Meridian DNA
The Explorer contains Meridian's DNA throughout. The design uses an advanced six-layer circuit board, and only audiophile components are used, including resistors, jacks, and electrolytic capacitors of a quality particularly suitable for music reproduction. The use of direct-coupled output stages further enhances audio quality.
The Explorer was designed and built in England, in exactly the same way and with the same attention to detail and consistent quality as all other Meridian products.
The Explorer connects to the computer via a USB Mini B plug and cable. Using a (supplied) cable, rather than plugging the converter directly into the computer, reduces the risk of damaging the computer's motherboard if the product is accidentally bumped or the headphone cable is pulled.
The Explorer can be connected to virtually any computer with a USB port. The drivers available for Windows, MacIntosh, and Linux operating systems allow for simple plug-and-play operation. On MacIntosh, the AUDIO MIDI Setup tool is used to set the output sample rate; on Windows, the Sound Control Panel is used. The Explorer requires MacIntosh OS X 10.6.4 (Snow Leopard) or later, Linux Kernel 2.6.37 or later, Windows XP SP3, Windows 7 SP1, or Windows 8.
Superior Clocking
The Explorer offers full audio performance at sample rates up to 192 kHz and a resolution of 24 bit. Instead of relying on the notoriously unstable clocking of the connected computer, the Explorer operates completely asynchronously (independently) and uses precise on-board, low-jitter quartz oscillators derived from those used in premium home entertainment systems. These oscillators provide the clocking for the entire playback system, thus eliminating all jitter generated in the USB interface. "Isochronous" transmission ensures maximum bandwidth and low latency, which is important when playing videos on the computer, where sound and picture must be reproduced in exact synchronisation.
The design of the D/A converter also offers extremely low modulation noise and minimal distortion for the highest sound quality. The interface is USB Audio Class Compliant 2.0 HS and supports data rates of up to 480 MB/sec.
Three versatile outputs
Unusually for this type of device, there are three outputs. A 3.5 mm headphone jack delivers up to 130 mW of high-quality sound – and can deliver a lot of level even with low-efficiency headphones.
The volume is controlled by the computer but implemented within the device itself, in the form of a 64-step digitally controlled analogue volume control.
This means that you always hear the full digital resolution of the Explorer, no matter how high the playback volume – with the more common digital volume control, as the volume decreases, the bit depth of the signal is also reduced, which at the same time increases the proportionate distortions.
A second 3.5 mm jack is a combined analogue/digital optical type and provides a fixed-level analogue signal (2 V RMS) and a digital (S/PDIF optical) TosLink output signal for connection to an external audio system. The analogue output is connected directly to the D/A converter for bit-perfect performance.
Both outputs deliver a full-level signal without volume control – this is important in an audio system where you need to ensure maximum signal-to-noise ratio and maximum digital resolution up to the system's own volume control, which controls the level for all sources in the system. As with a CD player, no volume control should be used at the source in this application.
The optical digital output is set to a maximum sample rate of 96 kHz to ensure compatibility with the majority of audio systems. Source material with higher sample rates is downsampled in very high quality before being passed through the output. The full source resolution (up to 192 kHz sample rate, 24 bit signal depth) is used to drive the analogue outputs.
A higher class of D/A converter
Unlike the majority of available devices, which belong to Class 1, the Explorer is a USB Class 2 audio device. The class refers to the version of the USB standard with which the device is designed to be compatible. Class 1 devices operate with the older (from 1998) USB 1.1 specification, which has a maximum transfer speed of 12 MB/sec. This low speed forces a limitation of the audio stream's sample rate to 96 kHz and thus offers very little reserve for other activities on the same USB connection. As a result, a Class 1 device must be connected directly to a PC and not via a hub.
The Explorer, however, is a Class 2 device that operates according to the newer (from 2009) USB 2 specification. This supports a transfer speed of 480 MB/sec – 40 times faster than Class 1 – and allows the Explorer to play 192 kHz audio streams and be less sensitive to the type of connection, eliminating the need to be connected directly or alone to the PC.
Whether a file is played in MP3 or in a high-resolution, lossless format, the Explorer makes every content sound its best and delivers sound quality that is essentially limited only by the source material.
Three indicators show the status of the Explorer. The LED near the headphone jack lights up to indicate that the device is operating (44.1 / 48 kHz). The middle LED indicates 88.2 / 96 kHz operation, and the third LED indicates sample rates of 176.4 and 192 kHz.
Despite its powerful output and performance, the Explorer is powered exclusively by USB. It comes in elegant packaging and includes a short USB cable (longer cables can also be used) and a carrying case that holds both the Explorer and the cable.
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