Meridian Audio has announced the contemporary designed M6 floor standing DSP loudspeaker to complement the Meridian Audio Core 200 stereo controller. The M6 creates a complete discreet high-end audio system that is simple to use, easy to live with, and accessible to the whole family.
Attractive as a sculpture in its own right, M6 has a circular footprint and pleasing lines. From its slim, soft shape and gentle taper to the use of non-reflective finishes, the first impression given by M6 is not that of a loudspeaker, however, M6 is the epitome of a Meridian DSP Loudspeaker, with all the features that make them unique.
M6 showcases a striking design approach in combination with unique Meridian technologies that allow a level of performance that is unsurpassed by traditional loudspeaker designs. The gently tapered column that creates the enclosure of each M6 is formed from a specially developed, barium-doped resin. Uniquely heavy and rigid, it is precision moulded into a complex form — impossible to achieve using traditional manufacturing materials and techniques. The same cylindrical enclosure gives M6 its naturally wide dispersion pattern, filling the room with natural sound that can be enjoyed from any position. Its elegant form gives M6 a cylindrical acoustic radiation pattern, offering flexible placement options and a sound that does not significantly vary in volume as you move closer to or further away from the loudspeaker.
The loudspeaker is characteristically narrow at the top — a Meridian trademark that follows the philosophy of developing loudspeakers with characteristics of the human head — in this case providing an excellent polar diagram and performance that is both friendly to the listener and to the room.
With their tapered cylindrical sculpting, and with soft rather than reflective finishes, M6 Loudspeakers have been designed to sit comfortably in any home and be appreciated from all angles, including from behind.
The same cylindrical form gives M6 a cylinder-like acoustic radiation pattern. This in turn means that the apparent sound level does not significantly vary as you move closer to, or further from, the loudspeaker. The result is an extremely even distribution of sound throughout the room, creating an exceptionally wide listening area.
Meridian's Digital Signal Processing and active electronic technologies combine to make M6 more than a mere 'speaker'. A pair of M6 Loudspeakers forms a complete audio system with all the necessary amplifiers and electronics neatly hidden inside their circular bases. This method of designing a system rather than simply a loudspeaker has outstanding performance advantages, and it also helps save space in a living room.
On-board DSP provides thermal and dynamic bass protection with very accurate transients, ensuring that when the loudspeaker is played at very high levels, even over prolonged periods of time, M6 Loudspeakers always deliver an effortless sound that is clean and pure.
Each M6 loudspeaker includes two powerful amplifiers — one (100W) dedicated to the 85mm wide-range driver, and the other to the 140mm bass driver — that have been designed to operate comfortably and run perfectly cool, even at the highest listening levels.
Performance
Frequency response in-room within 3dB from 38Hz to over 20kHz.
Output 106dB spl @ 1m on music material.
Noise less than 15dB spl.
Connections:
Meridian SpeakerLink in and out (RJ45)
Construction:
2-way bass reflex system
Drivers:
Bass: 1x 140mm aluminium cone
Wide-range: 1x 85mm aluminium cone
Amplifiers:
Bass: 150W Class D with feedback, bridge- tied load
Wide-range: 100W super-linear low-feedback
Overall distortion typically <0.02% at any frequency or level.
Dimensions:
Height: 921mm (36.26in) on rubber Bumpons
Diameter: 300mm (11.8in) at base, 66mm (2.60in) at top
Weight:
18kg (39.6lb)
Power:
110 – 120 Volt 50/60Hz 220 – 240 Volt 50/60Hz
Max Power Consumption:
350 Watts
The use of a wide-range driver across the speech band helps create a loudspeaker with an effortless sound that remains clear, open and spacious, even at high listening levels.
Meanwhile, the bass end is crossed over at 200Hz, just as in the DSP8000, with a full-scale high-resolution Meridian DSP crossover. DSP processing throughout also delivers traditional Meridian benefits, including a level of performance matching that of a conventional loudspeaker eight times the physical volume, and an apodising upsampling filter for maximum digital audio quality.
Each M6 Loudspeaker incorporates a powerful downwards-facing bass driver in a twin-ported enclosure. This method of design not only allows M6 its characteristic round footprint, but also delivers floor-loaded bass which is extremely well coupled with the room. This space saving design also helps ensure that M6 Loudspeakers deliver outstanding sound wherever they are placed in the room.
The M6 Loudspeaker's enclosure is formed from a specially developed, barium-doped resin specially developed by Allen Boothroyd and based on the material he conceived for the Meridian F80. The material is uniquely heavy and rigid, yet at the same time can be moulded into a complex form that would be impossible to achieve using traditional loudspeaker materials.
Acoustically inert, the enclosure provides separate, isolated housings for the wide-range and the low-frequency drivers. Internally the enclosure supports bracing for even greater stiffness, and a tuned porting system that further extends the loudspeaker's low-frequency performance.
Meridian SpeakerLink connectivity makes M6 quick and easy to set up and to install, and allows the advanced audio controls offered by M6 Loudspeakers to be managed from the front panel of a connected Audio Core, further simplifying installation of M6 Loudspeakers.
Bass, Treble, Balance, Boundary Gain Compensation and other features can be controlled directly with an Audio Core unit.
The M6 has no full display of its own, but level and other settings can be shown on the panel of an Audio Core.
Sitting discreetly under the precision-machined aluminium cap that tops each M6 Loudspeaker is an elegant, 360 degree, diffused light halo that indicates whether the loudspeaker is active (soft white light) or in standby (soft blue light). The whole acoustic enclosure is covered in a single-piece fabric grille that has been designed to be interchangeable.
Price and Availability
The Meridian M6 Loudspeaker will be available February 2012 for $9,000/pair.
See more about: Newest Speakers, Meridian Speakers
Features
- Distinctive appearance designed to sit comfortably in any home and be appreciated from all angles, including from behind.
- Cylindrical acoustic radiation pattern means that the apparent sound level does not significantly vary with distance from the loudspeaker, for extremely even distribution of sound throughout the room.
- Digital Signal Processing and active electronic technologies combine to form a space- saving audio system with all the electronics hidden away in the base of each loudspeaker.
- On-board DSP provides thermal and dynamic bass protection with very accurate transients, ensuring pure natural sound at all times, even with extended use at high levels.
- Bass and wide-range drivers are driven by their own amplifiers for pure, uncoloured sound and puts the power exactly where it's needed.
- Dual-ported bass enclosure with downward-facing driver delivers excellent floor loading for enhanced bass.
- Unique, heavy and rigid, M6 features advanced materials specially-developed by Allen Boothroyd to provide maximum acoustic performance so you hear the loudspeaker, not the cabinet.
- Meridian SpeakerLink for simple and convenient installation.
