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Meridian 541 User Manual

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Meridian 541 Surround Controller

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Summary of Contents for Meridian 541

  • Page 1 Meridian 541 Surround Controller...
  • Page 2 Fax (404) 346 7111 Copyright © 1995 Digital Gramophone and Wireless Ltd Boothroyd|Stuart Meridian, Meridian, and Meridian Digital Theatre are registered trademarks of Meridian Audio Ltd. Part no: 541/1 This guide was produced by Human-Computer Interface Ltd, Cambridge, England. Designed and...

  • Page 3: Table Of Contents

    Contents Introduction Introduces the 541 Surround Controller, and describes the alternative surround sound configurations that it supports. The Meridian 500 Series ... 2 Sample configurations ... 3 The surround sound options ... 6 Specification and accessories ... 9 Using the surround...
  • Page 4 Setting up the surround controller Describes how to unpack and install the surround controller, and gives details of the video and loudspeaker connections. Unpacking ... 28 Connecting the surround controller ... 29 Connecting video ... 32 Connecting loudspeakers ... 34 Configuring the surround controller Describes how to configure the surround...
  • Page 5 Setting up sources Explains how to connect sources to the surround controller, and set them up to your preferred configuration. Connecting sources ... 46 Setting up a two-room system ... 48 Setting up sources ... 49 Examples of configuring the sources ... 52 Troubleshooting and maintenance Provides suggested solutions to typical...

  • Page 7: Introduction

    To get the superb results you should expect from the 541 it is important that you spend some time setting it up correctly with your system, and this guide is designed to help you do this as simply as possible.

  • Page 8: The Meridian 500 Series

    The Meridian 500 Series The Meridian 541 Surround Controller is part of the Meridian 500 series of advanced digital, analogue, and video components designed to meet the demand for absolute quality, ease of use, and lasting value. The flexibility of the Meridian 500 series is such that you can...

  • Page 9: Sample Configurations

    The 541 Surround Controller takes advantage of the additional loudspeaker to reinforce the central image, and allow the left and right loudspeakers to be further apart for a wider soundstage.
  • Page 10 Five-channel surround system – Type 5 Our recommended surround system for music and cinema uses five loudspeakers, with the main left and right loudspeakers providing the bass. This gives a very natural sound for music listening, and a precise three-dimensional image combined with good bass performance for cinema.
  • Page 11 Second room system – Type 7 The 541 Surround Controller has all the features necessary to set up a two (or three) room hi-fi system. From either room you can watch and listen to any source playing in the main room, in addition to any local sources in that room.

  • Page 12: The Surround Sound Options

    However, the 541 Surround Controller really comes into its own as the heart of a full surround system. It accepts a conventional two-channel source, such as music on compact disc, or a video...
  • Page 13 Cinema presets The surround controller provides three alternative presets designed for decoding TV, film, video, and LaserDisc sound tracks. The cinema presets are designed to bring videos, LaserDiscs, and TV broadcasts alive with fully-involving sound and special effects. They include Dolby Pro Logic, and a custom Meridian Cinema mode better suited to home listening.

  • Page 14: Music Presets

    Music presets The 541 Surround Controller provides two alternative presets designed to enhance traditional stereo recordings and broadcasts. The music presets, Music and Trifield, are designed to give new life to conventional stereo recordings and broadcasts. They integrate a centre channel, and add ambience, to take advantage of the additional loudspeakers in a surround system.

  • Page 15: Specification And Accessories

    Specification and accessories Specification Audio inputs 6 analogue inputs. User-adjustable sensitivity. Re-nameable legends. Optional LP module for MM or MC. Audio outputs Left, Right, Centre, Subwoofer, Surround Left and Right. Outputs for power amplifiers or active loudspeakers up to 3.5 Vrms. Two analogue tape outputs for tape recording or second/third room.

  • Page 16: Available Accessories

    Available accessories The following accessories are available from your dealer: Phono modules: 515 (MC) and 516 (MM). Meridian Audio reserves the right to amend product specifications at any time.

  • Page 17: System Remote

    Using the surround controller his chapter provides a visual summary of the functions of the 541 Surround Controller in order to identify the controls which you will use to operate the unit. It also describes how to use the Meridian System Remote in conjunction...

  • Page 18: Front Panel

    Front panel BOOTHROYD STUART Surround Controller Display ProLogic Source Copy Preset Mute Display 1 Source Selects the source. 2 Copy Copies a selected source to the tape output. 3 Preset Changes the preset. 4 Mute Mutes the sound. 5 Display Changes the information displayed on the front panel.

  • Page 19: Meridian System Remote

    Used to access additional functions. Numeric keys For entering track numbers and radio presets. Store, Clear For defining custom presets. Menu keys For customising the 541. Display Changes the information displayed on the front panel. Volume keys Change the volume.

  • Page 20: Selecting A Source

    Press Source (front panel), or select a source by pressing the appropriate source key on the remote: eg CD. If the 541 Surround Controller is part of a Meridian system, it will automatically switch on any other unit in the system, such as the CD player.

  • Page 21: Adjusting The Volume

    Adjusting the volume The 541 Surround Controller adjusts the volume in precise steps of 1 dB, where 9 dB is equivalent to doubling the loudness. The current volume setting is displayed in dB on the front panel display, and can be varied in the range 1 to 99 dB.

  • Page 22: Changing The Preset

    Changing the preset Each source has a preset associated with it, and when you select a source its default preset will automatically be selected. Once you have selected a source you can change the preset; so, for example, if the default preset associated with the CD source is Music, you may wish to select the Trifield preset instead.

  • Page 23: Changing The Display

    Changing the display The 541 Surround Controller displays information about the current settings on the 12-character front panel display. In addition, It can display the same information superimposed on a video image. For more information about setting up the on-screen display refer to Setting up the surround controller, page 27.

  • Page 24: Recording A Source

    Recording a source The 541 Surround Controller allows you to copy any of the standard sources to the tape and VCR outputs, independently of the source you are listening to. If you are using the 541 Surround Controller in a two-room system, you copy a source to the tape output to make it available to the second room.

  • Page 25: Presets

    541 Surround Controller provides a sophisticated range of more advanced adjustments for each preset, to allow you to change the characteristics of the sound to the settings you want.

  • Page 26: Locking And Unlocking The Menus

    Locking and unlocking the menus To simplify the normal operation of the surround controller, and to protect the settings from accidental changes, you can lock the menus so the advanced parameters cannot be accessed. To lock the menus Press Off to put the surround controller in standby. The display shows: Press and hold down Mute for several seconds.

  • Page 27: Changing The Listening Position

    Changing the listening position A conventional stereo system provides a single balance control, which changes the relative loudness of the two loudspeakers. The 541 Surround Controller provides a more sophisticated adjustment which correspond to changing the effective listening position relative to the loudspeakers.

  • Page 28: Changing The Preset Parameters

    Changing the preset parameters Each preset provides a series of parameters which you can vary to customise the behaviour of the preset to your specific requirements. For example, most presets provide a Delay parameter, to allow you to specify the delay applied to the rear surround speakers in order to change the spaciousness of the sound.
  • Page 29 To change a preset parameter Make sure the menus are unlocked; see To unlock the menus, page 20. Press > or < until the display shows the name of the parameter you want to change. For example: Press A or V to change the value of the parameter. As you change the value you will be able to hear the effect on the sound, and the display shows the current value.

  • Page 30: Defining Your Own Presets

    Defining your own presets The 541 Surround Controller allows you to modify one of the built-in presets, and save it for future use. You can either save the changes to the built-in preset, or you can create up to 10 presets of your own, with names of your choice, so you can use them alongside the built-in presets.
  • Page 31 For example, you could change the name to: When you have entered the name you want to use press Store. The display shows: To clear a user-defined preset Make sure the menus are unlocked; see To unlock the menus, page 20. Press Preset (front panel), or A and V (remote) to select the preset you want to clear.
  • Page 33 Setting up the surround controller his chapter explains how to install the 541 Surround Controller. It describes what you should find when you unpack the surround controller, how you should connect it to your other audio and video equipment and loudspeakers, and the siting constraints.

  • Page 34: Unpacking

    Unpacking The 541 Surround Controller comes in a box containing the following components: 541 Surround Controller. Meridian System Remote. Power cord. 500 series communications lead. This manual. If any of these items are missing please contact your dealer. We suggest that you retain the packing in case you need to transport the unit.

  • Page 35: Connecting The Surround Controller

    Connecting the surround controller Rear panel RS232 connection RS232 COMMS Meridian Comms Only C-VIDEO OUT Comms Video connections outputs Audio connections The following table gives details of the six audio inputs: Use this input To connect to this A turntable pickup with optional MM/ MC module, or Tape1 input.

  • Page 36: Video Connections

    1-30MHz region. On-screen display If your surround system includes video or a television the 541 can add a text overlay to the video signal, to provide additional information about its operation in the form of a textual on-screen display (OSD).

  • Page 37: Scart Connectors

    SCART connectors In addition, the 541 provides European standard SCART (or Peritel) connectors, which duplicate the signals on the composite video connectors and some of the audio connectors. The connections are shown in the following table: Pin Signal Audio Out R...

  • Page 38: Connecting Video

    Connecting video To connect a TV 541 Surround Controller Video leads Connect the TV C-VIDEO OUT or the TV SCART connector to the television SCART input or composite video input using a suitable video cable. If your television provides RGB inputs, and your LaserDisc had...
  • Page 39 To connect a VCR using SCART 541 Surround Controller VCR1 SCART-SCART lead If your VCR has a SCART connector you can make all the above connections using a single SCART-SCART lead in which case you should leave all the corresponding composite video and audio connectors unused.

  • Page 40: Connecting Loudspeakers

    INPUT INPUT subwoofer’s line level input. The 541 Surround Controller provides very high quality crossovers for the subwoofer. For best results you should remove or disable any crossover in the subwoofer, and leave the surround controller set to Sub Narrow. Even if you cannot...

  • Page 41: Configuring The Surround Controller

    Configuring the surround controller his chapter explains how to configure the 541 Surround Controller to suit the loudspeaker arrangement you want to use, and the other equipment in your system. The first stage in configuring the surround controller is to choose one of the standard settings, and these are designed to set all of the parameters to their most common values.

  • Page 42: Choosing Standard Settings

    Choosing standard settings The 541 Surround Controller provides seven alternative standard settings, called Types, which configure all aspects of the surround controller into the most commonly needed configurations. Choosing one of the standard settings overrides any other configuration you may have performed, and so can be used to reset the configuration of the unit.
  • Page 43 To select a standard setting Warning! Selecting Type will reset the 541 Surround Controller to one of a standard set of configurations. If you want to make changes to the configuration of an existing system use Config; see Specifying information about your system on the next page.

  • Page 44: Specifying Information About Your System

    If none of the standard settings exactly matches your requirements choose the one that is closest, and then use the 541 Surround Controller’s configuration menus, called Config, to make the necessary changes to the appropriate parameters. The procedures for doing this are described in the following sections of this chapter.
  • Page 45 To specify the type of subwoofer Press > or < until you see a display such as: Press A or V to step between the alternative options, as shown in the following table: Option Description Narrow The surround controller provides a 120Hz cut off;...
  • Page 46 To specify the speakers to use for music presets If your centre speaker and/or subwoofer are of lower quality than your main left and right loudspeakers, you may prefer to use them for only for home cinema, but not for music. Press >...

  • Page 47: Sound

    Calibrating the loudspeakers he 541 Surround Controller includes a built-in calibration procedure to help you to set up your installation to give the best possible sound with any particular combination of associated equipment. This calibration procedure uses a test signal so you can adjust each loudspeaker to the same level.

  • Page 48: Using The Calibration Procedure

    Using the calibration procedure As you run the calibration procedure the name of each loudspeaker is shown on the front panel display. The on-screen display also provides additional text explaining what to do, and sample displays are reproduced in the following sections for reference.
  • Page 49 Le ft +0. 0 Sound Pressure Level meter. To end the calibration Press Off on the front panel or remote. The 541 Surround Controller then returns automatically to Standby.

  • Page 51: Setting Up Sources

    Setting up sources his chapter explains how to connect up sources to the 541 Surround Controller, and set them up to your preferred configuration. When you set up the surround controller to one of the standard settings, the inputs are automatically configured to cater for the six most common arrangements of sources and inputs.

  • Page 52: Connecting Sources

    Connecting sources To connect to other Meridian 500 Series equipment. Connect one of the Comms sockets on the rear panel of the Surround controller to one of the comms sockets on another 500 series unit (excluding the 563), using the 500 comms lead provided.
  • Page 53 Choosing standard settings, page 36. What next? Congratulations – your 541 Surround Controller is now set up and ready for use. Refer to the chapter Using the surround controller for details of using the surround controller with your music and cinema sources.

  • Page 54: Setting Up A Two-Room System

    The 541 Surround Controller is an ideal choice as the control unit for a second room, and is easy to set up using the two- room configuration option (Type 7).

  • Page 55: Setting Up Sources

    Setting up sources The 541 Surround Controller provides six sources corresponding to the following source selection keys on the remote control: CD, Radio, TV, Tape1 (or LP), VCR1, and LD. When the surround controller is set to one of the standard settings the six sources are set up with standard labels and inputs, as shown in the table below.
  • Page 56 To configure a source Turn off the control unit, using the power switch on the back panel. Turn on the power again while holding down the Display key on the front panel. The display will show: Press Source until the left-hand pair of characters identifies the source you want to configure.
  • Page 57 Option Initial value Preset CD Music Label CD CD Audio input CD Aud io A2 Audio sensitivity CD 2.0 V In Video input TV Vid eo V2 Function Select V1 F.S . High Trigger TV Tri g High Comms type CD 1C Address CD 1A...

  • Page 58: Examples Of Configuring The Sources

    Examples of configuring the sources The following examples illustrate how you can configure the source options to your own requirements. To change a source preset Display the source you want to configure, together with its current preset, as described in To configure a source, page 50.
  • Page 59 To use a source key to change preset You can use the unused source keys on the remote to change the preset for your current source. For example, you can make the CDR key on the remote switch the preset to Stereo for comparison, whatever source you are listening to: Configure the source key you are going to use with the required preset, and the Audio input set to Last Valid.

  • Page 61: Controller

    Troubleshooting and maintenance his chapter describes problems you may encounter when using the surround controller, and includes suggested solutions. If these suggestions fail to cure the problem, please contact your Meridian dealer for further assistance.

  • Page 62: Troubleshooting

    Troubleshooting No lights are displayed when switching on Check that your AC power supply is connected correctly. Check that the ON OFF switch on the rear panel is in the ON position. Check that the fuse on the control unit rear panel and the fuse in the unit’s power plug have not blown;...
  • Page 63 Check that you are using suitable quality cables with good connectors. Check that there is not a ground-loop between any of the components connected to the 541. Remember that reception of broadcast or cable signals can be significantly degraded by cross-modulation in the RF domain. It is unwise to attempt to cascade and mix several video sources (eg LaserDisc, VCR, etc) to an antenna system.

  • Page 64: Maintenance

    Maintenance Cleaning When cleaning the surround controller bear in mind that the front of the unit is plastic, and the display panel and lid are glass. Disconnect the power cord before cleaning the unit. Note: Do not use abrasive cleaners on any part of the control unit.

  • Page 65: Service And Guarantee

    The 541 Surround Controller is guaranteed against defects in material and workmanship for 2 years from the date of purchase. The guarantee is void if the 541 Surround Controller has been subject to misuse, accident, or negligence, or has been tampered with or modified in any way without the written authorisation of Meridian Audio Limited.
  • Page 67 Index Accessories 10 Active subwoofer connecting 34 setting crossover 34 Audio connections 29 Audio inputs 9 Audio outputs 9 Balance, changing 21 Balance parameter 22 Cables 30 Calibrating loudspeakers 41 Calibration procedure 42 CD players, two 53 Centre Config option 38 Centre parameter 22 Centre speaker, specifying type 38...
  • Page 68 38 Defining presets 19, 24 Delay parameter 22 Display 9, 17 changing 17 Dolby Pro Logic 4 541 Surround Controller, front panel controls 12 Five-channel surround system 4 Four-channel surround system 3 Front panel controls 541 Surround Controller 12...
  • Page 69 Music preset 8 Music presets 8 Music 8 specifying loudspeakers for 40 Stereo 8 Trifield 8 Music Sub Config option 40 Muting the sound 15 On-Screen Display 22 On-screen display 30 troubleshooting 57 OSD parameter 22 Outputs audio 9 video 9 Peritel connections 31 Phono modules 515 (MC) 10...
  • Page 70 Sources Address 51 audio input 51 audio sensitivity 51 changing label 52 changing presets 52 changing video input 52 Comms type 51 configuring 50 connecting 46 default 49 Function Select 51 Label 51 Preset 51 recording 18 selecting 14 setting up 49 Trigger 51 video input 51 Specification 9...

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