Meridian and other leading audio companies returned this year to High End Munich, the premier global audio event staged May 19-21, and the vaunted British manufacturer added to its rich history specializing in powered speakers by introducing its DSP9 Digital Active Loudspeaker.

The loudspeaker features a brand-new and iconic cabinet aesthetic that showcases a new design signature for the company and produces outstanding fidelity, dynamics and power for cinemas and listening rooms.

“Meridian’s goal is for our products to be as beautiful to look at as they are easy to use and amazing to listen to. A design where you can see no effort – elegant, simple and powerful,” notes John Buchanan, CEO of Meridian.

“With the DSP9, we achieve the perfect synthesis of function and form through our holistic system approach. It’s an artful balancing act that allows us to create a beautiful aesthetic whilst pushing the boundaries of world-class audio engineering,” he adds.

“We are delighted to launch the DSP9 at High End Munich and showcase this incredible loudspeaker to our partners from around the world.”

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New Meridian DSP9 Is Latest from Extreme Engineering Program

The DSP9 is the second loudspeaker to emerge from Meridian’s Extreme Engineering Program; the first was the DSP8000XE, which was introduced last fall (and made available in the US by Apex Technologies) and showcased earlier this year at ISE 2023 in Barcelona . Built around Meridian’s continued investment and research “in producing authentic, natural and lifelike sound, this program delivers a level of performance never previously achievable from a loudspeaker of these proportions,” the company boasts.

Attendees to High End Munich got a chance to see how the DSP9 introduces an elegant new look for Meridian loudspeakers. The company says it has pushed the boundaries of cabinet design and construction with this product, using the geometry of the ellipse to create a visually appealing aesthetic from every angle that also offers acoustic benefits.

Advanced engineering was used to create the sculptured exterior lines and three-dimensional spaces within the cabinet to enhance performance, according to Meridian. The curvature of the cabinet also minimizes unwanted diffraction of the sound produced by the drive units, it adds.

“The DSP9 loudspeaker is undeniably Meridian,” says Natalie Reynolds, product manager at Meridian. “It is a powerhouse of performance that delivers goosebump moments thanks to incredible dynamics, full frequency response and massive power handling. It is also aesthetically stunning, introducing a brand-new iconic design – the beauty is in its simplicity.”

The DSP9 features all of the UK company’s latest engineering developments to provide premium power and performance, including, Meridian notes:

• Atlas Software Core
• Precision Sonic Transport
• R1 Electronics Platform
• Next Generation Drive Units
• Force-balanced bass configuration

Meridian’s Proprietary Technologies, Custom Finish Options Help Elevate DSP9

Additionally, with the company’s expertise in psychoacoustics and experience in Digital Signal Processing (DSP), the new speaker incorporates a suite of Meridian proprietary technologies designed to ensure “an exceptional listening experience in all environments.”  

Those technologies deployed for DSP9 include Digital Precision, Q-Sync, True Link, True Time, E3 Bass, Image Focus +, Pro-Active Bass, Pro-active Thermal, FFA, Free-Q, Perfect Balance and BSM, according to the company.

For custom integrators, the DSP9 offers easy setup and control via the Meridian B-Link Bluetooth device, IR, USB, RS232, or with a Meridian Controller product. An IA21 analog input module changes the functionality so the speaker can be fed from any non-Meridian product or system that includes a balanced or unbalanced line-level analog output.

As with its other high-performance active loudspeaker lineup, Meridian’s Select finishing service enables integrators to blend the DSP9 into a room with a complementary color and finish or to stand out with a bold, vibrant look, capped in matte or gloss.

Meridian DSP9 Specifications at a Glance

Frequency response, in-room within 3dB: 20Hz – 40kHz

SPL (sound pressure level): 119dB@1 meter for a single loudspeaker

Amplifiers: Tweeter and midrange – each >150W into 4Ω, Class AB; bass – four bridged pairs, each pair >240W into 4Ω, Class D

Ultrasonic tweeter: 1 x 25mm beryllium dome with silver voice-coil custom waveguide

Evo midrange driver: 1 x 160mm with non-conductive voice-coil former and anti-resonance clamp-ring mounting system.

Subsonic bass drivers: 4 x 200mm polypropylene long-throw drivers with anti-resonance clamp-ring mounting system.

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