Summary: After reading reviews on fmtunerinfo.com I became interested in exploring high quality digital tuners. A 504 was available on a tryout basis at an audio shop, so I decided to give it a listen. It seemed to take a long time to settle in and at first the sound was uneven, ranging from overly bright to quite warm. After about 4 days it settled down (you leave it 'on', in a standby mode) and started to sound very good. For comparison I had a professionally modified Magnum Dynalab FT101, and a wonderful sounding Kenwood 8007 from the 70s. I use an outdoor arial mounted on a bedroom balcony.
It didn't come with the remote and I had a dickens of a time figuring out how to get my MX-500 remote to operate the tuner. The codes didn't work at first, and after spending 5-6 hours searching the web, I finally got it to work beautifully.
When I got down to serious listening I was struck by the purity of the signal being broadcast. On my favorite FM stations I was not aware of any background noise. I listen to a lot of classical and jazz, and almost always preferred the Meridian to either the Magnum Dynalab or the Kenwood.
Incidentally I used an MD Sleuth 205 (sophisticated signal enhancer) with both of these tuners. I didn't need it at all with the Meridian: while the Sleuth helped the other two bring in stronger and cleaner signals, it made no difference on the Meridian.
Besides providing a very clean signal, the 504 produces a larger and deeper soundstage than the MD or the Kenwood. Cymbals and piano sounds are often stunning and I have to remind myself it's FM radio I'm listening to. The longer I own this marvel, the more I find myself listening to it; it is not fatiguing in any way.
In some ways it is almost too good: it is not kind to poorly recorded CDs or taped concerts, for example. It is remarkably sensitive to the type of interconnect linking it to the preamp. And, because of the quality of the signal, broadcasts with excessive compression or which overload (e.g. when singers hit particularly strident notes), can sound downright bad.
I'm delighted with this tuner (I'm selling the others, including the MD Sleuth)— it holds its own very well in my system. The sound is truly impressive, and a frequent comment from friends who've listened to the tuner is " I never knew FM could sound that good".
Strengths: clarity, musicality, dynamic, ease of use once set up
Weaknesses: took a while to get my non-Meridian remote to work with it at first
Similar Products Used: Magnum Dynalab FT101A
Magnum Dynalab 205 Sleuth
Kenwood 8007 AM/FM tuner
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Summary: Like this player, its very smooth. Very natural sound, almost like a cd player ! You will forget listening to a radio...
Strengths: Natural sound, dep bass
Weaknesses: Remote not as a standard
Similar Products Used: Marantz (several)
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Rating Reviewed by: Steve Ruvo(Unregistered User)
(Audiophile)
Review Date November 22, 2001
Overall Rating 5 of 5
Value Rating 5 of 5
Used product for 1 to 3 months
Visitors rate this review 5.00 of 5,
9.00 votes
Review 4 of 6
, from Spokane
Price Paid:
$425.00
from Private Owner
Summary: Just purchased a used 504. The tuner seems to sound fine. It is able to pull in a jazz station 20+ miles away with little problems.Compared with my Yamaha from 1976 it is great but then again I am using a much better antenna!! My system is located in the basement so tuner reception is poor to begin with. For the price I paid, the resulting sonics are superb!Build construction is excellent. Meridian likes that European modular sllek look.
Strengths: Matches my other Meridian equipment. With a good antenna can bring in distant stations
Weaknesses: No really usable analog meters. No balanced inputs
Similar Products Used: Yamaha CT800
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Rating Reviewed by: ce(Unregistered User)
( an Audiophile)
Review Date November 7, 1998
Overall Rating 4 of 5
Visitors rate this review 4.71 of 5,
7.00 votes
Review 5 of 6
Summary: I have the MERIDIAN 504 and a MAGNUM DYNALAB ETUDE....the MERIDIAN has a fuller warmer sound,slightly thick....the MAGNUM DYNALAB has a cleaner,open sound...I prefer the MAGNUM DYNALAB ETUDE....for the ergonomics...the MERIDIAN is confused ,the meters on the magnum dynalab makes sense...the alpha/numeric display in the meridian have the look of a cheap rack system....i do like the programabilty of the meridian....but with a remote tuning function from across the room, it is not tied to the antenna rotor, so what good is it?...I still have to get up to rotate the antenna....the best tuners in the world is no good without a good yagi highly directional antenna(which I use)....the meridian is solidly constructed as is the magnum dynalab etude.....i think the magnum dynalab is more logical and easier to use....simply cus' the meter display, shows all three parameters on three seperate meters, it makes sense....if I did not have my magnum dynalab i'd probably love the meridian, it sounds great, but the magnum has great sound with a much better user friendly front panel, and i really don't like tuning by holding a button down, tuning involves turning a dial , not pushing a button, that is fine for car radios where it is necessary to keep your eyes on the road....but for accurate fine tuning the rotary, analog(has a numeric display also) of the magnum dynalab is the best.....along with the very functional 3(analog)large meter disply...I prefer the magnum etude tuner over the meridian 504 tuner.
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