Meridian Ellipse Streaming Speaker

The Ellipse is Meridian concentrating the full weight of their engineering programme into something that looks deceptively simple. It is a single, compact, elliptical speaker — and a complete Meridian system. Twelve proprietary DSP technologies, three active drive units, three channels of amplification, and the same signal-processing platform that underpins Meridian's reference loudspeakers, all in a sealed cabinet that weighs under 4kg.

What the Ellipse Is

The Ellipse is Meridian's third loudspeaker from their Extreme Engineering Programme — the research initiative behind the DSP8000 XE and DSP9, both reference-level loudspeakers built without size or cost constraint. The Extreme Engineering Programme pushes Meridian's DSP and driver technology to its limits; the Ellipse is the exercise in distillation — every advance that could be fitted into a compact, sealed, wireless cabinet has been.

Inside are three drive units: a 150mm × 100mm long-throw "racetrack" bass driver, and two 90mm wide-range drivers — the same type used in Meridian's DSP320 in-wall loudspeakers. Each driver has its own dedicated amplification: 30 watts for the bass driver, 25 watts for each wide-range driver. The main cabinet is sealed, multi-layered, and built for extreme rigidity, with a 3D-modelled front baffle providing acoustically isolated chambers for each drive unit. The R2 electronics module — a six-layer circuit board with seven independent power supplies — handles all DSP processing before the signal reaches the amplifiers.

Twelve DSP Technologies

The engineering substance of the Ellipse is in its signal processing. Meridian's Extreme Engineering Programme has produced twelve distinct DSP technologies, all implemented here.

E3 Bass (Expand, Extend, Enhance) applies three-stage processing to the bass driver, maximising low-frequency authority well beyond what the cabinet size would suggest. Q-Sync minimises jitter through Meridian's FIFO buffering system, keeping timing tight and the sound coherent. True Time — Meridian's apodising filter — eliminates pre-ringing from digital filters for cleaner transients and more natural musical decay. Bass & Space provides stereo widening. Perfect Balance maintains consistent tonal balance at any volume level. Free-Q adapts the frequency response for placement near walls or in corners.

The remaining six technologies — Image Focus, Bespoke Signal Mapping, Pro-Active Bass, Pro-Active Thermal, Digital Precision, and Image Elevation — handle imaging correction, driver integration, mechanical and thermal protection, noise floor optimisation, and psychoacoustic screen-height alignment. This is a level of DSP sophistication found in Meridian's reference loudspeakers, not in single-box wireless speakers.

Streaming and Connectivity

Over a network — Wi-Fi (dual-band 2.4GHz and 5GHz) or Ethernet — the Ellipse supports Apple AirPlay, Google Cast, Spotify Connect, TIDAL Connect, Roon Ready, and UPnP rendering. Bluetooth 5.3 (SBC and AAC) provides wireless connectivity without a network connection. Connecting an Ethernet cable automatically disables Wi-Fi.

Physical inputs on the rear panel include USB-C audio (up to 192kHz/24-bit) and a combined 3.5mm minijack accepting either stereo analogue or mini-TOSLINK optical (up to 96kHz/24-bit). Control is via illuminated touch controls on the top panel, the Meridian Control app for full access to all audio and placement settings, or an IR receiver compatible with the Meridian MSR2 remote (sold separately). LG televisions from 2023 onwards have the Meridian IR command set built in.

Design and Build

The Ellipse is made in Britain. Its elliptical form — the design language that runs through Meridian's product range — has a deep, non-reflective black finish and a photo-etched metal grille with elliptical perforations and an anti-resonance fit. Three anti-resonance feet raise the cabinet to its optimal acoustic position. At 3.9kg, it can sit on a shelf, a desk, or a sideboard without dominating the room — while sounding like it should.

Technical Specifications

Who Is It For?

The Ellipse suits two types of buyer. The first is someone who wants a single-box solution in a room where a separates system is impractical — a bedroom, study, kitchen, or second living room — but who is not prepared to accept a compromise on sound quality. At £1,450, it is not a budget purchase, but the performance per pound is difficult to match with any other single-box speaker.

The second is a more serious listener who needs a genuinely capable wireless speaker to complement a main system, or for television use, and wants something that will hold its own alongside component-level equipment. The Roon Ready certification and TIDAL Connect support make the Ellipse a natural part of a high-quality streaming setup rather than a compromise within one. Those looking for full active floorstanding performance from Meridian should look at the DSP8000 XE or DSP9. You can see the full Meridian range at Martins Hi-Fi.

Buying from Martins Hi-Fi

Martins Hi-Fi has been in Norwich since 1968. Elizabeth Gould runs the business today, and we stock only brands we have heard properly and stand behind. Meridian Audio was founded in 1977 in Cambridgeshire by Bob Stuart and Allen Boothroyd, and we have had a long-standing relationship with them throughout. The Ellipse is available to hear in our Norwich showroom — the bass performance in particular needs to be heard in a room to be understood. Call ahead and we will have it ready.

When you get in touch, you'll be speaking with Dave, Chris and Tim — experienced specialists who can advise on placement settings, streaming setup, and whether the Ellipse is the right Meridian product for your system. Contact us at info@martinshifi.co.uk, call 01603 627010, or WhatsApp on 07554 687137. We are at 85–91 Ber Street, Norwich, NR1 3EY. You can read more about how we work on our Why Martins page.