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Meridian Ellipse: two-minute overview
The Meridian Ellipse is a critically succesful single-unit wi-fi speaker. It may deal with extremely detailed hi-res audio, whether or not by way of Wi-FI or wired inputs like USB-C or optical, and is full of critically intelligent options. Nevertheless it’s additionally some of the costly wi-fi audio system I’ve ever examined. So does it justify that top price ticket?
On the one hand, the Meridian Ellipse is able to spectacular readability and element. When listening to the comparatively spacious mixture of Diamonds On the Soles of Her Sneakers by Paul Simon, I used to be impressed with how a lot room numerous components got to breathe. The vocals of Simon and Ladysmith Black Mambazo specifically projected ahead into the room, whereas the slap of the percussion was eager and clear.
Nonetheless, for those who feed the Ellipse one thing a lot sonically denser like digital or dance music, a few of the shortcuts it takes grow to be extra obvious. Listening to Expander by Bonobo, dynamic components just like the punchy kick and shuffly hats had been well-communicated, as was its attractive vocal line, however there was an absence of cohesion decrease down to assist glue the combo collectively. The sub and low mids felt brighter and chillier than the glowing heat I’ve come to anticipate from the best wireless speakers. And whilst you can tweak each treble and bass ranges within the Meridian app, I undoubtedly felt like I used to be ameliorating these imbalances moderately than solely reversing them.
It compensates, partly, for this with its suite of good options, a few of that are really improbable. For instance, Picture Focus does an exceedingly deft job of reorientating the stereo subject whenever you’re sat at an off angle, whereas Picture Elevation is a bit of psycho-acoustic wizardry that throws its voice larger to make TV audio appear to be it’s coming out of your TV display. Its position-optimization settings are respectable, though they aren’t algorithmic like on some units, merely providing Free, Wall, Shelf and Nook choices. Sadly, I used to be fairly underwhelmed by its frequency-balancing tech for various volumes: the speaker sounds nice at larger volumes, however considerably neutered at decrease ones.
The connectivity choices on provide are additionally respectable, though perhaps not as intensive as with audio system just like the Ruark Audio R410 or Cambridge Audio Evo One. It goes with out saying that it could possibly make the most of Wi-Fi streaming options like TIDAL Join, Spotify Join, AirPlay 2, Google Solid, and Roon connectivity, in addition to Bluetooth. Nevertheless it’s additionally capable of assist sampling charges of 192kHz / 24-bit over USB-C, 96kHz / 24-bit by way of mini-TOSLINK optical, plus 88kHz / 24-bit by way of its stereo analog enter and built-in DAC. Nonetheless, it doesn’t provide extra unique choices like eARC or phono in, so that you gained’t be utilizing this as your all-in-one house audio hub.
As its title suggests, the form of the Ellipse is… anybody? Yep, it’s elliptical. I’m certain I’m not the one particular person to note this however it offers me distinct vibes of the Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin Pro, each having an undeniably comparable Hindenburgian silhouette when seen entrance on. Oh, the humanity. Nonetheless, the steel grille on the face of Meridian’s speaker is way flatter, giving the system a footprint extra like a barely gibbous moon. It additionally options blue-lit, touch-sensitive controls on its high floor, permitting you to play and pause, skip tracks, regulate quantity and provoke Bluetooth pairing mode.
All advised, the Meridian Ellipse is a hi-res, feature-packed speaker with some main strengths and some important caveats. It’s undeniably detailed and, when its good performance delivers, it actually delivers. It deftly reproduces trebles and dynamic particulars, whereas managing passable, if not precisely stellar, frequency copy elsewhere. Had been it not for the value tag, I’d be tempted to present it a cross on a few of the weaker components however, on the savings-siphoning worth of $3,000 / £1,900 / AU$4,999, I really feel its sound must be past reproach. For that purpose, I’d counsel you at the least think about cheaper choices just like the $1,799.95 / £1,299 / AU$2,599 Ruark Audio R410 or $1,499 / £1,299 / AU$2,495 Cambridge Audio Evo One earlier than you commit right here.
Meridian Ellipse overview: worth and availability
- Launched August 24, 2024
- MSRP of $3,000 / £1,900 / AU$4,999
Launched on August 24, 2024, the Meridian Ellipse is available for purchase now. It goes for an MSRP of $3,000 / £1,900 / AU$4,999, which isn’t any small change for a single speaker. By means of context, TechRadar’s present choose for greatest premium wi-fi speaker, the KEF LS50 Wi-fi II, prices $2,499.99 / £1,999 / AU$4,000. Even our choose of greatest wi-fi speaker if cash’s no object, the Bang & Olufsen Beolab 8, is an analogous $2,749 / £2,199 / AU$4,499, which exhibits you the sort of firm this speaker retains.
Meridian Ellipse overview: specs
Speaker drivers |
2 x 90mm polypropylene wide-range drivers; 1 x 150mm x 100mm polypropylene long-throw “racetrack” subwoofer driver |
Amplification |
2 x 25W for full-range drivers; 1 x 30W for subwoofer driver |
Dimensions |
16.2 x 8.8 x 6.7 inch (412 x 223 x 171mm) |
Connectivity |
Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, USB-C, mini-TOSLINK, analog in, Ethernet |
Streaming assist |
Spotify Join, TIDAL Join, Roon Prepared, AirPlay, Google Solid, UPnP renderer |
Different options |
Bass & Area stereo enhancing, E3 Bass, Q-Sync jitter minimization, Picture Focus stability correction, Free-Q room compensation, True Time, Excellent Steadiness, Bespoke Sign Mapping, Professional-Lively Bass, Professional-Lively Thermal management, Digital Precision, Picture Elevation |
Meridian Ellipse overview: options
- Filled with good options
- Good vary of connectivity choices
- Decrease wattage than some rivals
For a relatively compact speaker, the Meridian Ellipse actually squeezes in loads of options. With regards to drivers, it focuses on high quality over amount. It solely accommodates three drivers however they’re substantial: it has two 3.5-inch (90mm) polypropylene wide-range drivers and one 5.9 x 3.9-inch (150 x 100mm) racetrack sub. There’s not fairly as a lot oomph behind these drivers as you’d hope, although. The Ellipse solely affords 25W for these full-range drivers and 30W for the sub, whereas the cheaper Cambridge Audio Evo One packs a whopping 50W of amplification per driver.
Naturally, as a wi-fi speaker, the Ellipse focuses a lot of its power on cable-free connectivity. It may stream over Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and Ethernet, providing each native streaming from Spotify Join and TIDAL Join, in addition to AirPlay, Google Solid, and Roon connectivity. This doesn’t imply that wi-fi connectivity is the one connection to its bow nevertheless: it additionally possesses a USB-C that helps sampling charges as much as 192kHz / 24 bit, a mini-TOSLINK optical port able to 96kHz / 24 bit and an analog enter with a built-in DAC that may hit charges of 88kHz / 24 bit.
None of that is uncommon for a premium wi-fi speaker. Nonetheless, what does set Meridian’s speaker aside is the vary of good options they’ve crammed into the Ellipse’s mind.
Some focus extra on readability: for instance, Q-Sync exists to attenuate jitter and improve readability, whereas Digital Precision boosts the signal-to-noise ratio of the digital audio. Others intention to clean out the Ellipse’s acoustics, with Excellent Steadiness making certain high and low frequencies are perceived the identical at high and low volumes and Free-Q providing the now-obligatory tech for sonically compensating for the system’s placement.
Maybe essentially the most distinctive good options are people who tweak the speaker’s soundstage. Bass & Area affords stereo-enhancing tech to extend the sense of soundstage width, whereas Picture Focus helps ‘right for off-center listening’. Lastly, Picture Elevation is a bit of pseudo-Dolby-Atmos-style trickery that guarantees to boost the sound picture so you’ll be able to increase it from the speaker beneath to the center of your TV display – though with no precise top channels, it’s price moderating your expectations on this entrance, because it gained’t place sound in addition to one of many best soundbars.
There are admittedly a couple of issues the Meridian Ellipse is missing. You gained’t discover a distant management right here, which some rival premium wi-fi audio system provide and it doesn’t provide fancier inputs like eARC or phono in. All advised, although, the Meridian Ellipse has a superb vary of options and loads of the core performance you’d anticipate.
Meridian Ellipse overview: sound high quality
- Crisp, correct presentation
- Sounds nice at larger volumes
- Bass and decrease mids a bit flat
Given its not-inconsiderable worth and the hype across the Meridian Ellipse, I used to be actually hoping to have the ability to give it an unequivocal thumbs up. However in actuality, issues aren’t so clear-cut. Whereas loads of the protection of its sound high quality throughout its launch and early demos was gushing in its reward, I believe a part of that is right down to the protean nature of the system itself, the place it sounds splendidly crisp in some conditions and shows distinct flaws in others.
Undeniably, the Meridian Ellipse is able to some spectacular, high-resolution element. When enjoying Chemtrails Over the Nation Membership by Lana Del Rey, it may obtain skillful separation of every instrument. Not solely that, however it actually introduced out the wealthy, smokey timbre of her voice, giving it actual, palpable presence within the room.
Excessive-end element can be unflinchingly exact. Go Your Personal Manner by Fleetwood Mac has uncovered many a speaker’s weak point with its vivid, trebly combine however the Ellipse holds the road. It by no means turns into overly sharp and but nonetheless has loads of definition – you’ll be able to virtually hear the scrape of the plectrum because it rings off these taut guitar strings, whereas the toms punch proper by the combo.
Elsewhere, the image will get much more blended. For instance, the Ellipse did an inexpensive job with I Need You by Moloko: the funky keys and glockenspiel each had loads of chew and presence, although I couldn’t assist however really feel this got here on the expense of extra nuance within the decrease mid frequencies. With digital music like Chimes by Otherliine, this grew to become rather more pronounced: the sound felt very ahead with out essentially having the depth to again it up, leaving every little thing feeling a bit compressed and overdriven.
Once more, the Meridian’s bass generally felt prefer it was all chew and no bark – which is especially disappointing in mild of its supposed E3 Bass, which is supposed to ‘Develop, Prolong, Improve’ the low finish. It’s undeniably punchy and dynamic, with kick drums giving a large thump, however the Ellipse can’t all the time again this up with substance – emphasis on the sub. The gargantuan bass of Tectonic by Technimatic sounded rather a lot weedier than I’m used to and there was noticeable ducking of the bassline each time the kick sounded, making me query whether or not its racetrack can actually ship the products the place sub is anxious.
Thanks in no small half to the Excellent Steadiness characteristic talked about above, the Ellipse can maintain its personal at a lot larger volumes than many wi-fi audio system. In reality, I’d argue it sounds a lot higher whenever you crank it up. Whereas Black Eye by Allie X sounded a bit hole within the decrease mids at common volumes, turning it as much as 60% gave its saw-toothed synth line rather more presence with out inflicting these pressing string slams to distort. Whereas this does give it some much-needed punch, for those who’re not going to be listening to the speaker at earwax-melting volumes, it is price asking whether or not its weaker sound profile at decrease volumes is a compromise you’re prepared to make.
To check the speaker’s soundstage, I popped on Tighten Up, Pt. 1 by Archie Bell & The Drells. Regardless of the laborious panning typical of Nineteen Sixties soul, on the Ellipse there was barely a sliver of daylight between the bass and horns, with a lot of the sound feeling prefer it got here from a single level.
Its Picture Focus stereo subject correction was rather more spectacular, nevertheless. Positioning the system at a 3/4s angle undoubtedly left Coronary heart of Gold by Bettye LaFayette lacking a few of its high-end readability. And once I slipped the Picture Focus setting to <7, it actually introduced the slap of the bongos again into readability. Admittedly, you possibly can stand up and spin the speaker round your self, however the place’s the enjoyable in that?
I used to be skeptical about how convincing its Picture Elevation characteristic could be, however once I performed some basic episodes of The Simpsons and dialed it as much as max elevation, it was genuinely compelling. The slight treble increase of the dialogue made it appear to be it was issuing instantly from the display. Sure, with some effort I may get my mind to acknowledge the sound was issuing from the speaker, however it’s a reasonably convincing impact.
Spectacular although these smarts are, although, I’m undecided they completely compensate for a few of the speaker’s sonic weaknesses. It would appear to be I’m being overly harsh – the Ellipse doesn’t sound dangerous by any means and fed the suitable genres and sources, it sounds impressively clear and expressive for a speaker of its dimension. Nevertheless it’s additionally inconsistent: in some frequency ranges it focuses on cut-glass definition at the price of extra balanced expression and there’s an absence of ballast to floor it in each the mids and bass. Consequently, its sound high quality is a certified success, which might undoubtedly give me reservations about spending this sort of cash.
Meridian Ellipse overview: design
- Properly constructed and engaging
- First rate contact controls
- Not essentially the most authentic form
For anybody who has spent a while following the wi-fi speaker area, the design of the Meridian Ellipse seems to be… eerily acquainted. There’s no getting round it: there’s one thing undeniably Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin-esque concerning the Meridian Ellipse. It’s not fairly as rounded as B&W’s audio dirigible, with a entrance grille that’s barely convex moderately than actively bulging, however it’s nonetheless an analogous elongated ellipse form that might be acquainted to that system’s many followers.
Construct high quality could be very respectable, even when it’s not as luxe as some audio merchandise on this class. Its matt black floor is clean to the contact however doesn’t appear to choose up fingerprints, whereas a sturdy steel mesh protects its material protecting and drivers. Its dimension is correct in the midst of a Goldilocks zone between ‘large enough to make its presence recognized’ and ‘so massive it’ll dominate your lounge setup’. It’s additionally fairly mild and simple to maneuver, do you have to need to: at 8.6lbs (3.9kg), you will not have to put on a again brace simply to relocate it to a different shelf.
Controlling the Ellipse falls to a sequence of blue-lit touch-capacitative buttons on the highest floor of the system. These are clearly marked and simple to activate, protecting many of the fundamental features you’d anticipate, together with play / pause, skipping ahead and again, adjusting the amount, and triggering Bluetooth-pairing mode. There are not any presets right here, although, which is a disgrace. With the ability to shortly change to varied inputs or playlists is one thing loads of wi-fi audio system provide as of late and, whereas it’s not a must have characteristic, it could be good all the identical.
Meridian Ellipse overview: worth
- Eye-wateringly costly
- Some cheaper audio system sound higher
Finally, the Meridian Ellipse is an effective – and even probably nice – wi-fi speaker. However your expectations are inevitably going to be influenced by how a lot you’ve paid for a tool. And for $3,000 / £1,900 / AU$4,999, I anticipate an audio system to sound unimpeachable. That’s probably not been my expertise with the Ellipse.
It’s good, actually good. However as a substitute of taking already rock-solid audio and sharpening it as much as a very breathtaking listening expertise, I usually discovered myself tweaking the options simply to get an aural image that bested and even matched what I’ve heard from less expensive audio system. When you may get higher audio from the Cambridge Audio Evo One and comfortably purchase the £599 / $699 / AU$1,299 Professional-Ject Debut Evo 2 out of the change to plug into its inbuilt phono stage, it does make me surprise who this system is for. As a result of, in actuality, I believe audiophiles can get extra for a lot much less.
Ought to I purchase the Meridian Ellipse?
Attributes |
Notes |
Ranking |
---|---|---|
Options |
Filled with extra smarts than a Mensa assembly, the Ellipse has a complete heap of choices for tailoring its soundstage or sound profile. The one factor it lacks is a couple of extra connectivity choices like eARC or phono in. |
4.5 / 5 |
Sound high quality |
Sounds spacious and detailed, whereas managing to maintain its composure at larger volumes. However a concentrate on transients at every frequency stage means the decrease mids and sub really feel uncared for because of this. |
3.5 / 5 |
Design |
Feels pretty premium in its construct and has simple to make use of controls, though it’s not fairly as luxe-looking as some audio system on this bracket. |
4 / 5 |
Worth |
For this sort of worth, a speaker actually ought to sound unimpeachable. And I’m not satisfied the Meridian Ellipse achieves this, with it struggling to outcompete cheaper rivals. |
3 / 5 |
Purchase it if…
Don’t purchase it if…
Meridian Ellipse overview: additionally think about
Header Cell – Column 0 |
Meridian Ellipse |
Cambridge Audio Evo One |
KEF LS50 Wi-fi II |
---|---|---|---|
Speaker drivers |
2 x 90mm polypropylene wide-range drivers; 1 x 150mm x 100mm polypropylene long-throw “racetrack” subwoofer driver |
4 x 1-inch silk dome tweeters, 4 x 2.25-inch aluminum cone mid-range drivers, 6 x 2.75-inch long-throw woofers |
1 x UniQ driver (mixed tweeter and full-sized drama) per speaker |
Amplification |
2 x 25W for full-range drivers; 1 x 30W for subwoofer driver |
700W (14 x 50W) |
760W |
Dimensions |
16.2 x 8.8 x 6.7 inch (412 x 223 x 171mm) |
26.6 x 5.1 x 11.4 inches (675 x 129 x 290mm) |
2 x 12 x 7.9 x 12.2 inches (305 x 200 x 311mm) |
Connectivity |
Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, USB-C, mini-TOSLINK, analog in, Ethernet |
Wi-Fi 5, Bluetooth 5.1, USB-C, eARC, TOSlink, Ethernet, line-in, phono-in |
Bluetooth 5.0, HDMI eARC, USB, TOSLINK Optical, Digital Coaxial, analog 3.5mm, Ethernet |
Streaming assist |
Spotify Join, TIDAL Join, Roon Prepared, AirPlay, Google Solid, UPnP renderer |
Web radio, Tidal Join, Spotify Join, Qobuz, Deezer, Google Solid, AirPlay 2, Roon Prepared |
AirPlay 2, Google Chromecast, ROON Prepared, Tidal Join, Spotify Join, Amazon Music, Qobuz, Deezer, QQ Music, Web Radio |
Different options |
Bass & Area stereo enhancing, E3 Bass, Q-Sync jitter minimization, Picture Focus stability correction, Free-Q room compensation, True Time, Excellent Steadiness, Bespoke Sign Mapping, Professional-Lively Bass, Professional-Lively Thermal management, Digital Precision, Picture Elevation |
Multi-room streaming, room customization, inbuilt phono stage, 7-band EQ |
Multi-room streaming |
How I examined the Meridian Ellipse
- I examined the Meridian Ellipse for a month
- I used it to stream a variety of genres and audio resolutions
- I’ve a number of many years of expertise utilizing and reviewing audio devices
I lived with the Meridian Ellipse for a month, testing it with a spread of forms of music and sources. Not solely did I hearken to the TechRadar testing playlist however I additionally tried out loads of my very own go-to tracks to evaluate its dynamics and frequency stability.
Moreover, I monitored the standard of its output by making an attempt out quite a lot of sources. This included my iPhone 16 Professional, MacBook Professional, and TV. On high of this, I attempted out quite a lot of completely different audio resolutions, from Spotify’s most elementary tier to Tidal’s 24-bit, 192kHz Max tier.
By way of expertise, I’ve coated tech and reviewed devices for over 10 years. Moreover, I have been listening to and producing music for a number of many years, which has given me perception into the stability of various frequencies and sonic efficiency.