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Meridian Audio Limited
Latham Road
Huntingdon
Cambridgeshire PE29 6YE
England
T +44 (0) 1480 445678
F +44 (0) 1480 445686
Meridian America Inc
8055 Troon Circle, Suite C
Austell
Atlanta GA 30168-7849
T +1 (404) 344 7111
F +1 (404) 346 7111
DSP3100
Digital Signal Processing
Loudspeaker System
www.meridian-audio.com
DSP3100DS v1.0 200500901 RE
The DSP3100 from M eridian represents
a new benchmark in the development
of compact, high-performance digital
loudspeakers.
Cabinet design
The DSP3100s distinctive cabinet is
made from braced MDF with piano-
lacquer ends and aluminium side-panels
bonded for rigidity. The DSP3100
offers extremely low coloration, and
this is part ially a result of th is cabinet
construction. Wood tends to vibrate
at l ower frequencies, while aluminium
is very stable; conversely, alumin ium
tend s to resonate at higher frequencies
while wood does not. Com bining the
two by bonding them together as
in the DSP3100 tends to cancel ou t
vibration across the range. In addition,
the cabinet is further damped with
bitumen, leading to an enclosure that
is exceedingly dead.
T he DSP3100 is intended for use as a bookshelf or stand-mounted
loudspeaker - specially-designed
aluminium stands are available for the
vertical units that can be sand-filled
for maximum stability and minimal
impact on sound quality. In addition,
the vertical units include Omnimount/
universal wall bracket mountings for
additional flexibility in location. The
horizontal centre unit is designed to sit
on a shelf . Feet are fitted to the units.
The speakers are tonally similar to
other Meridian DSP loudspeakers and
as a result they are ideal for use, for
example, as surrounds for a Meridian
DSP-based system. They are equally
suited for use in a smaller stand-alone
system in a study or bedroom, and can
be used as second zone speaker s in
a Meridian multi-room environment.
With S/PDIF digital inputs at up to
96kHz , they can also be used as high- end computer loudspe
akers.
The extremely accurate characteristic s
of the DSP3100 make them eminently
suitable for studio monitoring
applications, particularly as near-field
or surround monitors in recording and
mastering facilities , where they can
accept digital audio data at standard
digital recording sample rates up to 24-
bit, 96kHz operation.
Inside the DSP 3100
Featuring high-efficiency long-throw
6in (160mm) (vertical model) or dual 5
1-4 in (120mm) (horizontal model) bass
drivers with doped carbon fibre cones
and cast alloy baskets, the DSP3100 also
includes a very high quality 1in (25mm)
Meridian piston treble drive unit with
doped fabric dome. The drivers are
powered directly by independent high
power, low feedback amplifiers fed
from an audiophile-grade power supply
with a substantial toroidal transformer.
The DSP power in the DSP3100 is
provided by a Motorola 56367 running
at 150MHz, while D/A conversion is
handled by dual 24-bit multi-bit delta-
sigma converters. The vertical units
feature a 2-way rear-ported design
with a single 160mm bass driver, while
the horizontal centre is a 2 1-2-way
closed box design featuring twin 5 1-4
in (120mm) bass drivers.
The DSP3100 may be controlled and
configured via RS232, and operated by
a n infrared remote control unit (not
supplied).
Cosmetic finishes available are black
or silver, matching Meridians G Series
components ( bead-blasted, chemically
brightened and anodised
) . Wooden
surfaces are piano-lacquered.
Outline SpecificationsPerformance: Frequency response in-room within 3dB from 35Hz to over 20kHz. Linear-phase mid/top crossover.
Output >108dB spl @ 1m on music material. Noise less than 15dB spl. Overall electronic distortion
typically <0.02% at any frequency or level.
Inputs : Two S/PDIF digital inputs, 32kHz-96kHz sampling rates at up to 24 bit with MHR support.
Construction : Vertical unit: 2-way ported design with 160mm bass driver; Horizontal centre: 2 1-2-way closed
box design with twin 5 1-4 in (120mm) bass drivers, with doped carbon fibre cones and cast alloy
baskets . 1in (25mm) Meridian piston treble drive unit with doped fabric dome.
Electronics : Two precision 24/192 oversampling converters for bass/mid and tweeter signals. Digital and con
-
version electronics constructed using advanced surface-mount techniques and partitioned 4-layer
printed-circuit boards.
DSP : Motorola 56367 150MIPS digital signal processor. Digital crossover at 2.3kHz. Response correction
for the whole system. Bass protection. User tone controls. Analogue/digital volume and phase
control.
Amplifiers : Two 75W power amplifiers, one for each band.
Display : Eight-character display with system lights, can be blanked.
Dimensions : Vertical units: 7.65in (194mm) x 15.2in (386mm) x 10in (254mm) w x h x d; Horizontal centre unit:
18.5in (470mm) x 6.9in (173.5mm) x 10in (254mm) w x h x d .
Weight : xxkg packed. Meridian retains the right to improve or modify product speci -
fications and design at any time. E&OE. This is a preliminary
document and final specifications may differ.
Rear panel (horizontal version)