Meridian 500 CD Transport Inc. MSR Remote

Meridian Audio Ltd was founded back in 1977 by Bob Stuart and Allen Boothroyd. In 1984, following the introduction of the Compact Disc, they produced the MCD which they claimed was the world’s first audiophile-quality Compact Disc player. Here we have a fine very late Mk3 example of their 500 CD Transport, it is in very good condition, and will be professionally packaged. It also comes with MSR remote control and our normal three month warranty.
Meridian Say….
The Meridian 500 Series is a unique system of digital, analogue and video components designed to meet the demand for absolute quality, ease of use and lasting value.
The flexibility of the Meridian 500 Series is such that you can assemble a system as simple or as complex as you need, perfectly suited to your musical and environmental requirements and with the ability to add to it or change it at a later date should your requirements change. The 500 Series is also compatible with the existing Meridian 200 Series and 600 Series components.
Each Meridian 500 Series component is housed in a matching slim line case. Front panel controls provide access to the most important functions, and the full range of functions is available from the Meridian System Handset using a simple and intuitive control interface.
The Meridian 500 Series includes a sophisticated communications link, to ensure that any configuration of units will work together as a fully integrated system.
The 500 Series communications system allows you to control any combination of units using a single handset, and ensures that your commands from the handset are interpreted unambiguously. Any unit can be designated as the controller for the system, allowing you to position the other units out of range from the handset beam if desired. It also allows all the units to be switched off from the front panel of any unit in the system.
Meridian introduce the 500 Compact Disc Transport that combines major advances in digital audio and engineering design to provide clear, pure and natural sound
The 500 Compact Disc Transport incorporates a precision engineered CD turntable and drawer system, which provides all the advantages of drawer loading with the superior disc clamping normally associated with top loading players. It provides a precision digital output which is re-clocked and uses a very high power 75 ohms amplifier for super low jitter.
In order to improve the sound quality and disc playability Meridian has updated the design of the 500 to use a new three beam laser CD mechanism.
This involves a new type of in-house software that, amongst its many features, adapts the player to the parameters of each CD. The software is combined with radical proprietary analogue processing system that “de jitters” the data coming from the disc before it is decoded.
The 500 is our best transport, ideal for Meridian digital speakers or with the 565 Digital Surround Processor. Combined with our 566 DAC, it’s the finest CD playback system Meridian offers to get the sound of “being there”.
Specifications:
Display: Eight character alpha-numeric display for track, time and index
Clock Accuracy: ± 20 ppm.
Digital Outputs: Co-axial, 500mV p-p; Optical: EIAJ; AES/EBU: XLR connector.
Communications Two 5 pin 240° DIN sockets.
Power Consumption: 20VA.
Construction: Black textured enamelled glass finish
Dimensions: 321 (W) x 332 (D) x 88 (H) mm
Weight: 6.4 kg
MSR System Handset:
The Meridian System remote control is the centrepiece of a new communication system for all Meridian products. 500 series products have been designed around a new control software which provides a very high level of functionality with ease of use.
Earlier Meridian product ranges such as 200 series and 600 series can be controlled by the MSR by operating an internal switch. In a mixed system of 200 series and 500 series components the latter can be configured to work in “200 mode”.
Many powerful and interesting features are controlled by the green menu keys on the MSR. Primary functions such as
volume and source selection are arranged to provide easy and intuitive control with the internationally standard Play, Stop, Pause controls arranged centrally.
Dimensions: 187 (W) x 127 (D) x 35 (H) mm

For a review from Hi-Fi News magazine please CLICK HERE