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Inside Meridian’s NYC Showroom, Reference Theater
Last year, the U.K.-based manufacturer strategically shifted its major U.S. operations from Atlanta to the SoHo section of Manhattan in an effort fueled by location. Services such as tech support and accounting remained down South, but New York became the headquarters of its sales, marketing and training. Considering the target audience of a Meridian dealer, the move was a no-brainer.
“We wanted to dramatically raise the bar in everything we do, to recommit to our core values and DNA,” Meridian CEO Peter Wellikoff said. “That meant high-performance and high-quality, including execution in our selling practices. So we moved sales, marketing and training to New York. Why? This is the hub of North America - everything is located in New York, and this is where the movers and shakers are.”
If You Build it …
Wellikoff is right at home in The SoHo Building where Meridian resides. It’s where he previously worked as COO of media server manufacturer Sooloos, which Meridian acquired in December 2008. Sooloos and Meridian joined forces in the building and even had a showroom grand opening last June there, but moved into a larger space that better accommodated a home theater, too, speaking of moving and shaking.
With the introduction of its 10-megapixel 810 Reference Video System a few years back, Meridian had the aspirational video product to match its high-performance audio products. But as a $250K system, few North American dealers could afford the luxury of maintaining an 810-based theater in their own showrooms - the completion of Meridian’s reference theater allowed the company an opportunity to combine its luxury A/V ingredients and create a destination for demonstrating its prowess.
Photos: Inside Meridian's NYC Showroom, Reference Theater
John Arthur and Brent Lambert of Arthur-Lambert provided consultation and project management on construction of the Meridian digital theater, which includes about $500K worth of products at retail alone, according to product management director Ken Forsythe. Of course, the centerpiece is the 810 Reference Projector and 10-foot Stewart Filmscreen CineCurve screen, but the audio is just as important to completing the experience, and includes: a pair of flagship DSP8000 loudspeakers as main left and rights, DSP7200 loudspeakers as surrounds, a DSP7200 horizontal center speaker and 861 surround processor. If it’s just music to be demoed, the Sooloos Control 15 system comes into play, while a Savant system controls the room.
Before firing up the presentation for me, Forsythe noted the importance of the theater as a showcase for Meridian, as one of only a few showroom theaters in the country featuring the 810 reference system, not to mention the slew of other Meridian gear. “Making this level of investment, especially in a whole room dedicated to one brand, only a handful of dealers could do that,” Forsythe says.
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22 Comments (displayed in order by date/time)
Aside from the re-batched JVC projector which is awsome, the rest of their stuff is over-rated and out-dated. Who in the right mind would spec a $10,000.00+ DVD with Dolby Digital and DTS processing only, for God’s sake they still talking about SACD & DVD-Audio in the spec sheets Hello 1980’s.
Enrique, you need to listen to this system before offering judgement. If DTS Master and Dobly TrueHD are essential, use the analog inputs! There is only ONE source that uses these formats, Blu-Ray. And, as if I remember correctly, they HAVE released a component that will break out HDMI lossless audio into multiple digital coax feeds compatible with their system.
I used to sell their products when I worked for Definitive Audio in Seattle, and honestly, I have NEVER heard a system that was even CLOSE to what Meridian can do…both for music and theater applications.
And, yes, their projectors use HEAVILY modified parts from JVC, but it is NOT a simple re-badge. Do some research before posting…please. This forum should be a place where dealers go to get good information, instead of the FUD you see on other sites.
John,
The reason I know is because I’ve installed them before and again i think they are very over-rated, I’ve definately have heard much better. How can you buy a very expensive Surround processor without a calibration microphone and their Reps calibrated the system w/ a Radio Shack Meter.
All this esoteric companies cannot keep up with the constant change of technology. Back in the 80’s & 90’s this companies will introduce new technologies to the market, now days the new technologies are introduced in entry level products.
And correction the unit is JVC, they just hand pick them, change the Light bulb and have a person calibrate the projector, that is not worth 25K.
Enrique,
I think you have been looking at older models. In any case, you have your opinion. I strongly disagree with your opinion, especially on the projector, but we will leave it at that.
Hi John. Where are you nowadays???
I am working for AVAD nowadays. Ironically, right next door to Definitive’s corporate offices 
Meridian is a joke of a company, their processor lacks decent video processing, the room correction systems are outdated and their DAC’s are very old 96Khz. Lets not forget that their projectors are also rebadged JVC’s.
Hi to all,
The products are over rated and out dated, no doubt, just get into the scpecs and you will see.
Regaring perfomance, there not one, but many, who sound better, much better, Meridian is ok at below the actual price point, but above of them there are many products who can compete and beat them, easy. For example: GENELEC.
BTW, I have them on display, so I now what I am talking about, and I mean Meridian, Genelec, and many more. It is not talking based on web / magazine lectures.
Regarding the projector, do you really thing that an audio engineer can do it any better than a video engineer working at a manufacturer ? I don´t believe it.
Just compare a Christie Digital to any of the OEM sourced projectors we have in the HT market, they cost 2 ir 3 times more, and that´s it, nothing is really changed inside.
It’s nice to see that companies still make really expensive stuff, but the diminishing return has to kick in at some point - FAR below $250k.
“...detail like the facial wrinkles, wood grain and iron gates made the image seem incredibly lifelike.” - Umm, that is the best you can say about a system of this cost? I have installed countless JVC’s for $10K that do the same.. really, really well. What exactly do I get for the additional $140k? good black levels? It better spit out gold coins at the end of the show.
Umm, jeez I thought “will give your clients an experience that blows away that of a commercial theater” was a relatively strong endorsement. This wasn’t a product review, but I figured that statement was pretty all-encompassing.
I’ve seen tons of home theater demos, and I wouldn’t say that about more than just a few. Although one would be JVC’s 4K projector demo at CEDIA a few years back. But that projector was only $150K (I don’t know how much the processor was) ... so not sure where that extra $100K goes. Then again, if JVC can also do that for $10K, I guess it begs the question of why bother making a product that costs 15x as much??
you are giving most commercial theaters more credit than they deserve. opinions are subjective and I would surmise that the clients that are forking over the money for such a system is more impressed by how much they can tell their friends that it cost vs. did they get the best bank for the buck.. Why does a Ferrari cost 2-3x more than a corvette ZR1? When I check the specs - I have to wonder as well. The Corvette does not get near the attention at the polo club…
Maybe some of the people here should VISIT this Meridian showroom. Then at least, they could give an INFORMED opinion!
John Nemesh, meridian uses a rebadged JVC projector, enough said, this company has not advanced in the last 15 years lol.
LOL, get a clue. Do some RESEARCH and find out EXACTLY what Meridian does. LOOK at the projectors and THEN tell me it is a rebadge. It is most definitely NOT. Quit being ignorant.
I really like the fact that a manufacturer stepped up to show their product on their own resources and not on the backs of dealers. Well done.