[telecaster]

Ok now that I have bought a new ipad, I can used my explorer 2 again, with full MQA rendering.
For the LCD 3 it's perfect for loud modern music. But for classical or old jazz recording I might need an amp to boost that level.
But for Billy Eilish it's perfectly suited, and I listen to headphone very very loud!

 

[BobSmith8901]

Ok now that I have bought a new ipad, I can used my explorer 2 again, with full MQA rendering.
For the LCD 3 it's perfect for loud modern music. But for classical or old jazz recording I might need an amp to boost that level.
But for Billy Eilish it's perfectly suited, and I listen to headphone very very loud!

Very nice! I'll bet the sound is fantastic with the Audezes. Nicely composed picture too.

I've got a similar set-up, not at the level of equipment you have, but using an older Nvidia Tegra 7 Android tablet USB-OTG'd to my ME2. I do have mine amped with the Meridian's line out to a Schiit Magni2 Uber. Can't complain as, for some reason, this Android 4.3 set-up plays with UAPP and the ME2 with no complaints and the output power of the Magni drives a couple of budget HiFiMan planars and my HD-6XX pretty well.

 

[rfernand]

It's a shame this wonderful gizmo is discontinued. It has an MQA bug (if you use DSP in Roon it does not pass authentication forward) that seems like a straightforward fix. It's been a pain to carry USB C -> USB -A -> USB -B cables just to use it on the road with an iPad Pro or a laptop.

But it sounds sooo much better than the Stella MQA or other similar dongles. And leaving MQA alone, this DAC does great with FLAC. I hope it doesn't die on me any time soon

 

[koenigworks9]

Ok now that I have bought a new ipad, I can used my explorer 2 again, with full MQA rendering.
For the LCD 3 it's perfect for loud modern music. But for classical or old jazz recording I might need an amp to boost that level.
But for Billy Eilish it's perfectly suited, and I listen to headphone very very loud!

Hello telecaster!

Could you kindly provide the reference of the cable you are using to connect directly the ligthning and meridian usb? Brand and model would be enough, as in my case I had to go through a usb hub.

 

[Fiyero]

Dear all,
I woukld like to ask you for a confirmation.

Sorry if the question had already been answered in this long thread.

I bought a Meridian EXplorer 2 DAC and I'm using it with USB Audio Player PRO.

Everything seems to be working: color of the LEDs, the APP recognized the DAC, ...

But having seen reviews in which they wrote that Explorer 2 is not working with Android (very old to be honest) I would like to ask you if with this configuration the DAC is really working properly.

Another question: how can I let it work properly also with Spotify and not only with Tidal and Qobuzz? When I try to use Spotify through USB connection the volume is really really low even with a 16ohms headphone.

Thanks,
Maurizio

 

[pkcpga]

Dear all,
I woukld like to ask you for a confirmation.

Sorry if the question had already been answered in this long thread.

I bought a Meridian EXplorer 2 DAC and I'm using it with USB Audio Player PRO.

Everything seems to be working: color of the LEDs, the APP recognized the DAC, ...

But having seen reviews in which they wrote that Explorer 2 is not working with Android (very old to be honest) I would like to ask you if with this configuration the DAC is really working properly.

Another question: how can I let it work properly also with Spotify and not only with Tidal and Qobuzz? When I try to use Spotify through USB connection the volume is really really low even with a 16ohms headphone.

Thanks,
Maurizio

Unless an update changed information since release, Meridian’s site still states it’s a desktop portable dac/amp, only functioning with laptop or desktop not with mobile devices due to system requirements and power draw requirements of the Explorer 2. So it most likely will not have enough power from a mobile device to produce proper volume levels.

 

[Fiyero]

Unless an update changed information since release, Meridian’s site still states it’s a desktop portable dac/amp, only functioning with laptop or desktop not with mobile devices due to system requirements and power draw requirements of the Explorer 2. So it most likely will not have enough power from a mobile device to produce proper volume levels.

Thanks!

But it is only a matter of volume?

I tested it with my Samsung Note 8 and volume is Ok.

I was wondering about sound quality, if the DAC is working properly or not.

Maurizio

 

[pkcpga]

Thanks!

But it is only a matter of volume?

I tested it with my Samsung Note 8 and volume is Ok.

I was wondering about sound quality, if the DAC is working properly or not.

Maurizio

Try contacting Meridian, their site does not state it’s compatible with any mobile platform so that’s unknown.

 

[BobSmith8901]

Dear all,
I woukld like to ask you for a confirmation.

Sorry if the question had already been answered in this long thread.

I bought a Meridian EXplorer 2 DAC and I'm using it with USB Audio Player PRO.

Everything seems to be working: color of the LEDs, the APP recognized the DAC, ...

But having seen reviews in which they wrote that Explorer 2 is not working with Android (very old to be honest) I would like to ask you if with this configuration the DAC is really working properly.

Another question: how can I let it work properly also with Spotify and not only with Tidal and Qobuzz? When I try to use Spotify through USB connection the volume is really really low even with a 16ohms headphone.

Thanks,
Maurizio

I also have a Meridian Explorer2 (ME2) and use it occasionally with Android, mostly with an Acer tablet as a source, once in a while with a DAP (FiiO X5III). I mostly use UAPP streaming Tidal and sometimest other Android players for local music. I have no experience with Qobuz.

My tablet set up is: Tablet--> USB out --> ME2 --> line out of ME2--> Schiit Magni 2 Uber Amp.

The ME2 is definitely dependent if the source can provide enough power out of its USB for it to work properly. I always feel that if I can't get the thing to work properly (more to do with the FiiO) it's because of these USB power issues. There is a Youtube video from a few years back of someone demonstrating the ME2's use as a DAC in Android using UAPP.



Sometimes when the connection goes bad I have to disconnect the ME2 and reconnect, or restart UAPP, etc., but usually it eventually reconnects. It's not an ideal, stable setup all the time but mostly works once it's got a good connection.

As far as Spotify goes: Spotify Android app is not set up to recognize a USB output in my experience. UAPP and some other Android local music players like FiiO Player, Onkyo HF Pro, Neutron, etc., can handle a USB connection, but I've never had any luck with Spotify; it's just got to be outputted per the normal headphone out or line out.

 

[Fiyero]

I also have a Meridian Explorer2 (ME2) and use it occasionally with Android, mostly with an Acer tablet as a source, once in a while with a DAP (FiiO X5III). I mostly use UAPP streaming Tidal and sometimest other Android players for local music. I have no experience with Qobuz.

My tablet set up is: Tablet--> USB out --> ME2 --> line out of ME2--> Schiit Magni 2 Uber Amp.

The ME2 is definitely dependent if the source can provide enough power out of its USB for it to work properly. I always feel that if I can't get the thing to work properly (more to do with the FiiO) it's because of these USB power issues. There is a Youtube video from a few years back of someone demonstrating the ME2's use as a DAC in Android using UAPP.



Sometimes when the connection goes bad I have to disconnect the ME2 and reconnect, or restart UAPP, etc., but usually it eventually reconnects. It's not an ideal, stable setup all the time but mostly works once it's got a good connection.

As far as Spotify goes: Spotify Android app is not set up to recognize a USB output in my experience. UAPP and some other Android local music players like FiiO Player, Onkyo HF Pro, Neutron, etc., can handle a USB connection, but I've never had any luck with Spotify; it's just got to be outputted per the normal headphone out or line out.

Thanks!
If I understand properly, if there is not enough power the DAC doesn't turn on or the volume is lower, bur if I see the colored LEDs working the DAC is properly working.

Is my understanding correct?

 

[BobSmith8901]

Thanks!
If I understand properly, if there is not enough power the DAC doesn't turn on or the volume is lower, bur if I see the colored LEDs working the DAC is properly working.

Is my understanding correct?

Yes, I would say that's generally true with UAPP in my experience-- see the lights and you're good and you can control the volume from your source and it should be OK, maybe not crazy loud with a headphone connected to the Meridian. Better outcome if you can line out the Meridian to an amp and get some real power.

But of all the portable amp/DACs I hook up to a DAP or tablet (or phone) I find the ME2 is the most problematic as it does not have its own power. I think I recently tried it with my Samsung smartphone--I had all of the right USB cables, etc., and it just did not work.

My best outcome is my Acer tablet as a head unit, USB to the ME2 and line out to amp. This turns out well most of the time because the tablet can power it and you get a nice full (well, 4X) hardware decode with all the pretty lights, and the Meridian has a fairly pleasing sound.

However, using the ME2 with the Spotify Android app is probably not going to work at all as Spotify doesn't recognize a USB output (in my experience). If you do hear something playing in Spotify in a USB set up attempt, it's probably just defaulting to the on-board speaker(s).

If anyone else has a different experience please chime in. I think I'll go try the Spotify app again (and Tidal app) and see if anything has changed and I'll report back if I get either Android app to play with USB directly. I do remember some talk about a year ago of someone saying the Tidal Android app was possibly USB capable.

 

[chaturanga]

Dear all,
I woukld like to ask you for a confirmation.

Sorry if the question had already been answered in this long thread.

I bought a Meridian EXplorer 2 DAC and I'm using it with USB Audio Player PRO.

Everything seems to be working: color of the LEDs, the APP recognized the DAC, ...

But having seen reviews in which they wrote that Explorer 2 is not working with Android (very old to be honest) I would like to ask you if with this configuration the DAC is really working properly.

Another question: how can I let it work properly also with Spotify and not only with Tidal and Qobuzz? When I try to use Spotify through USB connection the volume is really really low even with a 16ohms headphone.

Thanks,
Maurizio

I used 3 years ago ME2 with my Android phone (LG V20), when I was trying to connect my phone to ME2, because of some reason my Android phone was not able to power "most time" ME2 but "sometimes" did.

Then I realized that I could use a Y cable. One end is USB mini male that fits to ME2 USB out, and the other ends (v part of Y shape) have two USB male endings.

I was using one of the Y USB ends to connect smartphone (over a USB C to USB adapter) and the other end to a powerbank. Such way I was able to power up ME2 without using phone battery.

So powering ME2 with a smartphone is a little tricky, some phones can power directly, but I had above issues when I used my LG V20.

Coming to sound level problem. I think the reason is that, ME2 doesn't have any button to control hardware volume. But when you connect ME2 to your Android phone, you can increase hardware volume level via UAPP app. To do that there is a volume control option (for external DACs) in UAPP. You should set it to a higher level. When you do this you will notice sound level of Meridian will increase (in both PC usage or Android/Apple) the volume.

ME2 will work as a pure DAC when you use UAPP and activate bitperfect option. For Spotify, Tidal, Qobuz, Deezer.. phone apps I don't think they have bit perfect control of external DAC. You can still listen but not bitperfect.

Extra note: When you use Tidal and Qobuz through UAPP, you will be able to use ME2 as pure DAC. But their own applications does not have bitperfect ability as far as I know..

 

[BobSmith8901]

Yes, I would say that's generally true with UAPP in my experience-- see the lights and you're good and you can control the volume from your source and it should be OK, maybe not crazy loud with a headphone connected to the Meridian. Better outcome if you can line out the Meridian to an amp and get some real power.

But of all the portable amp/DACs I hook up to a DAP or tablet (or phone) I find the ME2 is the most problematic as it does not have its own power. I think I recently tried it with my Samsung smartphone--I had all of the right USB cables, etc., and it just did not work.

My best outcome is my Acer tablet as a head unit, USB to the ME2 and line out to amp. This turns out well most of the time because the tablet can power it and you get a nice full (well, 4X) hardware decode with all the pretty lights, and the Meridian has a fairly pleasing sound.

However, using the ME2 with the Spotify Android app is probably not going to work at all as Spotify doesn't recognize a USB output (in my experience). If you do hear something playing in Spotify in a USB set up attempt, it's probably just defaulting to the on-board speaker(s).

If anyone else has a different experience please chime in. I think I'll go try the Spotify app again (and Tidal app) and see if anything has changed and I'll report back if I get either Android app to play with USB directly. I do remember some talk about a year ago of someone saying the Tidal Android app was possibly USB capable.

Today I tested the Meridian Explorer2 with Spotify, Tidal and UAPP Android apps with USB out from my Shanling M6 Pro 21. With all of these apps the Meridian worked and the Shanling outputted fine over USB to the ME2. I also tested all three apps using the Topping NX4 DSD Amp/DAC and they all worked fine too.

I was using a Senn HD-6XX out of the Meridian's direct headphone output (same with the Topping) and while the volume couldn't get crazy loud with the ME2, it was loud enough, by far, for normal usage. With UAPP set to bit-perfect, I got the full hardware decoding of Tidal MQA files (Blue or Green light) from the Meridian. In UAPP it even indicated the ME2 was outputting the full 16X (768kHz) MQA unfold. Not sure how to interpret that coming from the Meridian; makes sense from the Shanling as it claims it can 16X unfold and I realize that UAPP is now capable of full 16X unfolding in DAC units with that capability..

So my previous determination that Spotify and Tidal apps wouldn't output at all to USB was wrong. Probably the more advanced hardware and higher USB power of the Shanling (vs. the FiiO X5III and older Tegra tablet) and/or advancements in the various apps made the difference in my usage case.