Interesting new headphone amp/DAC from Meridian

[wishihadtubes]

Preview of the new Prime headphone amp/DAC/preamp from Meridian. Computer Audiophile has more on the Prime and its special power supply here.

 

[Thad E Ginathom]

Not one that's ever going to get a mention on the sub-$200 thread then! :lol:

One for the 1-Lakh thread maybe.

Yes, it does look interesting. I haven't heard anything of Meridian in general terms for ages and ages. I seem to remember that it used to be (I'm talking 10-20yrs back when I was reading British magazines and stufff) one of those brands that people loved ...or hated. Do I remember right? Where do they stand today?

 

[wishihadtubes]

Meridian had 2 good mini DACs last year - the Explorer and the Director - but like most of the big names, these DACs were priced higher than similar products from other brands.
Even if I had tons of cash to spare, I doubt I would pay thousands of dollars for a DAC. I don't buy into the claim that higher price + marquee name = fantastic sound.

 

[Thad E Ginathom]

Even if I had tons of cash to spare, I doubt I would pay thousands of dollars for a DAC.

I might --- for a DAC and Headphone Amp combination. In fact, I might just for the headphone amp.

It is more likely that I will now look to separate, rather than combined components, but, with the ambition of a superb PC/headphone system (or as superb as I can reasonably afford, which is very far from top-price components) I may well, over time, spend as much as I have, in the past, on amp/speaker-based hifi. In US$s, perhaps two to three thousand in total.

So I do look at components such as this with more than just passing interest. Even if my eventual higher-end headphone amp ends up being fed by my humble ODAC