MERIDIAN 250724 Ellipse Network Loudspeaker User Guide

MERIDIAN 250724 Ellipse Network Loudspeaker

FAQs

• Q: How do I register my Meridian Ellipse?
  • A: You can register your Meridian Ellipse at meridian-audio.com/my-meridian.
• Q: What are the primary control methods for the Ellipse?
  • A: The primary control methods are through the control panel on the unit and the Meridian Control app when connected to a network.
• Q: What inputs does the Ellipse support?
  • A: The Ellipse supports auxiliary inputs via a USB audio socket as well as a combined analog and optical digital audio socket.

INTRODUCTION

MERIDIAN ELLIPSE is a high-performance, all-in-one, wireless streaming speaker. It is capable of extremely high-quality sound reproduction from wireless music streaming as well as other audio sources.

ABOUT THE MERIDIAN ELLIPSE

• Ellipse features Bluetooth® wireless technology and it supports network streaming over
• Wi-Fi or via a wired connection to its Ethernet socket. Bluetooth streams audio directly from a phone, tablet or computer to Ellipse.
• However, Ellipse also supports streaming services that use an app running on a phone, tablet or computer as a control interface, while the audio itself is streamed over the network.
• Streaming over the network in this way provides many advantages, including the ability to continue streaming while you use your phone for calls or other tasks. Also, such services offer potential for higher quality sound while, generally speaking, using less of
• your phone’s battery power.
• Ellipse also supports auxiliary inputs via a USB audio socket as well as a combined analogue and optical digital audio socket.
• The Meridian Control app provides access to the full range of control and set-up features of Ellipse, so we recommend that you download and use the app to enjoy the full benefits of this advanced product.

SALES AND SERVICE

• All direct support for Meridian products, systems and associated software is provided through our authorised distribution network. If you require any such advice or information, you should contact your Meridian dealer.

PRODUCT REGISTRATION

• Register your Meridian Ellipse at: meridian-audio.com/my-meridian.

GETTING STARTED

Care should be taken when unpacking Ellipse – see instructions in the next section of this guide. If the unit is placed on a hard surface, it should only ever rest on the three feet mounted on its underside. This applies even while the unit is wrapped within its protective cloth bag.

• Your Ellipse can be used without any additional set-up for playing audio by using Bluetooth® wireless technology or from sources connected to the inputs on its back panel.
• However, many more features are available when the Ellipse is connected to your network via either Wi-Fi or a wired connection. Once connected to your network, Ellipse can play audio from various streaming services, as detailed in this guide.
• Ellipse can be controlled in a variety of ways. The primary methods of control are from the control panel on the top of the unit and, if your Ellipse is connected to a network, from the free Meridian Control app.

UNPACKING

The Ellipse is packed within an inner box which is protected by an outer carton. The packaging has been designed to be reusable, so you may want to retain it for transporting the product in the future.

• STEP 1 Remove the inner carton from the outer box.
• STEP 2 Remove the top packing piece.
• STEP 3 Lift the Ellipse out of the packaging and carefully remove it from its cloth bag.
• STEP 4 Remove the power cable and Quick Start Guide from the packaging.

MERIDIAN CONTROL APP

The Meridian Control app supports a full range of control and set-up features of your Ellipse, so it is recommended that you download and use the app.

• KEY FEATURES OFFERED BY THE APP
  • It provides the primary method for connecting Ellipse to Wi-Fi.
  • It gives you control of volume level and allows you to select between listening to streamed audio from your Ellipse and any external sources connected to the product’s analogue, optical or USB audio inputs.
  • It allows access to your Ellipse’s additional audio features, such as treble and bass.
  • Configuration options within the app provide flexibility for you to customise the behaviour of your Ellipse to your preferences.
  • It can display cover art and other playback details from streamed material (this feature is dependent on the streaming service in use).
  • It provides the playback controls (Play, Pause, etc.) offered by the streaming service.

DOWNLOADING THE MERIDIAN CONTROL APP

• The Meridian app is available to download on Apple devices from the Apple App Store and on AndroidTM devices on the Google Play app.
• In either case search for Meridian to find the app or scan the QR code shown here:
• The app runs on devices using iOS or iPadOS.

CONNECTING ELLIPSE TO A NETWORK

The Meridian Ellipse offers great flexibility, enabling it to be connected in several ways.

CONNECTING ELLIPSE TO WI-FI USING THE MERIDIAN CONTROL APP
When Ellipse is used for the first time, it automatically advertises itself wirelessly so it can be found by the Meridian Control app running on a smartphone or tablet that has Bluetooth switched on.

• Open the app on your phone or tablet.
• Your Ellipse will appear as an available device with a Setup button alongside it.
• Tap on Setup and follow the steps offered by the app.
• Although this process uses Bluetooth, Ellipse must be paired with a device to play audiovia Bluetooth.

CONNECTING ELLIPSE TO WI-FI USING AN IPHONE OR IPAD

As an alternative to using the Meridian Control app to connect Ellipse to your W-Fi network, it can be done using an Apple iPhone or iPad

• When Ellipse is used for the first time, it automatically advertises itself wirelessly so it can be found on an iPhone or iPad.
• Open Settings on the iPhone or iPad.
• Within Settings, tap on Wi-Fi. Your Ellipse will appear under SET-UP NEWAIRPLAY SPEAKER.
• Tap on the Ellipse to select it for connection to the Wi-Fi network and follow the steps offered by the app.

CONNECTING ELLIPSE TO A WIRED NETWORK

• Ellipse features an Ethernet socket on its back panel for connection to a wired network.
• Use this socket to connect your Ellipse to a valid wired network and it will automatically switch to using that network. This overrides any Wi-Fi connection previously being used.

ELLIPSE CONTROLS & FEATURES

The Meridian Ellipse has been designed with a simple and intuitive control panel to allow you to enjoy your music at the touch of a button.

CONTROL PANEL

• Volume Down: Single touch for one step, touch and hold to slide volume down.
• Previous: Available if supported by the audio source currently in use.
• Bluetooth Pairing: USING BLUETOOTH this guide.
• Play/Pause: Controls playback of streamed audio.
• Next: Available if supported by the audio source currently in use.
• Volume Up: Single touch for one step, touch and hold to slide volume up.

The Meridian M logo is a multipurpose touch control. It controls On/Standby, audio input selection and it acts as the product’s status indicator:

• A single touch brings the Ellipse stand.
• When out-of-standby, single touches step through the audio inputs.
• Touch and hold to put the Ellipse into Standby.

The color of the M icon indicates the following:

• Blue flashing = Initialisation period after power-up
• Blue = Standby mode
• White = On
• White with heartbeat flashing = Bluetooth pairing mode
• Cyan = Set-up mode
• Cyan flashing = Software update in progress

NFC “TAP TO PAIR”

• Ellipse supports Near Field Communication (NFC) which allows “tap-to-pair” to establish a Bluetooth connection from suitably equipped Android devices.
• The NFC sensor is located slightly offset from the center of the top of the Ellipse, next to the control panel, as indicated here.
• Certain Apple devices can be configured to use NFC; check the user documentation for your Bluetooth device for details on how to do this.

ELLIPSE BACK-PANEL

BACK-PANEL

minijack or a 3.5mm optical mini-TOSLINK connector.
USB| USB-A socket for audio playback from USB storage.
USB Audio| USB-C dual-purpose socket – control-system connection and digital audio input supporting sampling rates up to 192kHz @ 24-bit.
Ethernet| RJ45 socket for wired network connection.
Power Input| Power cord socket for cloverleaf-style cable (IEC C5 connector).
Factory Reset| Press and hold to restore all settings to factory defaults. Note: This includes network settings.

NETWORK STATUS LED

PLAYING AUDIO VIA THE INPUTS ON THE BACK PANEL

• You can step between the optical, analog, and USB audio inputs using single touches on the Meridian Logo touch-control on the Control Panel on the top of the Ellipse. Alternatively, these inputs can be selected using the source keys on a Meridian System Remote (available separately).
• When streaming music via the network or via Bluetooth, all of the touch controls on the top of the unit are illuminated and available for use (provided the app being used supports their functions). The control panel will look like this.
• However, when any of the inputs on the back panel are selected for listening, the controls for Previous, Next and Play/Pause are unavailable and are not illuminated. The control panel will look like this.
• It is worth noting that your Ellipse does not provide any visual indication of which one of the inputs on the back panel is selected.
• Therefore, we strongly recommend using the Meridian Control app to select these inputs. The app provides a straightforward method of switching between sources and shows which input is selected for listening.

Please note: If audio is played from a streaming service while any of the back-panel audio inputs are selected, the unit will automatically switch to playing the streamed audio. You can revert to the audio inputs via the app or by using the Meridian logo touch-control to step back through the audio inputs.

USING THE CONTROL APP

To control Ellipse using the Meridian Control app, the phone or tablet running the app must be connected to the same network as your Ellipse. For details on how to download and install the app, refer to 4. MERIDIAN CONTROL APP of this guide.

• When the app is launched, it will list your Ellipse as available for control.
• Tap on the entry for Ellipse to access the control options.
• There are several alternative screen views available when using the app to control Ellipse.
• Tapping on the icons at the bottom of the screen switches between the options.

SETTINGS AVAILABLE FROM THE MENUS SECTION OF THE APP

higher frequencies
BASS| 5.0 dB to +5.0 dB| 0.0 dB| Lifts or cuts the low-frequency response
IMAGE FOCUS| 10> to <10| <0>| Directs the sound image for off-center listening positions
PHASE| -ve / +ve| +ve| Selects the absolute phase of the sound
FREE-Q| Free / Wall / Shelf / Corner| Free| Selects low-frequency compensation for location
BASS & SPACE| Off / Min / Med / Max| Max| Adjusts the perceived width of the soundstage
IMAGE ELEVATION| Off / Min / Med / Max| Min| Adjust the height of the sound image to suit the listening position
LIPSYNC| +0ms to +85ms| +0ms| Adjusts delay on the sound to enable it to be kept in time with video image
BRIGHTNESS| 1 to 16| 8| Adjusts the brightness of the touch controls

OTHER CONTROL METHODS

• Ellipse features an IR receiver for use with a Meridian system remote such as the Meridian MSR2 (available separately).
• Ellipse has a fully-featured automation interface allowing third-party control systems to access all aspects of the product’s functionality.
• Some functions, such as volume control and audio transport controls (Play, Pause etc.), can be accessed directly from certain audio streaming apps used for playback from smartphones, tablets or computers.

STREAMING AUDIO SETUP

USING BLUETOOTH

• Bluetooth streaming does not require your Ellipse to be connected to the Internet or a network. Ellipse can be paired with a Bluetooth device, such as a phone, tablet, or computer, in three differing ways:
• Touch and hold the Bluetooth touch control on the top of your Ellipse. Release when the Meridian logo starts to flash. You can now pair your Bluetooth device with the Ellipse.
• Activate pairing mode from within the Meridian Control app. While the Meridian logo on the top of the unit is flashing, you can now pair your Bluetooth device with the Ellipse.
• “Tap-to-pair” with compatible Bluetooth devices. For further details, refer to 6.2 NFC “TAP
• TO PAIR” of this guide.
• By default, your Ellipse will now appear within the list of Bluetooth devices as Meridian Ellipse,followed by the last six characters of its MAC address. If desired this name can be changed using the Meridian Control app.
• Once a Bluetooth connection is established, your Ellipse can be selected for audio playback within the app being used.
• Ellipse features two useful configuration settings which are specific to Bluetooth. Full details are provided in 10. CONFIGURING WITH THE CONTROL APP of this guide.

WORKS WITH GOOGLE CAST

• With Works with Google Cast, your phone becomes your remote. Simply tap the Cast button from apps you already know and love to stream music from your phone, tablet or laptop to your Ellipse.
• Please note, you can cast only audio to your Ellipse, not video content.

APPLE AIRPLAY

• Ellipse supports Works with Apple AirPlay so an iPhone or iPad can stream audio wirelessly to it. AirPlay is an Apple technology designed to control home audio systems and speakers in any room from your iPhone, iPad, HomePod or Apple TV.
• To setup AirPlay use the Home app on an iPhone or iPad running iOS 11.4 or later. Within the Home app, tap on the + (plus) button to add your Ellipse as an Accessory.

TIDAL CONNECT

• Ellipse supports TIDAL Connect. TIDAL Connect allows high-quality audio to be streamed from the Internet directly to the Ellipse under the control of the TIDAL app running on a smartphone, tablet or computer connected to the same network as your
• Ellipse. When playing a track on the app, tap on the Now Playing bar, tap on the device selector and choose your Ellipse for playback.

SPOTIFY CONNECT

• Spotify Connect allows audio to be streamed from the Internet directly to your Ellipse under the control of the Spotify app running on a smartphone, tablet or computer. To use Spotify Connect, ensure your Ellipse and your phone, tablet, or computer are connected to the same network.
• Open the Spotify app, play a track, and select Devices Available. Select your Ellipse to stream music to it.

ROON

• Ellipse is a Roon Ready device. Roon Ready devices have Roon’s streaming technology built-in and are certified by Roon Labs to provide the highest level of quality and performance in network streaming.
• Ellipse will stream music from a Roon server over the local network. It will appear as an output device in the Roon app running on a smartphone, tablet, or computer.

UPnP

• If a UPnP music server is accessible on the network, Ellipse can stream music from the music server using an appropriate control application such as Bubble UPnP or Jriver.

CONFIGURING WITH THE CONTROL APP

Configuration mode on the Ellipse provides access to user-adjustable configuration settings, and it displays “read-only” parameters relating to how the Ellipse is configured. To configure Ellipse using the Meridian Control app, the phone or tablet running the app must be connected to the same network as your Ellipse. For details on how to download and install the app, refer to 4. MERIDIAN CONTROL APP of this guide.

• From the home of the app, tap on the burger menu ( ) in the top-left corner of the app and select Configuration.
• The app will show a list of all network-connected Meridian products which can be configured from the app. Note: If your Ellipse is the only available product, it will be the only product shown in the list.
• To put the Ellipse into Configuration mode, tap on the entry for your Ellipse from the list of products.
• The app will display the ten configuration “accordion” menus.
• Tap on an accordion to open it.
• The contents of the accordions are described below.

IDENTIFICATION

to appear when it is accessed through streaming services and shown on Bluetooth devices. For example, ‘Living Room Ellipse’.
Serial Number| Read-only| The Meridian serial number of your Ellipse
AFS Version| Read-only| AFS firmware version
Net Version| Read-only| Net firmware version
Network Connection| Read-only| Shows whether a wired or wireless network connection is in use.
SSID| Read-only| The name of the network to which the Ellipse is connected.
---|---|---
IP Address| Read-only| Network setting
Gateway| Read-only| Network setting
DNS| Read-only| Network setting
MAC Address| Read-only| Unique and permanent alphanumeric network identifier.

SOURCES

• View and change settings specific to each of the five input sources on the Ellipse. The inputs are Analogue, Network, Optical, Bluetooth and USB.
• Tap on the button Configure Sources to access the settings for all the sources. For each source, the following settings are available:

see displayed for this source.
Enable Input| On/Off| On| Allows the source to be disabled so it is not available for selection.
Input Gain| -6dB,-3dB, 0dB,+3dB,+6dB| 0dB| This can be adjusted to balance the listening level of this source so it is similar to the level from other sources.
Q-Sync| On/Off| On| This is an advanced setting which can be used to disable the buffering system used with the Ellipse. Required only if a digital source has extremely poor clock-timing which causes drop-outs during use.
LipSync| +0ms to +85ms| +0dB| Adjusts delay on the sound to enable it to be kept in time with the video image

STARTUP
Choose how the Ellipse behaves when it is switched out of Standby.

level for when the product comes out of Standby. If set to ‘Last Valid’ the product will revert to the volume level used previously.
Start Source| Analogue Network Optical Bluetooth USB| Network| Select the source the product will use when it is brought out of Standby without receiving a specified source command from elsewhere.
Auto-start after power-up| On/Off| Off| Automatically bring the product out of Standby whenever it is powered up. The Start Volume and Start Source will be as selected above.

SERVICES
This accordion provides easy access to the setup processes for using the Ellipse with Works with Google Cast, AirPlay, and Spotify.

BLUETOOTH

Bluetooth devices behave when Bluetooth is selected for listening on the Ellipse. When set to ‘On’ the Ellipse will attempt to start playing the currently connected Bluetooth device. This allows Bluetooth-connected TVs to produce audio again automatically if you switch source and then return to Bluetooth. When set to ‘Off’ there will be no attempt by the Ellipse to start playing the connected Bluetooth device.
Enable Bluetooth disconnect on Standby| On/Off| Off| Allows you to decide how the Bluetooth device behaves when entering Standby mode. When set to ‘On’ the Bluetooth device will automatically disconnect when the Ellipse enters Standby. When set to ‘Off’ the Bluetooth device will not disconnect when the Ellipse enters Standby.
Bluetooth Volume Limit| 28-99| 99| Limit the maximum volume level available when adjusting volume on the Bluetooth device. Avoids accidently selecting an overly-loud setting due inadvertently pressing the controls on the phone or tablet.

IR

to ‘Off’ to disable.

WI-FI

network.
Wi-Fi Network Selection| Tap on Wi-Fi Selection to scan and connect to available Wi-Fi Networks
Forget This Network| Tapping on Forget disconnects the Ellipse from its Wi-Fi network and restarts the Set-up Wizard on the app. Note: This action takes place as soon as the button is tapped.
Connection Type| Tap on Configure to select between DHCP and static IP settings for the Wi-Fi network.

ETHERNET

settings for the wired network.

FIRMWARE UPDATE
This accordion allows you to check whether a new version of firmware is available and, if it is, to perform an update to your Ellipse. The status of the update process is indicated on the Meridian ‘M’ logo on the Ellipse’s control panel.

RESTORE SETTINGS

defaults. Note: Selecting restore will cause the Ellipse to disconnect from the network and reboot.

SPECIFICATION

• AUDIO INPUTS
  • 1 x USB-C supporting sampling rates up to 192kHz @ 24-bit
  • 1 x mini-TOSLINK optical supporting sampling rates up to 96kHz @ 24 bit
  • Stereo analogue with 88kHz/24bit A/D conversion (Optical and analogue share dual-purpose 3.5mm minijack socket)
• CONTROL OPTIONS
  • Illuminated touch controls located on top of the unit
  • Meridian Control app via Wi-Fi or wired network connection
  • IR receiver (MSR2 remote control available separately)
  • Automation interface via the USB Maintenance and Ethernet sockets
• PERFORMANCE
  • SPL: 100dB @ 1m (pink-noise source)
  • Frequency response in room within 3dB: 40Hz – 20kHz (volume setting 65)
• AMPLIFICATION
  • 2 x 25W for full-range drive-units, 1 x 30W for subwoofer drive-unit
• DRIVE-UNITS
  • Two 90mm polypropylene full-range drivers
  • One 150mm x 100mm polypropylene long-throw “racetrack” subwoofer driver
  • Crossover frequency = 180Hz
• WI-FI OPERATION
  • Dual-band – 2.4GHz and 5GHz compatible
• DIMENSIONS
  • 412mm x 223mm x 171mm (W x D x H)
• WEIGHT
  • 3.9kg
• POWER
  • 100V – 240V AC, Max 70W

TRADEMARKS AND LICENSING

• Use of the Works with Apple AirPlay badge means that an accessory has been designed to work specifically with the technology identified in the badge and has been certified by the developer to meet Apple performance standards. Apple, AirPlay, iPad and iPhone are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries and regions. The trademark “iPhone” is used in Japan with a license from Aiphone K.K.
• Android, Google Play, and Google Cast are trademarks of Google LLC.
• The Spotify Software is subject to third-party licenses found here: https://www.spotify.com/connect/third-party-licenses. Use your phone, tablet or computer as a remote control for Spotify. Go to spotify.com/connect to learn how.
• High-Fidelity Music Streaming.
• Being Roon Ready means that Ellipse uses Roon streaming technology, for an incredible user interface, simple setup, rock solid daily reliability, and the highest levels of audio performance, without compromise.
• The Bluetooth® word mark and logos are registered trademarks owned by Bluetooth SIG, Inc. and any use of such marks by Meridian Audio Limited is under license. Other trademarks and trade names are those of their respective owners.
• UPnP™ is a trademark of the UPnP™ Forum.

CONTACT INFORMATION

• MERIDIAN AUDIO LTD.
• E: info@meridian.co.uk
• T: +44 (0)1480 445678
• meridian-audio.com
• Designed and made in England by Meridian Audio Ltd
• Registered design® & copyright© 2023

References

• Meridian Audio
• Login | Meridian Audio
• Spotify - Connect
• Third Party Licenses | Spotify for Developers

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