Meridian as a Preamp Question

Cytocycle,

Thanks for your thoughts, my understanding is for that for digital material (redbook CD's), good digital handling aka good DAC's are the most important element. My 598 DVD player is connected to the 568.2 using a Smartlink,which is a proprietary digital link that keeps the info from being down converted when it leaves the DVD player , which in theory should reduce jitter and give a smother sound. Ultimately are you saying that a good two channel preamp despite inferior DAC's will produce a better result?

Thank you,

Stan

Stanwine: in response to your "Ultimately are you saying that a good two channel preamp despite inferior DAC's will produce a better result?"

NO, I would say that if you are using the DAC power of your surround processor, adding a preamp might give you a loss of resolution and make you unhappy with your CDP if connected directly to the preamp...

Like I said you have such a revealing system that you might have to do a combo of changes to get something better.
Or you if you are using a Hometheater Pass through ready preamp you could still run your 598 DVD into your meridian and just run the balanced outs (left/right) to the new preamp and then you keep the resolution you currently have, but add a little air and soundstage to your system. Or you could uprade your processor as Ramy suggested... sounds like the 861 level is in another ballpark like the Theta Casablanca III is (especially with Extreme DAC's). Ultimately the DAC's in the 568.2 will be your limiting factor (your direct hookup also give you DVD-A and is the way to get the most out of your system)

Clear as mud right...
Chris

I use my system for HT and two channel. Presently I have a 861 v4, previously G68XXV, a 565, a Lexicon 8B and a Rotel...in the HT space the Meridians were clearly the best...but with my fronts/2ch...it just isn't wonderful...perhaps because most of these units use digital/chip controls for the volume controls....I don't think using the DAC power of the preamp to make up for your CD player's limitations is the answer...but I am intrigued by using Meridian's lossless setup...but love my Ayre player too much...
John

I have a Meridian 568.2 used as for surround sound and as a dac for a Calypso Preamp (used for 2 channel). A Theta Carmen II (transport) provides the digital source to the Meridan. I run balanced cables. There is no loss in detail going thru the Calypso and the sound is more refined and the tubes add body to the music. I find the sound to be much better when the Meridian is turned up quite high and controled by the Preamp. The Meridian Dacs are the limiting source. If you use a high quality CD player with better dacs the sound would probably be better and eliminate the conversion in the Meridian. I just keep the Meridian 568.2 because it sounds good in surround modes, could not get my money back out of it to sell and has never had a problem in the 7 years I have owned it.