STATUS - SOLD
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Description :
There are 3 different types of Meridian 508 cd players which have different versions of DACs - 19bit, 20bit and 24bit. They can be easily differentiated by their printing on their front glass display. The 19bit version is printed as "508 High Resolution CD Player". Meridian Audio's 500 series was introduced in 1993, slotting in between its then flagship 600 range and the rather more affordable but still very highly rated 200 models. Like all previous Meridian players, the original 508 employed a Philips CDM4 single-beam swing-arm laser transport. The Meridian 508.20 used the Philips CDM12.4 laser transport which was a high specification version of the CDM12.1 laser transport. The 508.24 used a newer Philips CDM12.5 which has a Hall-Effect spinning motor. Overall, Meridian’s venerable 508 cd player alone had enjoyed more than 20 awards, including a Class ‘A’ rating from Stereophile.

The Meridian 508.24 is not a totally new design, but it grew out of the 508.20 version. The major change is its use of direct-coupled Crystal CS4390 delta-sigma converters in dual-differential mode. According to Meridian's designer Bob Stuart, the CS4390 is an evolution of the Crystal 20-bit part (CS4329), which was used in the 508.20 player. Its development took quite a long time and was a collaboration between Meridian and Crystal. It's a delta-sigma type DAC with digital filtering and its performance is very smooth.

Besides a change in the DAC, the Meridian 508.24 also has changed to a new CD mechanism. Instead of the Philips CDM12.4 that was used in the 508.20, the Meridian 508.24 uses a CDM12.5. The CDM12.5 is more reliable, tracks better, and it has a Hall-Effect spinning motor. That separate drive motor always gives a smoother spin and finer control. CDs don't spin at the same speed throughout the disc, they're constantly changing rotational speed, and the more precisely cd player can control that speed and stability, the better the performance.

The software related to Meridian's adaptive servo system is also upgraded. It recalibrates itself for every disc put in. Things like the reflectivity of each disc change, Meridian's servo system will optimize itself to ensure its capacity to play all the way through a disc, to play through defects. It gives an improvement in sound quality, although the tradeoff is in its ability to withstand shocks.

In terms of sound quality, the Meridian 508.24 with its high quality inbuilt 24-bit DAC improves headroom. The 508.24 is fast, lively and bubbling with energy. The interesting thing is that it manages this without sounding analytical or otherwise electronical. The cd player is fluid and has velvety smooth highs, yet is one of the most enthusiastic players heard. The player has incredibly natural, balanced sound. Given a good recording, it sounds unbelievably open and free from artifice. Of course, cd players are supposed to feed the listener back what was on the disc in the first place, and to properly hear how good the Meridian is, he must feed it natural, ungimmicked recordings - most particularly, simply recorded acoustic instruments in real spaces. These, of course, always do seem to sound good, but through the Meridian they don't just sound good, they also sound right.

Specifications :
THD.................................................Less than -93dBFS
Noise...............................................Less than -93dBFS
Mechanism......................................Three-Beam Laser
Conversion.......................................Dual differential 24-bit Delta Sigma
Display............................................Eight character dot-matrix display for track, time, and index
Finish..............................................Black textured enamel and glass
Audio Output....................................2V fixed, class A
Balanced Ouputs..............................XLR sockets,
                         ..............................1=ground, 2=positive phase output, 3=negative phase output
Digital outputs..................................Co-axial, optical
Communications...............................Two 5 pin 240" DIN sockets
Consumption....................................20VA
Dimensions(w x d x h).......................32.5 x 34.5 x 9 cm
Weight.............................................7kg

Miscellaneous :
Remote............................................Yes
XLR Ouputs......................................Yes
Made in............................................UK, England
Condition..........................................8/10

Product Information :
http://www.meridian-audio.com/download/Handbooks/500_Series/508user.pdf (Manual for Meridian 508.20)
http://www.meridian-audio.info/show.php?compid=47 (Manufacturer's Website)

Reviews :
http://www.stereophile.com/cdplayers/590 (Meridian 508 24bit version)
http://www.hometheaterhifi.com/volume_5_1/meridian50824cd.html (Meridian 508 24bit version)
http://www.meridian-audio.info/public/meridian_508_gramophone%5B585%5D.pdf
http://forum.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/fr.pl?ocmeridian&1077542894&openfrom&2&4
http://www.hifi-advice.com/reviews-CD-DAC.html
http://www.audioreview.com/cat/digital-sources/cd-players/meridian/508/prd_401482_1586crx.aspx
http://www.audioreview.com/cat/digital-sources/cd-players/meridian/508-24/prd_116984_1586crx.aspx (Meridian 508.24)