| Meridian 300 Series In-wall Loudspeaker System |
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| Home Theater Loudspeakers In-wall Loudspeakers | |||||||||||||||||||
| Written by Andrew Robinson | |||||||||||||||||||
| Wednesday, 01 August 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||
Page 3 of 3 The Downside The Meridian 300 Series in-wall speakers are not going to be for everyone, especially when it comes to the larger P350s. You’re going to need a fair amount of space for the P350s to be able to work their magic, due to their line array configuration. However, the P330s are easier to integrate and don’t quite require the room size the P350s do. They still sound amazing, they just won’t play as deep. The 300s are physically deep, or at least deeper, in terms of space needed inside your walls, so careful measurements need to be taken prior to purchase to ensure you’ll be able to actually install them. Measure twice, cut once, as my grandfather always said. You are going to want your Meridian dealer or custom installer to install the 300 Series in-walls in your home. Having done the project myself, I will urge you not attempt to take on this project on your own, unless you are really into it. The slight bump in cost you’ll encounter by hiring a custom installer is nothing compared to the costs you may incur should you take the project on yourself and forget something, or worse, mess something up. Lastly, I would’ve liked to see mounting brackets included or at least included in the total price of the speakers themselves. Since the 300 Series in-wall speakers are intended for new construction or retrofit projects, simply including the brackets would potentially eliminate any confusion both financially and during construction. If you’re not willing to tear down walls, Meridian does offer the 300 Series in an on-wall configuration as well. Conclusion With a complete package price hovering around $19,000 minus installation and construction costs, the Meridian 300 Series in-wall speakers are not cheap by any means. However, they offer truly reference grade audio performance that rivals even the most established and elite floor-standing speakers out there and do so without taking up an inch of living space. The ribbon tweeter is an absolute revelation and the overall tonality and purity of the 300 Series sound is staggering, considering their in-wall pedigree. They image like champs, are dynamic as hell, and are remarkably easy to drive, which could be a very good thing on your budget when the time comes. Careful planning and professional installation is mandatory, but if you take the necessary steps and do your homework, the Meridian 300 Series speakers will reward you in spades. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, in-wall speakers are the future for many of us as we develop our systems. As I spend my nights basking in the glory of the Meridian 300 Series in-walls, I’m confident that I’ve not only seen the promised land, but have arrived there. My hat is off to Meridian and their 300 Series in-walls; they are truly amazing and I’m proud to not only have them in my home but to call them my reference loudspeakers.
3.26 Copyright (C) 2008 Compojoom.com / Copyright (C) 2007 Alain Georgette / Copyright (C) 2006 Frantisek Hliva. All rights reserved."
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