Audiophile CD Players: Can you hear the difference? Meridian 506

All CD players are the same right? Well why do they sell premium CD players. I find out if the Meridian 506 lives up to its stellar reputation. I also fix and repair it and compare it with a Bang Olufsen 9000 and Samsung Blu-Ray Player.

Picture Credits

[rallychamp]

I am still using my Merdian 208 CD player I bought new in 1990 along with a pair of Meridian M20 active speakers. A couple of years ago, I added a KEF 400Q active subwoofer to fill out the low bass (KEF made the drive units for the M20's).

It is still a delight to listen to. A rich, warm, detailed, smooth sound.

[keithkoledo]

I have the 508.24. Same skipping problem. I have dropped it by a repair shop. This video is a fantastic guide. I really appreciate all the care you put into this video, I learned alot. Thanks.

[toucan]

Thanks for this little film, I have seen lots written about Meridian, but never seen anyone review them on youtube, so its good to see one in action.

[markoneswift]

That was my Meridian 506, which I acquired from a guy who pulled it out of e-waste! just goes to show, with a little effort, a lot of these things can be brought back to life. Very nice work Andrew, great to hear it singing again :-)

[Markd]

This is a timely video. I just purchased a Meridian G07 Cd player on the second hand market earlier this week. I had always wanted a Meridian cd player since I heard the 508.24 in the early 2000s, which I remember sounding amazing. The 508.24 still holds its value so well so I could not afford one, but found a well cared for G07 in my budget. It sounds really nice. I also have a Denafrips Ares II DAC for streaming, which I love, but there is something about a well designed CD player and listening to physical media which I will always have a soft spot for.

[CRAZYDJ]

My previous cd was a TEAC then changed to Micromega CD30. OMG, what a difference, more depth, more details, so much better. Extra money makes a big difference.

[ShaneFreeman-ljmy]

I had this player back in 97 and loved the sound. First time a cd player really impressed me. Sound was engaging with a richness and a sense of musicality that i didnt think was possible from digital at that time. I often think back to when i owned this player and wish i still had it in my system. Cheers for sharing this video

[miketodd]

Lovely solid machine. I used to have a 206, along with a 201 preamp and 205 mono amps. Never had trouble with skipping but the displays were a bit dodgy!

[j.t.cooper]

Seems like the difference would be in the quality of the DAC's involved more than anything else.

[jamiehoward]

I've stopped with cd totally...I've just been tempted to start using cd again!!

[stephencallil]

Got a MERIDIAN g.06 and it sound brilliant

[BobTrainor]

CD transport vs DAC. It would be interesting to hook those Transports up to the same DAC and see if there is a difference. We know DACs can make a big difference. Another thing about cheap vs Expensive CD players is longevity, in my experience. Typically your cheaper players don’t last as long and are not worth fixing, as it is cheaper to buy a new one. Thanks for the video. It was fun to watch.

[johnlockwood]

I bought a Meridian 508.20 back in 1996 or 1997, and subsequently had it updated to the 24-bit DAC. I finally sold it in 2022, after 25 years of faithful service. Wonderful unit. I don't spin many CDs these days, so I replaced it with a much cheaper Musical Fidelity CD player that I run through a Denifrips Ares II DAC. It is amazing how well the old Meridian CD players/DACs still compete with modern gear.

[poonlionglai]

Apart from the CD pickup the meridian may have a better dac built in. Is that the case?

[bdhaliwal]

You’re mainly hearing the differences between the DAC in each player, as others have commented. I have a Rotel from the 90s and playing DSOM simultaneously on that and streaming from Spotify through my Modi 3, I can’t really tell the difference which tells me that units from the 90s which at the time cost a lot more than they do now really spent a lot more on their DAC chips than units that you can buy now.

[NathanOakley]

I’ve had a 506, 508 and 500. They all have these issues. And always will, the issues you show will eventually return.
I gave up on Meridian CD players. I still have a 568.2, it’s working flawlessly and has done since 1999. As some of your other comments mentioned, it’s the DAC’s that make it sound good. The 568 gave me that detailed sound with almost any CD transport. Now I use the PC, sounds great into the Meridian DAC’s.

[patb]

Great, I remember when the D600's came out. Great stuff Meridian!

[Ricky-clbu]

It’s mostly about the dac inside it the cd mechanism are mostlyfrom philips and Sony who started it all ok

[Stelios.Posantzis]

I am very happy to see the innards of the Meridian 506. It proves to be very impressively built. There countless examples with similar price tags but nothing inside to equal such construction. However, I would not recommend attempting to fix a cd player to anyone who is not qualified (i.e. trained) to fix such devices. Chances are that by attempting to clean parts such as e.g., the lens, one can inadvertently damage permanently the lens coating or even the lens suspension. Besides, even if no damage to the lens ensues, the cause of the cd player problem might be electronic fault or overall parts degradation, e.g. the laser diode maybe past its best and the same can be the case for other parts inside. Gradually parts falling out of spec over time, abuse or excessive use or prolongued disuse could take their toll on the device and lead to faults. A qualified technician is best equipped to diagnose the problems in a cd player and the procedure is not to be trifled with.

[audiblereality]

I really like Meridian equipment; I'm still listening to a Meridian 500 with a 263 Delta Sigma DAC. Bought those late 90's...