Meridian F80 Audio System

Reviews: Multimedia

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Mark Korff
Beth
Meridian
Jun. 27, 2008

Specifications

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Testing

So how does the F80 sound? Well, let's just say that, like the scream of Ferrari's F1 engine at 19,000 rpm is music to the ears of racing fans, so is the F80's audio to the ears of audiophiles. All similar products are put to complete and utter shame.

The collaboration between both Meridian and Ferrari really makes the F80 what it is. With Meridian's highly refined DSP expertise and the components crafted by Ferrari, I really can't imagine a higher-quality product in the same vein as this. The F80 truly excels at reproducing mid- and high frequencies, as well as moderate levels of bass. However, with its 2.1 design and backfiring "subwoofer," the F80 will never replace your current home theater's sub.

I like bass in my music, movies, and games, and in those cases the F80 doesn't deliver like it does in every other area, though, for the size of it, you really can't expect any better whatsoever. Even if you're the biggest bass fan out there, I defy you to listen to the F80 for more than a minute and say that the purity and richness of the sound is anything other than absolutely stellar in every other way.

My favorite part of listening to the F80 was when I discovered the "width" adjustment hidden within the audio settings. I pushed it up to the max, effectively opening up the sound stage of the F80 so that it sounded as if it had just pushed its speakers out a few feet to the left and right. This feature is really what makes the F80 sound so much bigger than it really is. Combine the unparalleled clarity and warmth of sound with this room-filling feature, and you have a little "clock radio" that can rival some of the better multi-channel home theater systems on the market today.

Again, don't expect huge thundering bass. And don't think you're truly going to replace a good 5.1 home theater setup with this product. But, for what it is, the F80 certainly performs better than you'd think possible just by looking at its size.

Suffice it to say, if the pedigree of both Meridian and Ferrari meant nothing to you, and even the build quality and visual style failed to impress, I'm certain that anyone with ears would still know they were listening to something special as soon as they heard the musical capabilities of the F80.

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Page 1: Introduction & First Looks
Page 2: Testing
Page 3: Conclusion

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