Meridian Audio, a pioneer of high-resolution audio, showcased the Meridian Ultra Digital to Analogue Converter recently at the Newport Audio Show. In typical Meridian-Audio fashion, the demonstration of the DAC included world firsts and innovative technologies not yet seen by any other audio manufacture which makes the Meridian Ultra DAC in a class of its own. 384 kHz/24 bit dedicated DAC is capable of playing any content including DXD, DSD64 and DSD128 (DoP) as well as MQA. The Ultra DAC features a wide range of connectivity options, including USB 2.0, S/PDIF, TOSLINK, 75 Ohm BNC and AES3 on XLR as well as Meridian’s Speakerlink. One pair of balanced and one pair of unbalanced analogue outputs are also provided. The new machine is also able to connect to Meridian-Audio’s award-winning Sooloos music management system. In addition, the ultra DAC is the first product in the world to include MQA’s patent-pending Hierarchichal Converter Technology.
CTO at Meridian, Richard Hollinshead
“The Meridian Ultra Digital to Analogue Converter is the culmination of nearly two decades of research and engineering. With considerable connectivity options, user features, and format support, the Meridian Ultra DAC incorporates an extensive list of performance-enhancing technologies, including Dual Mono DAC cards, DSP filter options and up-sampling. This dedicated DAC utilizes Meridian’s renowned audio expertise to set a new standard in the analogue realm”.
More Specs and Firsts
USB 2.0, S/PDIF, TosLink, 75 ohm BNC, and AES3 on XLR, as well as Meridian’s Speakerlink and the award-winning Sooloos music-management platform provide connectivity options. One pair of balanced and one pair of unbalanced analogue outputs are also provided. The Meridian Ultra is a 384kHz/24-bit dedicated DAC capable of playing virtually any recording format including DXD, DSD64 and DSD128 (DoP), and MQA. Significant user features are provided, including LipSync, PC setup, and RS232 enabling integration with third-party systems such as Crestron. The Ultra DAC is the first Meridian product to give users the option to select one of 3 up-sampling filters when reproducing sources with a sample rate of 44kHz or 48kHz, such as CD or DAT. In addition, a dedicated clock card is included for the lowest possible jitter.
From the creators of MQA, the “Hierarchical Converter Technology, by MQA” is a patent-pending DAC technology. The technology activates multiple converters to increase resolution while also reducing noise and errors. The result is a level of performance that other DACs cannot achieve. Yet another first for a Meridian product is the construction of the Ultra’s Dual Mono DAC card, which incorporates multiple regulated power supplies and eight-layer circuit boards with low-impedance ground-planes. This technology gives exact isolation and the low-noise grounding that is critical to digital-audio accuracy. A fully linear power supply provides isolation from the AC supply, and DC-coupled output prevents poor-quality from AC coupling capacitors. Even the Ultra DAC’s front panel was designed for quiet operation, with non-ferrous construction, and a static LCD display chosen for its low electrical noise and ease of readability. The Meridian Ultra DAC is built by hand in the UK and is available in beautiful high gloss. Other color options are available using Meridian’s Select bespoke color service.
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