Dsp3100 – Meridian America dsp3100 User Manual
Page 2
 
Meridian Audio Limited
Latham Road 
Huntingdon
Cambridgeshire PE29 6YE
England
T +44 (0) 1480 445678
F +44 (0) 1480 445686
Meridian America Inc
8055 Troon Circle, Suite C
Austell
Atlanta GA 30168-7849
T +1 (404) 344 7111
F +1 (404) 346 7111
DSP3100
Digital Signal Processing 
Loudspeaker System
www.meridian-audio.com
DSP3100DS v1.0 200500901 RE
The DSP3100 from Meridian represents 
a new benchmark in the development 
of compact, high-performance digital 
loudspeakers. 
Cabinet design
The DSP3100’s distinctive cabinet is 
made from braced MDF with piano-
lacquer ends and aluminium side-panels 
bonded for rigidity. The DSP3100 
offers extremely low coloration, and 
this is partially a result of this cabinet 
construction. Wood tends to vibrate 
at lower frequencies, while aluminium 
is very stable; conversely, aluminium 
tends to resonate at higher frequencies 
while wood does not. Combining the 
two by bonding them together as 
in the DSP3100 tends to cancel out 
vibration across the range. In addition, 
the cabinet is further damped with 
bitumen, leading to an enclosure that 
is exceedingly dead.
The DSP3100 is intended for use 
as a bookshelf or stand-mounted 
loudspeaker – specially-designed 
aluminium stands are available for the 
vertical units that can be sand-filled 
for maximum stability and minimal 
impact on sound quality. In addition, 
the vertical units include Omnimount/
universal wall bracket mountings for 
additional flexibility in location. The 
horizontal centre unit is designed to sit 
on a shelf. Feet are fitted to the units.
The speakers are tonally similar to 
other Meridian DSP loudspeakers and 
as a result they are ideal for use, for 
example, as surrounds for a Meridian 
DSP-based system. They are equally 
suited for use in a smaller stand-alone 
system in a study or bedroom, and can 
be used as second zone speakers in 
a Meridian multi-room environment. 
With S/PDIF digital inputs at up to 
96kHz, they can also be used as high-
end computer loudspeakers.
The extremely accurate characteristics 
of the DSP3100 make them eminently 
suitable for studio monitoring 
applications, particularly as near-field 
or surround monitors in recording and 
mastering facilities, where they can 
accept digital audio data at standard 
digital recording sample rates up to 24-
bit, 96kHz operation.
Inside the DSP3100
Featuring high-efficiency long-throw 
6in (160mm) (vertical model) or dual 5 
1⁄4 in (120mm) (horizontal model) bass 
drivers with doped carbon fibre cones 
and cast alloy baskets, the DSP3100 also 
includes a very high quality 1in (25mm) 
Meridian piston treble drive unit with 
doped fabric dome. The drivers are 
powered directly by independent high 
power, low feedback amplifiers fed 
from an audiophile-grade power supply 
with a substantial toroidal transformer. 
The DSP power in the DSP3100 is 
provided by a Motorola 56367 running 
at 150MHz, while D/A conversion is 
handled by dual 24-bit multi-bit delta-
sigma converters. The vertical units 
feature a 2-way rear-ported design 
with a single 160mm bass driver, while 
the horizontal centre is a 2 1⁄2-way 
closed box design featuring twin 5 1⁄4 
in (120mm) bass drivers.
The DSP3100 may be controlled and 
configured via RS232, and operated by 
an infrared remote control unit (not 
supplied).
Cosmetic finishes available are black 
or silver, matching Meridian’s G Series 
components (bead-blasted, chemically 
brightened and anodised). Wooden 
surfaces are piano-lacquered.
Outline Specifications
Performance: Frequency response in-room within 3dB from 35Hz to over 20kHz. Linear-phase mid/top crossover.
Output >108dB spl @ 1m on music material. Noise less than 15dB spl. Overall electronic distortion
typically <0.02% at any frequency or level.
Inputs:
Two S/PDIF digital inputs, 32kHz-96kHz sampling rates at up to 24 bit with MHR support.
Construction: Vertical unit: 2-way ported design with 160mm bass driver; Horizontal centre: 2 1⁄2-way closed
box design with twin 5 1⁄4 in (120mm) bass drivers, with doped carbon fibre cones and cast alloy
baskets. 1in (25mm) Meridian piston treble drive unit with doped fabric dome.
Electronics: Two precision 24/192 oversampling converters for bass/mid and tweeter signals. Digital and con-
version electronics constructed using advanced surface-mount techniques and partitioned 4-layer
printed-circuit boards.
DSP:
Motorola 56367 150MIPS digital signal processor. Digital crossover at 2.3kHz. Response correction
for the whole system. Bass protection. User tone controls. Analogue/digital volume and phase 
control.
Amplifiers: Two 75W power amplifiers, one for each band.
Display:
Eight-character display with system lights, can be blanked.
Dimensions: Vertical units: 7.65in (194mm) x 15.2in (386mm) x 10in (254mm) w x h x d; Horizontal centre unit:
18.5in (470mm) x 6.9in (173.5mm) x 10in (254mm) w x h x d.
Weight:
xxkg packed.
Meridian retains the right to improve or modify product speci-
fications and design at any time. E&OE. This is a preliminary
document and final specifications may differ.
Rear panel (horizontal version)