The G08 24-bit Upsampling CD Player takes Compact Disc playback to an entirely new level, with a heritage that includes the multiple award winning 588 and 800, and two dozen optical disc players from 1984 to the present day.
The G08 is CD-optimised, and able to play virtually any Red Book CD, as well as CD-R and CD-R/W. It also plays the CD layer of an SACD disc.
At the heart of the G08 are fully-integrated electronics and a computer-style CD/DVD-ROM drive. Although it normally runs at standard CD speed, the drive is capable of spinning the disc much faster, allowing multiple high-speed re-reads to ensure accurate recovery of data from even the most difficult disc. This feature alone provides ten times the error correction of a conventional CD player.
Once the digital data stream has been recovered from the disc, powerful on-board digital signal processing (DSP) with a capability of an impressive 150 MIPS (million instructions per second) up-samples the digital information from the 44.1 kHz, 16-bit signal of conventional CD to 24 bits, and to a sample rate of 176.4 kHz for digital to analogue conversion to drive the analogue outputs, and 88.2 kHz for the digital outputs.
Upsampling for dramatic increase in quality
Upsampling enables filtering to take place far beyond the range of human hearing, as well as offering other, audible benefits, right across the audio band, for ultimate transparency from a CD source.
The G08 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 ensures 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.
The G08 player includes both balanced (on XLR connectors) and unbalanced (on phono connectors) 2-channel analogue outputs.
The S/PDIF (Sony/Philips Digital Interface, IEC 60958) digital outputs are also provided and both optical (Toslink/EIAJ) and coax digital formats are included. In addition, the optical digital outputs can support surround-encoded bitstreams such as those derived from DTS-encoded CDs, which can be replayed via an external decoder.
The G08 Upsampling CD player is an ideal complement to both analogue and digital systems. A typical analogue system is shown above, including a G02 Balanced Control Unit and G57 high-power 2-channel amplifier, driving a pair of analogue passive speakers. The coaxial digital outputs will drive Meridian DSP loudspeakers directly to form a superb quality stereo CD replay system.
Technical Specification
Formats: CD Audio (CD-DA), CD-R, CD-R/W), DTS-CD (bitstream out only: external DTS decoder required)
Audio outputs: Analogue: 1 unbalanced on phono, 1 balanced on XLR-3M: 2.3V rms fixed, Class A, 47Ω impedance.
Digital: S/PDIF (IEC60958), coax operating at up to 2 x CD sample rate (88.2kHz), 24-bit, and Toslink optical.
Controls: Front-panel soft keys include Play, Stop, Pause, Previous, Next, etc. Buttons for On/Off, Open, Display. Full remote control of all features via MSR+.
Comms: Full RS232 control and status enables custom integration or automation. Meridian Comms (2 x DIN plus BNC)
THD: Better than –96dBFS
Noise: Better than –96dBFS
Mechanism: Triple-beam laser, multi-speed CD/DVD-ROM transport
Panel Display: Multi-character dot-matrix graphic Vacuum Fluorescent Display (VFD)
Construction: Meridian black or silver finish in metal & glass
Dimensions: Width: 440mm (17.32in); Depth: 350mm (13.78in) plus connectors; Height: 90mm (3.54in)
Rack Mounting: Kit available from Meridian authorized dealers
Weight: 8.5 kg (18.7 lbs)
Power: Universal supply 100–240V, 50–60Hz, 25W