More random thoughts on the Meridian explorer.............and why I might conceivably need more than one.
My application:
I bought this with the intent of using it as the DAC in my car stereo system, where the current Kenwood 9900HD internal dac is clearly outclassed by the iStreamer. Next, I plan to ditch apple ipod touch as my source since I find them too frustratingly closed to innovation on our part.........onward to Android (assume it will work, and if not, someone will make it work in short order) or 'something else'.
'Something else' just popped into my head while talking to Evan (Talk of the Town A/V) and Ryan (Meridian sales manager) this afternoon. I was describing to them the architecture of my 'patio' system, which is a logitech Touch streaming from my home NAS, analog out to a Pelican box housing a computer power supply (+12V, +5V) and a car stereo (for amplification to stereostone speakers on the patio)..............and I stated that I was sure the Explorer would sound better than the analog out of the logitech touch.
Then I remembered that someone had hacked the Logitech Touch so that it's USB input(!) could be used as a USB output(!!!!!).
This had never been on my technology roadmap before but now it sounds like something worth pursuing.
If I follow this path, I would hack the Logitech Touch to provide USB output to the Meridian, and then line out to the car stereo in the pelican box that drives the speaker stones.............now I'm jazzed again to play with my toys to get better sound.
So what about the car stereo system? I've been planning for a while to put a Logitech Touch into my car as well (just bought a used since they don't have them in stores anymore) and the plan was to use analog out of the Logitech into the AUX IN of the Kenwood, replacing an iPod==>iStreamer==>Kenwood that I had been using. The last step, which I've been working on for the past week is getting a Squeezebox server into my car, but that looks very doable as the squeezebox server installation has now been ported to the Raspberry Pi, the $35 credit card sized computer.
So, this now suggests that the plan be modified to have the Raspberry Pi running squeezbox server, wired ethernet cable between Raspberry Pi and Logitech Touch, Logitech Touch hacked for USB output to Meridian Explorer with line out to Kenwood in dash.
So I can see a use for an Explorer in my car system, in my patio system and when traveling on planes. Since no one uses the car or patio system when I'm traveling, I can probably work with just 2 of these DACs
Q: Dad, when are you going to stop changing all the electronics?
A: Never, so you might as well get used to it.
. With the seemingly glowing reviews I can see why! If you're on the fence, you might want to pull the trigger sooner than later. Very excited to get mine next week (hopefully).
