridian multi-room environment. The M3100 includes both balanced and unbalanced inputs so can be used both with modest preamplifiers and higher-end dual-mono preamps featuring balanced outputs. M3100s are also at home as 'desktops': they are truly fabulous, high-end computer loudspeakers!

Extremely accurate characteristics make the M3100 eminently suitable for studio monitoring applications, particularly as a near-field or surround monitors in recording and mastering facilities.

The M3100's distinctive cabinet is made from braced wood with piano-lacquered ends and aluminium side-panels bonded for rigidity. The '3100 offers extremely low coloration and this is partially a result of this cabinet construction. Wood tends to vibrate at lower frequencies, where aluminium is very stable; conversely, aluminium tends to resonate at higher frequencies while wood does not. Combining the two by bonding them together tends to cancel out vibration across the range. The cabinet is further damped with bitumen, leading to an enclosure that is exceedingly dead.

Cosmetic finishes available are black or silver, matching Meridian's G Series components (bead-blasted, brightened and anodised). The vertical units feature a 2-way rear-ported enclosure, while the horizontal centre is a 21/-way closed box design. Featuring high-efficiency long-throw 6in (160mm) (M3100) or dual 5 1/4 in (120mm) (M3100HC) bass drivers with doped carbon fibre cones and cast alloy baskets, the '3100 also includes a very high quality 1in (25mm) Meridian piston treble drive unit with doped fabric dome. The drivers are powered directly by independent, high power (75W), low-feedback amplifiers fed from an audiophile-grade power supply with a substantial toroidal transformer.

The M3100 will be available from March 2006. UK retail price is £1,845 per pair, while the matching stands are £330 per pair. The M3100HC horizontal centre speaker with its twin bass drivers is priced £1,565 (UK retail).

www.meridian-audio.com