The 808 Signature Reference Cd Player - Meridian 808 Signature Reference User Manual

2
Introduction

The 808 Signature Reference CD Player

The 808 Signature Reference CD Player takes
Compact Disc playback to an entirely new level, with a
heritage that includes the multiple award winning 508
and 800, and two dozen optical disc players from 1984
to the present day. The 808 is specifically designed
as a CD-optimised machine, able to play audio CDs,
CD-Rs, and CD-R/Ws. It also plays the CD layer of an
SACD disc.
At the heart of the 808 are fully-integrated electronics
and a computer-style CD-ROM drive. The drive
normally operates at standard CD speed, but is capable
of much faster reading, using multiple high-speed
re-reads to ensure accurate recovery of data from even
the most difficult disc. This capability alone provides
over ten times the error correction of a conventional CD
player.
Signal Processing
Once the digital data stream has been recovered from
the disc, powerful on-board digital signal processing
(DSP) with a capability of an impressive 400 MIPS
upsamples the digital information from the 16-bit
44.1kHz signal of conventional CD to a 24-bit signal
with a sample rate of 176.4kHz. This signal is fed to
the high-quality DACs to drive the analogue outputs,
while a digital signal at an 88.2kHz sample rate is
supplied to the digital outputs. Upsampling is performed
with very high-accuracy filters which minimise pre-echo
arising from ADCs and DACs used in the recording and
replay process so that the total chain closely represents
transmission of sound through air, for ultimate
transparency from all sources.
The 808 employs a triple buffering system to minimise
jitter, and therefore maximise HF transparency and
stereo image precision and stability. This, and the digital
electronics as a whole, are driven by a new design of
high-stability clocking system which further reduces
jitter and ensure that the highest level of detail is
recovered from a disc. All digital data is accurately re-
clocked.
Multiple power supplies ensure that digital and
analogue circuitry are kept apart and can provide the
required power when called upon to do so.
Outputs
The 808 Signature Reference CD Player provides
two Meridian SpeakerLink connectors for simple,
straightforward connection to Meridian DSP
Loudspeakers via Cat 5 cables.
Alternatively, balanced and unbalanced analogue
outputs are provided for connecting to an external
power amplifier or preamplifier.
If you are using DSP loudspeakers you can connect
a headphone amplifier, such as the Meridian Prime
Headphone Amplifier, to the analogue outputs for
headphone listening. A headphone mode is provided to
mute the loudspeakers when listening on headphones.
Integrated preamplifier
The 808 Signature Reference CD Player includes a
built-in stereo preamplifier with the ability to handle
six stereo analogue inputs, two digital coaxial S/PDIF
inputs, a Meridian SpeakerLink input, and two Toslink
optical digital inputs, making it ideal as the heart of a
superb stereo music system.
A USB B-type connector is provided to allow the 808
to be connected to a computer system and used as an
external sound card.
It also provides a network socket to connect directly to
a Sooloos network, allowing it to play music from and
control a Sooloos Digital Media System.
The 808 Signature Reference CD Player will also
decode MQA (Master Quality Authenticated) audio
streams. It can extract the finest of details from music
and deliver the audio for rendering either to its own
analogue outputs, or to an attached DSP loudspeaker
system. The front panel display will indicate MQA as