Meridian Audio

File:Meridian_Audio_Founders_Bob_Stuart_and_Allen_Boothroyd.jpg and Bob Stuart]]

Based in Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, Meridian Audio was founded by John Robert (Bob) Stuart and Allen Boothroyd in 1977. Since the company's inception, all Meridian products have been built in the UK.{{Cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/profiles/bob-stuart-britain-s-best-kept-engineering-secret-2161581.html|title=Bob Stuart: Britain's best-kept engineering secret|date=2010-12-16|access-date=2021-02-08|website=The Independent|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210208182442/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/profiles/bob-stuart-britain-s-best-kept-engineering-secret-2161581.html|archive-date=2021-02-08|url-status=live}}

The company claims it was among the first to introduce active loudspeakers designed for the domestic market and was the first British company to manufacture a CD player in 1983. The Meridian MCD, launched in 1985, was the first audiophile CD player.{{Cite web|url=https://www.gadgetguy.com.au/time-warp-meridians-mcd-the-first-audiophile-cd-player/|title=Time warp: Meridian's MCD, the first audiophile CD player|date=2009-06-15|access-date=2021-02-08|website=Gaget Guy|last=Valens|first=Quinn|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201030132235/https://www.gadgetguy.com.au/time-warp-meridians-mcd-the-first-audiophile-cd-player/|archive-date=2020-10-30|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.stereophile.com/cdplayers/285meridian/|title=Meridian MCD & MCD Pro CD players|date=2010-12-01|access-date=2021-02-08|website=Stereophile|last=Holt|first=Gordon|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201201090748/https://www.stereophile.com/cdplayers/285meridian|archive-date=2020-12-01|url-status=live}}

During the pre-2007 economic boom, exports made up 80 per cent of Meridian's sales.

File:Meridian Audio DSP8000 Loudspeaker.jpg

Following the 2008 financial crisis and subsequent recession the firm underwent three years of restructuring and experienced a 50% reduction in sales to the U.S.A but a 10% increase in overall sales. The company also reduced its product line from 120 products to 35.

The organisation acquired the media server manufacturer Sooloos in late 2008. The acquisition gave Meridian an entry into the media server market. Following the deal, Sooloos released new products under the name Meridian Sooloos.{{Cite web|url=https://www.stereophile.com/news/meridian_acquires_sooloos/index.html|title=Meridian acquires SooLoos|date=2008-12-05|access-date=2021-04-21|website=Stereophile|last=Phillips|first=Wes|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180625103723/https://www.stereophile.com/news/meridian_acquires_sooloos/index.html|archive-date=2018-06-25|url-status=live}}

The company opened its first shop in Bangkok, Thailand in November 2009, followed by three more retail outlets in Seoul, Santiago and Mexico and a U.K. branch in Oxford.{{Cite web|url=https://www.whathifi.com/news/meridian-brings-first-boutique-outlet-to-uk|title=Meridian brings first boutique outlet to UK|date=2011-04-10|access-date=2021-04-21|website=What Hi-Fi?|last=Cox|first=Joe|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201001050754/https://www.whathifi.com/news/meridian-brings-first-boutique-outlet-to-uk|archive-date=2020-10-01|url-status=live}}

In the same year, the organisation announced John Buchanan would take over from Tim Ireland as CEO.{{Cite web|url=https://gcmagazine.co.uk/leadership-change-at-meridian-audio/|title=Leadership change at Meridian Audio|access-date=2021-04-21|website=GC Magazine|date=6 June 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200926192700/https://gcmagazine.co.uk/leadership-change-at-meridian-audio/|archive-date=2020-09-26|url-status=live}}

Since 2011, Meridian has developed a relationship with Jaguar Land Rover to deliver audio products for the entire portfolio of vehicles, including a new 3D surround sound for the Range Rover 2012{{Cite web|title=Meridian Surround Sound System|url=https://www.autoexpress.co.uk/land-rover/range-rover-evoque/58869/meridian-surround-sound-system|access-date=2022-01-10|website=Auto Express|language=en}} and the first high-end audio system in a battery electric vehicle with the award-winning Jaguar I-Pace{{Cite web|date=2018-07-20|title=2018 Jaguar I-Pace|url=https://uk.pcmag.com/cars/116512/2018-jaguar-i-pace|access-date=2022-01-10|website=PCMag UK|language=en-gb}} in 2016.

Stuart resigned from the company in September 2017.

Meridian partnered with the South Korean company LG in 2018 for a jointly developed range of audio equipment. Meridian provided engineering support for the range of soundbars, speakers, earphones and smartphones and advised on matters such as component choice. In 2021, the LG soundbar was launched featuring the Meridian Horizon technology.{{Cite web|title=LG'S 2021 SOUNDBARS OFFER PREMIUM AUDIO AND AI FEATURES WITH SUSTAINABLE DESIGNS|url=https://www.lg.com/uk/about-lg/press-media/lg-2021-soundbars-offer-premium-audio-and-ai-features|access-date=2022-01-10|website=LG UK|language=en}}

In 2019, British Airways became a Meridian customer; a set of in-flight headphones was developed that reduce resonance, distortion and reflection.{{Cite web|url=https://essentialinstall.com/news/%EF%BB%BFhigh-flying-meridian-partners-with-british-airways/|title=High Flying Meridian partners with British Airways|date=2019-03-07|access-date=2021-04-21|website=Essential Install|last=Sait|first=Daniel J|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210421135436/https://essentialinstall.com/news/%EF%BB%BFhigh-flying-meridian-partners-with-british-airways/|archive-date=2021-04-21|url-status=live}}

Boothroyd resigned as director in March 2020.{{Cite web|url=https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/02710631/officers|title=Meridian Audio Limited - People|access-date=2021-04-21|website=gov.uk}}

In 2020, the company signed up the Chinese company, Human Horizons as a customer to create a 600Watt sound system for their electric vehicle manufacturer HiPhi. The system has twelve speakers and a digital EQ controlled by AI.{{Cite web|url=https://www.sztereomagazin.hu/hirek/egyuttmukodik-a-meridian-audio-es-a-human-horizons/|title=Együttműködik a Meridian Audio és a Human Horizons|date=2020-09-03|access-date=2021-04-21|website=Sztereo Magazine|last=P|first=K|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210421140902/https://www.sztereomagazin.hu/hirek/egyuttmukodik-a-meridian-audio-es-a-human-horizons/|archive-date=2021-04-21|url-status=live|language=Hungarian}}

Also in 2020, Meridian launched its distribution company, Distributed by Meridian (DbM) to grow sales opportunities in the UK & Eire. The company have since signed distribution agreements with Barco Residential, Display Technologies, Complete Acoustic Treatment System, Waterfall Audio and Trinnov.

In the same year, Meridian became the first audio brand to release the "Works with Sonos" integration for its zone controllers.{{Cite web|last=hifinext.com|date=2020-12-20|title=Meridian Audio products are certified Works with Sonos|url=https://www.hifinext.com/meridian-audio-products-are-certified-works-with-sonos/|access-date=2022-01-10|website=HiFiNext - Audio Buyer's Guide|language=en-US}}

In 2021, Meridian has also designed audio systems to integrate within Rivian's electric vehicles, including the R1T and R1S,{{Cite web|title=Rivian partners with Meridian Audio for premium sound in its EVs|url=https://www.teslarati.com/rivian-meridian-audio-partnership/|website=Teslarati|date=2 March 2021 }} and a purpose-designed 14-speaker surround sound system for the Kia K8.{{Cite web|date=2021-03-23|title=The Kia K8 embodies a high-tech, modern and innovative sedan|url=https://www.automotiveworld.com/news-releases/the-kia-k8-embodies-a-high-tech-modern-and-innovative-sedan/|access-date=2022-01-10|website=Automotive World|language=en-GB}}

In 2022, Meridian has designed audio systems for TOGG’s vehicles, including T10X and T10S.

In 1984, the two founders, operating under the name Boothroyd-Stuart created a CD player under the brand name Meridian. They named the device the MCD, J.{{Cite journal|title=Perfect Sound Forever':Innovation, Aesthetics, and the Re-Making of Compact Disc Playback.|last=DOWNES|first=KIERAN|journal=Technology and Culture|publisher=The Johns Hopkins University Press|year=2010|volume=51|issue=2|pages=324|doi=10.1353/tech.0.0442 |jstor=40647101|url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/40647101}}

Having acknowledged that they lacked the experience or manufacturing facilities to create a CD player from scratch,{{Cite magazine|title=Equipment Reports: Meridian MCD CD Player|date=1985-05-02|magazine=Stereophile|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Audio/Stereophile/80s/Stereophile-Vol-8-No-2.pdf|last=Holt|first=Gordon J|pages=56–58|access-date=2021-02-10}} Boothroyd-Stuart turned to Philips, who allowed small companies to purchase their CD-101 decks and design their own cases and interfaces. The two co-founders suspected that the mechanical parts and electronics of mass-produced CD players negated the overall sound quality. Specifically, they assumed that a lot of the sonic faults were not down to the system itself but to imperfections in the digital data extraction, the D/A conversion and the audio output circuitry and that physically stabilizing the disc in the player would eliminate digital signal vibration caused decoding errors. Therefore, they discarded the deck's analog audio circuitry and modified the unit's power supply. Especially, they sped up the deck's laser-tracking servo's focus reaction time in order to track warped discs better. They also installed a new audio board with enlarged grounding and shielding capabilities, aluminum electrolytic output coupling capacitors and a 3-pole analog filter section.

After Stuart's departure to MQA ltd, chief technical officer, Richard Hollinshead led Meridian's design team that created the digital audio converter (DAC). The converter uses a type of hierarchical conversion technology and has adjustable up-sampling filters.{{Cite web|url=https://www.stereophile.com/content/meridian-audio-ultra-dac-da-processor|title=Meridian Audio Ultra DAC D/A processor|date=2017-04-18|access-date=2021-04-21|website=Stereophile|last=Atkinson|first=John|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210308193744/https://www.stereophile.com/content/meridian-audio-ultra-dac-da-processor|archive-date=2021-03-08}}

Meridian products have received several awards, including:

• 2011 Robb Report Best of the Best, Audio: Meridian Sooloos Digital Media System{{cite news |title=Best of the Best 2011: Audio: Meridian Sooloos Digital Media System |url=http://robbreport.com/Best-of-the-Best-2011-Audio-Meridian-Sooloos-Digital-Media-System |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130201104521/http://robbreport.com/Best-of-the-Best-2011-Audio-Meridian-Sooloos-Digital-Media-System |url-status=dead |archive-date=1 February 2013 |newspaper=Robb Report |date=1 June 2011 }}
• 2010 CEA Human Interface Product of the Year: Meridian Sooloos

{{Cite web|url=https://www.businesswire.com/resourcenotfound|title=CEA Announces Winners of 2010 Mark of Excellence Awards|date=2010-04-29|access-date=2021-02-09|website=Business Wire|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180625161300/https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20100329005252/en/CEA-Announces-Winners-2010-Mark-Excellence-Awards|archive-date=2018-06-25|url-status=dead}}

• 2009 Robb Report Best of the Best, Home Video: Meridian 810 Reference Video System{{cite news |title=Meridian 810 Reference Video System |url=http://robbreport.com/Meridian-810-Reference-Video-System |newspaper=Robb Report |date=1 June 2009 |access-date=18 July 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100210175835/http://robbreport.com/Meridian-810-Reference-Video-System |archive-date=10 February 2010 |url-status=dead }}
• 2009 CEA Innovations Design and Engineering Award in the Integrated Home Systems: Meridian Sooloos{{cite web |url=http://www.ce.org/i3/VisionArchiveList/VisionArchive/2009/January/Innovation-2009-Design-and-Engineering-Awards.aspx |title=Innovation 2009: Design and Engineering Awards |date=6 February 2009 |publisher=CE.org |access-date=21 November 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141129042632/http://www.ce.org/i3/VisionArchiveList/VisionArchive/2009/January/Innovation-2009-Design-and-Engineering-Awards.aspx |archive-date=29 November 2014 |url-status=dead }}
• 1988 British Design Council Award: Meridian 200 Series{{cite news |title=Meridian |url=http://www.gramophone.net/Issue/Page/May%201999/193/857465/Meridian#header-logo |newspaper=Gramophone |date=May 1999 |page=193 }}
• 1982 British Design Council Award: Meridian Modular Amplifier System{{Cite web|url=https://collection.maas.museum/object/497298|title=Audio components from Kenneth D Fairey's mid 1970s to mid 1980s high fidelity audio system|date=2014-07-25|access-date=2021-02-10|website=Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences (Powerhouse Museum)|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210210121552/https://collection.maas.museum/object/497298|archive-date=2021-02-10|url-status=live}}

New York's Museum of Modern Art keeps The Lecson Audio System, Boothroyd and Stuart's first sound system on permanent exhibit. London's Victoria and Albert Museum keeps the Lecson Audio System in storage.{{Cite web|url=https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O1194726/ap3-power-amplifier-amplifier-stuart-robert/|title=AP3 power amplifier|website=Victoria and Albert Museum|date=1972 }}

• Meridian Lossless Packing, compression for DVD-Audio.
• Master Quality Authenticated, launched by Meridian Audio in 2014.

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• {{Official website|http://www.meridian-audio.com/}}

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Category:Audio amplifier manufacturers

Category:Compact Disc player manufacturers

Category:Audio equipment manufacturers of the United Kingdom

Category:Loudspeaker manufacturers

Category:Electronics companies established in 1977

Category:English brands

Category:1977 establishments in England