Early Meridian Servicing Needed

[Mr Pig]

As some of you might know, I use an old Meridian amplifier, a 101 pre and two 105 monoblocks. One of the 105s is faulty. The last time this happened, about five years ago, Meridian fixed it but they are now saying they no longer service them.

Does anyone know of anyone who services these amps? I don't know anyone and so far have not found anyone. I have a couple of offers from people to look at them for me, from good engineers, but if possible I'd rather find someone who knows the amps.

Thank you in advance for your help :0)

 

[reddish75]

Any competent tech could fix these, as there's nothing special inside there.

Chris

 

[Mr Pig]

Any competent tech could fix these, as there's nothing special inside there.

Good! That's what I would've thought, I have the schematics here and they look pretty simple. But talking to a few people I got the impression that it's a lot better if you know the amp already.

I'm also concerned about the parts availability. I would think it's all pretty standard stuff but it might be that Meridian have stopped doing them because some part or other is no longer available. Again, someone who already deals with the amps might be aware of this, might still have parts or know a way around it.

I hope you're right. I really want these amps fixed.

 

[Hawkswood]

I won't link directly to this but there's another Meridian-specific forum and Wiki ("The Hitchhikers Guide") which is worth a look as well.

 

[reddish75]

. But talking to a few people I got the impression that it's a lot better if you know the amp already.

I'm also concerned about the parts availability. I would think it's all pretty standard stuff but it might be that Meridian have stopped doing them because some part or other is no longer available. Again, someone who already deals with the amps might be aware of this, might still have parts or know a way around it.

I hope you're right. I really want these amps fixed.

If you send me the schematics over, i'll let you know about any parts that are difficult to source but i think the worst that will happen is you will have to order equivelents from the states.

I'll pm my email address.

 

[Ianfromnotts]

Hi Mr Pig

Only just seen this thread, I was told this too but I took a chance and parcelled my 103 up and posted it back to them, I also know someone who did the same with a pair of 105s I sold him. M still serviced them just insisted we pay via a dealer of our choice.

I did try getting a 101 serviced locally by a well reputed person and I wasn't overly impressed, looking at the finished job my reaction was that he appeared to have to used what parts he had to hand with scant regard for values and physical size.

I would try M first

 

[Mr Pig]

Thank you. I did try Meridian first, and I'm a bit annoyed with them.

The last time it needed fixed I just phoned, spoke to the head of the service department, sent it straight there and it was back within a week. Very reasonable cost too, about £65 including return post. Couldn't ask for better.

They've got a new guy in charge now. I phoned and tried to talk to him about the amp but all he wanted to do was butt in and tell me I had to go through a dealer. He wasn't really listening to what I was saying, just trying to get me off the phone. So the nearest Meridian dealer is Loud&Clear in Glasow and the earliest I could get in there was the Friday. They sat on the box until the following Wednesday, then they phoned Meridian to be told they no longer service the amps!

So by the time I got back in to pick the amps up again and look for other places that could fix them I lost about a fortnight when all the guy at Meridian had to do was tell me they didn't service them in the first place! I was talking to him on the phone, telling him what I had and what was wrong and he didn't even bother to say 'Oh, sorry but we don't fix those'. Not impressed.

The amp is up with Robert Ritchie in Montrose. Robert is a legend. He's been a Naim dealer since the very begging and is probably the best Hi-Fi dealer in the country. That's Britain, not just Scotland. He's also a really nice guy and offered to look at the amps for me. To say he's a Naim dealer don't really cover it. Up until recently there were only two places in the country that were authorised by Naim to repair and service Naim products. One of those was Naim themselves and the other was Robert Ritchie! There is now one other place as well but it gives you an idea of the kind of expertise and experience Robert has as an engineer. If he can't fix my amps, I'm probably in trouble.

If I'd known I would've maybe chanced it and just sent them to Meridian but not now. I'll just have to see how Robert gets on. He's a great guy and I know he'll do his best with them.

 

[Jimholt]

Don't know whereabouts you are but if near Derby Colin at Chevron Audio is good. He mends and upgrades Naim gear.

 

[Ianfromnotts]

I spent ages looking for some one to work on mine, that is before I gave up and just posted them back. The only name that kept coming up as an expert was Gordon Welford, but he appears to have retired - unfortunately as I would love one of his M7 clones. I will make a note of RR. Good luck

 

[Ianfromnotts]

Colin implied my 103 power amp couldn't be fixed ! Can't say I would offer him the chance with non digital stuff again.

John Wood of Clifton Nottingham was a name that came up a while later, or Les Wolstenholme at Avondale is another option for the Nottingham area.

 

[Mr Pig]

Thanks guys. I will keep you posted just as soon as I know anything.

 

[formbypc]

Don't know whereabouts you are but if near Derby .....

The man says his nearest dealer is in Glasgow and refers to a dealer in Montrose...... and is asked if he's 'near Derby'. Sheesh.

 

[Mr Pig]

The man says his nearest dealer is in Glasgow and refers to a dealer in Montrose...... and is asked if he's 'near Derby'. Sheesh.

Well, to be fair I don't care where Mr Fixit is. These days you can courier a box to anywhere in the country the next day for less than a tenner so I'd be happy to send the amp to anyone that knows how to sort it properly. I'm grateful to anyone who takes the trouble to try and help, thank you :0)

 

[cosmicma]

have you had a word with doug brady hifi in warrington ?
Doug Brady Hi Fi & Audio Specialists of Warrington, Cheshire, UK.

they used to or still are meridian dealers and have dealt with meridian repairs for some time it might be worth a phone call to see what they think

 

[Tannoyman]

Thank you. I did try Meridian first, and I'm a bit annoyed with them.

Hi Mr Pig

Meridian unfortunately are going the way of Linn in the 1990's. They don't care about their traditional audio customers any more. They have acquired a marketing man (from B&O I think) who suffers from delusions of grandeur and has moved them "upmarket." Most Meridian dealerships lost their franchise a few years back because they were told that they would have to stock the whole Meridian range if they wanted to continue. At the time this reprersented a £30k stock investmentment so most unsurprisingly declined their kind offer.

It is difficult to find a Meridian dealer in 3 counties now and many of those that are around are "johnny come lately's" who are just AV dealers who want to knock your house down to fit around their AV kit. I want to replace my GO8 CD player in the new year probably with the GO8.2 and I'm wondering if this is wise!

I too have had negative dealing with them recently and I was mightily p.....d off that I could not even get to speak to anybody at their factory over a technical issue without leaving an answerphone message. I have had Meridian kit for most of the last 27 years and it is galling in the extreme to find them no longer interested in ordinary customers who want hi fi kit.



Rant over

Regards

 

[Mr Pig]

Meridian unfortunately are going the way of Linn in the 1990's.

That's a shame. 'Lifestyle' buyers will still buy their stuff but like you, I'd be very wary of buying Meridian now. I wouldn't buy Linn for the same reason.

Most Meridian dealerships lost their franchise because they were told that they would have to stock the whole Meridian range if they wanted to continue.

Yeah, pretty much exactly what Linn did. Plus telling the dealers that they were expected to shift so many of each product. Hardly conducive to unbiased advice.

I spoke to Robert Ritchie's son today and Robert has been looking at the amp but needed some service document that's just arrived today. Cool if it was fixed by Christmas but it's not looking very likely unfortunately. Off work for nearly two-weeks and the Hi-Fi not working :0(

 

[windhoek]

That's sort of good news; it sounds like Robert's begun to get to grips with it. Would you drive to Montrose to collect it if it's ready on Christmas eve?

 

[Mr Pig]

Would you drive to Montrose to collect it if it's ready on Christmas eve?

Actually, I might! If it's ready over the holidays I might drive up to get it anyway as I've not seen Robert in years. In fact, the last time I saw him was when he fixed my NAP250! ;0)