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Meridian CD players

Olsen said:
Found a 500/566 with a third box called 518 processor
The drive seem to be a mk3, no idea if spares available ?

Very old stuff but should be in working condition (for how long?)

My experience says if in doubt don't :cool:
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In it's day the 518 was quite a clever box of tricks, could be used to reclock and resolution enhancement, and to switch digital sources in the days when DACs only had one input. It could also be used as a digital pre-amp (possibly the first fully digital pre-amp commercially available)

500 series Meridian kit was beautifully built, but unfortunately CD mechanisms don't last forever.
 
Mike Reed said:
I had a G08 and loved it; so did everybody else who heard it through Naim 552/135s into gigantic ProAcs. Well-build, dependable and with a fine, balanced s.q. The remote was bling, but the machine excellent. Went valved CDP after that. No idea about servicing, though, as Huntingdon was operational and friendly then (isn't it now?)
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Im beginnng to wish I bought a G08 a year ago. I bought a more recent Lector and it has been a nightmare of reliability (refusing to read discs, not opening the drawer) :mad: Some of the oldies have been much more reliable
 
That is most unusual, Nick, as they're known for reliability. You wouldn't get the same sound/presentation on a GO8 as you do (should?) with the Lector.

However, both my Lectors (CDT7 and the current 4 box version) have top loading with puck. Not sure which (modern) version you have.
 
Mr Perceptive said:
In it's day the 518 was quite a clever box of tricks, could be used to reclock and resolution enhancement, and to switch digital sources in the days when DACs only had one input. It could also be used as a digital pre-amp (possibly the first fully digital pre-amp commercially available)

500 series Meridian kit was beautifully built, but unfortunately CD mechanisms don't last forever.
Click to expand...

Would you say I should leave it or start up by sending the 500 drive to service if I can find skilled place ?
 
My Nagra CDC is still going strong after 10 years of light use and I'm toying with the idea of using the transport section with a more modern dac. However a listen to the new Nagra classic didn't offer an improvement to my ears but may try the Chord Dave sometime. Or maybe I'll just stick with things as they are.
 
Olsen said:
(My dream mashine is Naim CDS 3 but this will have to wait for the lottery win)
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Cant stretch it to a CDS3 ? Try a Resolution Audio Opus 21. Similar idea. Same Burr Brow pcm 1704K dac chips I believe. Power supply in a separate box too. The RA also puts the display in the ps box. Sounds superb. If I had to sell my cds3 to raise cash I'd happily go back to the Opus - which I kept when I got the cds3. Still in use.So good.
Not now in production though. I believe they can still be fully maintained and serviced at the distributors. Mr Moorecroft does it himself , or used to. Check that though. My player will not play about 3 discs I have. Don't know why. Transport always whirs away , changing speed while initialising disc. Gets there in the end though. Wonderful little thing.Also has balanced out along with se. And volume control to go direct into a power amp. And it has a digital input to use as a top DAC ( 96 KHz Max ).
Also worth checking - Naimcdx2 or Exposure 3010s2. Never heard either but both currently in production for service/spares repairs. Confident either of these would be good.
 
Olsen said:
(My dream mashine is Naim CDS 3 but this will have to wait for the lottery win)
Click to expand...

Cant stretch it to a CDS3 ? Try a Resolution Audio Opus 21. Similar idea. Same Burr Brow pcm 1704K dac chips I believe. Power supply in a separate box too. The RA also puts the display in the ps box. Sounds superb. If I had to sell my cds3 to raise cash I'd happily go back to the Opus - which I kept when I got the cds3. Still in use.So good.
Not now in production though. I believe they can still be fully maintained and serviced at the distributors. Mr Moorecroft does it himself , or used to. Check that though. My player will not play about 3 discs I have. Don't know why. Transport always whirs away , changing speed while initialising disc. Gets there in the end though. Wonderful little thing.Also has balanced out along with se. And volume control to go direct into a power amp. And it has a digital input to use as a top DAC ( 96 KHz Max ).
Also worth checking - Naimcdx2 or Exposure 3010s2. Never heard either but both currently in production for service/spares repairs. Confident either of these would be very good.
 
Mike Reed said:
That is most unusual, Nick, as they're known for reliability. You wouldn't get the same sound/presentation on a GO8 as you do (should?) with the Lector.

However, both my Lectors (CDT7 and the current 4 box version) have top loading with puck. Not sure which (modern) version you have.
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Hi Mike

I have a CDP 603. Sounds good but unreliable and the manual is poor Italian English with very little information. I don't even know what mech it uses in case it needs replacing....
 
Olsen said:
Would you say I should leave it or start up by sending the 500 drive to service if I can find skilled place ?
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At one time for certain 500 series CD spinners, there were no 'new' mechanisms available, a call to Meridian will tell you. I used to have a list of what mechanism was fitted to each 500 series player, but that's been lost long ago. Meridian usually are very helpful.

If not post a message on the Hitchhikers Guide to Meridian forum
 
Bumping this ancient thread.

I have a 506.20. As it's used less frequently than the turntable I've taken to turning it off at the back so it's completely powered down. I figured I might somehow be extending it's life if it's not on standby the whole time.

Yesterday I powered it up and for the first time it gave the dreaded 'no disc' message. Tried another disc... same thing. Eek!

I left it on standby in the vain hope that as it's designed that way perhaps it just 'likes' being left with the main power switch on.

This morning it's happily playing a disc it rejected yesterday!

Should I just leave it on standby? Do I need to send it away to have it's insides tickled? Are new mechs still available if that's what's failing?

TIA
 
paulfromcamden said:
Should I just leave it on standby?
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Read the destructions for stand-by usage but I'd doubt it would be more than a couple/few watts per hour or roughly a standard tungsten bulb usage for one day. Keeping certain electronics 'warm' extends their life and ensures less variation in component temperature, I believe.

Your glitch was almost certain to be a result of stabilisation after being cold for so long. Your choice, really; if not used for months at a time, maybe off and it does depend to an extent on ambient temperatures where it's kept and in winter that could vary significantly.

I'd suggest spinning a few discs more often AND keeping on stand-by, f.w.i.w. When I had upper Naim and Meridian 2 box plus G08 CDPs, they were all on 24/7. My friend continues with that practice (also G08 for transport) today.
 
hifi-dog said:
Could be grease had gone a bit hard on the laser sled rails so leaving it on warmed it up a bit?
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I’d suggest more likely a failing capacitor somewhere needing a while to warm up and do its job well enough to read a disc. You really need to check rails voltages with a scope to see what they look like from cold, and then again once warm.
 
Dowser said:
I’d suggest more likely a failing capacitor somewhere needing a while to warm up and do its job well enough to read a disc. You really need to check rails voltages with a scope to see what they look like from cold, and then again once warm.
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I wouldn't know where to start I'm afraid : (
 
Hi, i would start off giving Meridian a call, to see what they can service and what they can't, just been on their site, and to my surprise they do NOT make cd players anymore,
 
If you look on meridianunplugged, there’s a wealth of information about these CDPs and CDTs.

The 500 series is still reparable and there are links from the site to MrTechGuy.Co.uk who is the authorised repairer of Meridian kit. He has just serviced a 500 CDT for me. There are a couple of other people on the site who specialise in repairs and making up specialist cables.

I also have a 508.24 which is still fully functional.

The G series stuff is OK but I prefer the 500 stuff.

To step up higher, you need to go to the 800 series. I have an 808 v3 but the v6 is the peak. These are superb players.
 
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