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Meridian America 557 User Manual

Meridian America Receivers and Amplifiers

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Background

Meridian have maintained a strong reputation for their power amplifier
technology for over 15 years. Until now, their power amp developments have
concentrated on high-transparency low-power models or on the custom
amplifiers in their renowned active and digital speaker designs.

Meridian 557

The 557 takes the Meridian 500 Series into new territory – with 200W of clean
clear power – for the first time allowing the option of a complete Meridian front
end for large passive speakers. The Meridian 5 57 can be used with the 502 or
501 preamps, or with a Meridian DSP Surround Processor.

The Meridian 557 houses two powerful amplifiers in a dual mono construction.
The amplifiers are both rated at 200W into 8 ohms. Each over-specified output
stage uses 8 h igh-power transistors. These, combined with a massive low-
noise 1.6kVA toroidal transformer, permit this amplifier to deliver currents in
excess of 30A, ensuring no loss of performance even into loads that dip below
2 ohms. The massive power delivery of th is amplifier makes it ideal for driving
difficult loudspeaker loads.

557 can be operated in bridged mode giving power in excess of 680W into 8
ohms, 1000W into 4 ohms.

The 557 provides balanced and unbalanced inputs as well as twin outputs for
bi-wiring.

The topology of 557 is very much in the Meridian tradition. A high-precision fast
DC-precise input stage is combined with a fully complementary amplification
and output stage. Also, the 557 uses Meridian’s well established self-adjusting
bias and error-correction output topology.

The 557 is fully protected against DC and thermal overload. A proprietary
Meridian soft-start circuit is also fitted.

557

Stereo Power Amplifier

Sales information
1

st

December 2001

Dual-mono 200-watt design

Balanced and unbalanced
inputs

Massive low -noise 1.6kVA
toroidal transformer

Current delivery of over 30A
into difficult loads below 2
ohm s

Fully protected against DC and
thermal overload.

Soft start using proprietary
Meridian circuit

Meridian Audio Limited

Stonehill, Stukeley Meadows
Huntingdon
Cambridgeshire PE29 6EX

T +44 (0) 1480 445678
F +44 (0) 1480 445686

Meridian America Inc.

Suite 122, Building 2400
3800 Camp Creek Parkway
Atlanta GA 30331

T (404) 344 7111
F (404) 346 7111

www.meridian-audio.com