NEWS: Meridian Releases The Explorer Pocket-Sized USB DAC - Page 42

Thank you kind sir.

Should I wait for a fix for this or go with a HRT Streamer DAC? 

It depends on what type of headphones you are using to drive it with and if you are going to sell it.

 

 

 

$50 for a USB cable is not really cheap and it doesn't really improve a digital signal

 

From my understanding after talking to Meridian, the updated versions are already being shipped out to suppliers. So there shouldn't be much waiting involved.

I will be curious as to how the updated version sounds.

Hopefully somebody here will get one of the newer versions and give us impressions.

Couple of questions:
1. Current owner: Should we contact directly to Meridian or through our dealer?
2. After the dealer redirected our concerns up to Meridian, what next steps would be-knowing that new version had arrived at dealers already?
Some members had shown their concerns of no update from Meridian after they contacted Meridian a week or 2 weeks ago.
3. Would the dealer replace our concerned product or would Meridian? Again knowing new version had shipped out to dealers.

Lol.....questions, questions and more questions.
Cheers

 

I can only tell you my path. I contacted my dealer first. I get the impression Meridian is used to working through dealers more than directly with customers. I don't know whether they've set up any exchange agreement with dealers, but the quickest way to find out what your next step should be would be by contacting the dealer you bought it from. This has been my experience. If your dealer says to contact Meridian directly, as did mine, then you know.

 

This is a very good point. Since the ME is designed for portable use (otherwise it wouldn't need to draw from USB power but rather gets its juice from the wall), therefore any competent reviewer should test it using portable headphones. One may argue that you'd most likely be using a laptop anyway so what's an extra few hundred grams of a full-size headphone - but I can tell you, I intend to use one of these things on international flights, and given the current situations of airlines trying to nickel and dime you on everything, minimizing the size and weight of baggage you carry into the cabin will always be a huge advantage. Plus the superior noise isolation characteristics of a pair of IEM's is always going to provide more musical enjoyment over a pair of closed full-size headphones in a noisy environment like a plane.

I can only tell you my path. I contacted my dealer first. I get the impression Meridian is used to working through dealers more than directly with customers. I don't know whether they've set up any exchange agreement with dealers, but the quickest way to find out what your next step should be would be by contacting the dealer you bought it from. This has been my experience. If your dealer says to contact Meridian directly, as did mine, then you know.

Thank you, I really appreciate you for the help.
My concern has been elevated to Ron and Ken at Meridian. We will see.

Cheers
Edited by Burju - 3/18/13 at 11:39am

I spoke to my dealer this afternoon who checked in with Meridian. I was advised to contact them through the web site (which directs to an email address I understand but I havent done it yet), Meridian are expecting my mail and have a unit held back for me. 

Doesnt seem like a big deal - wonder if they will ship me the new one before I ship the "old" one back so I can side by side demo them with my phones?

 

Will update as things progress....

I purchased from TTVJ, but opted to attempt direct contact w/ Meridian via their web support form.  I've been thinking about this the past few days, and while I like the product as-is for use at home w/ fullsize cans, my intent when I purchased was for use w/ IEMs when I travel (which I do A LOT) with my rMBP (use on the airplane & in the hotel).  I just don't want to travel with fullsize cans...and I like my IEMs...I don't want to have to buy new ones just to get good SQ out of the ME.  I ordered from TTVJ 2/17/13; it was backordered & didn't ship to me until 2/25/13, so I'm w/in my return window. But honestly, I don't want to return this...as I said, I like this product, but I just want to use it with my current gear, for the originally intended purpose.  To be clear, I'm not mad, nor do I feel entitled.  I just want to see whether Meridian will step to the plate.

I'm in the process of having mine exchanged, just waiting for further direction. The Meridian director did mention a couple things to me. One, that the output impedance has been reduced to 5 ohms and, two, that their desire has been not to be a "specification driven" product line, but to be listened to as the sum of its parts. Outside of the initial output impedance, I'd say it's got some pretty good parts.

I have received the revised version and the output impedance is indeed 5 Ohm.  

 

Ken Forsythe of Meridian has provided me with a statement which includes:

 

"If any customers feel that their experience may have been affected by the headphones they are using with their Explorer then they should contact Meridian at explorer@meridian.co.uk telling us their name and shipping address; where they bought their Explorer, its serial number, how they use it (which outputs, OS, etc.) and the headphones models they enjoy, and we will get right back to them. Meridian is always happy to engage with enthusiastic customers."

 

The new unit does sound better to me.  Full story here: http://www.innerfidelity.com/content/meridian-explorer-case-study-effects-output-impedance

Thank you Tyll for the update article, measurements, and impressions.

I have the first-run Explorer and I like it. The one odd thing I noticed was that it seems like my 35-ohm HE-400s require as much or more power to reach the same volume as my 600-ohm Beyers with the ME. That's the opposite of what happens when using my O2 or even straight out of my Mac. But I don't see how damping factor would account for that..

Good news. Thanks Tyll for following up on this - and kudos to Meridian for fixing the issue.