Meridian Ellipse Streaming Speaker

The Ellipse is Meridian doing what Meridian does better than almost anyone: taking the full weight of their engineering programme and concentrating it into something that looks deceptively simple. It is a single, compact, elliptical speaker. It is also a complete Meridian system — twelve proprietary DSP technologies, three active drive units, three channels of amplification, and the same platform that underpins some of the most respected loudspeakers in the world, all contained within a pebble-smooth cabinet that weighs under 4kg.

The result is a speaker that has collected Best of Show awards from What Hi-Fi?, Residential Systems, and TWICE at CEDIA 2024, and taken the EISA Best Product award for 2024–2025. Those are not marketing claims. They reflect that the Ellipse genuinely does things that speakers of this size — and speakers at considerably higher prices — do not.

Meridian and Martins Hi-Fi

Meridian Audio was founded in 1977 in Cambridgeshire by Bob Stuart and Allen Boothroyd. Their approach — digital signal processing applied with discipline and restraint to make recorded music sound more like music — has been consistent since the beginning. Martins Hi-Fi has been part of that story for a long time. We have a long-standing relationship with Meridian, and their products have been demonstrated and sold from our Norwich showroom across several decades. When Meridian release something genuinely significant, we hear it early and assess it carefully before recommending it. The Ellipse passed that test without difficulty. You can see the full Meridian range we stock.

What the Ellipse Is

The Ellipse is Meridian's third loudspeaker to emerge from their Extreme Engineering Programme — the same research initiative behind the DSP8000 XE and DSP9, both reference-level loudspeakers that have no size constraint and considerable price tags. The Extreme Engineering Programme exists to push Meridian's DSP and driver technology to its limits. The Ellipse is the exercise in distillation: every advance from that programme that could be fitted into a compact, sealed, wireless cabinet has been.

Inside the cabinet are three drive units — a 150mm × 100mm long-throw "racetrack" bass driver, and two 90mm wide-range drivers of the same type used in Meridian's DSP320 in-wall loudspeakers. Each driver has its own 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. The front baffle is a 3D-modelled moulding with acoustically-isolated chambers for the left and right drive units. The R2 electronics module — a six-layer circuit board with seven independent power supplies and Meridian's full DSP circuitry — processes the signal before it reaches any of them.

The 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. The most audible are Bass & Space (stereo widening), E3 Bass (the three-stage processing that gives the Ellipse its low-frequency authority), and Q-Sync (jitter minimisation that keeps timing tight and the sound coherent). True Time — Meridian's apodising filter — eliminates pre-ringing from digital filters for cleaner transients. Perfect Balance maintains tonal consistency at any volume level. Free-Q adapts the response for placement near walls or in corners.

The remaining six — Image Focus, Bespoke Signal Mapping, Pro-Active Bass, Pro-Active Thermal, Digital Precision, and Image Elevation — handle imaging correction, driver integration, thermal and mechanical protection, noise floor optimisation, and psychoacoustic screen-height alignment respectively. Together they represent a level of DSP sophistication that no competitor at this price point comes close to matching.

Sound

What this engineering produces in practice is well-documented. Forbes described the imaging as "astonishing." The Telegraph called the sound "incredible" and the performance "unbelievably impressive." Sound + Image called it "probably the best of its size that money can buy." These are not enthusiastic generalisations — they are specific observations from reviewers who have heard a great deal of equipment.

The Ellipse's performance character has two defining qualities. The first is bass authority. The long-throw racetrack driver with E3 Bass processing delivers genuine low-frequency extension and weight that requires no caveat about the speaker's size — it simply performs. The second is timing. Q-Sync, True Time, and the coherence of the three-way active system combine to produce the rhythm and pace that is a Meridian signature — the quality that makes familiar music sound compelling rather than merely accurate.

Streaming and Connectivity

The Ellipse operates as a complete streaming hub. Over a network — Wi-Fi (2.4GHz and 5GHz dual band) or Ethernet — it 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.

Physical inputs on the rear panel include a USB-C audio input (up to 192kHz/24-bit), a combined 3.5mm minijack accepting either stereo analogue or mini-TOSLINK optical (up to 96kHz/24-bit). An Ethernet socket provides the option of a wired network connection; connecting a cable automatically disables Wi-Fi.

Control is via illuminated touch controls on the top of the unit, the Meridian Control app for full feature access including all room-placement and audio settings, or an IR receiver eye compatible with the Meridian MSR2 remote (sold separately). LG televisions from 2023 onwards have the Meridian IR command set built in; programmable third-party remotes also work.

Design and Build

The Ellipse is made in Britain. Its elliptical form — the same design signature that runs through Meridian's product range — has a luxuriously smooth, deep non-reflective black finish described consistently by reviewers and owners as unlike anything else in the category. The photo-etched metal grille has elliptical perforations and an anti-resonance fit. Three anti-resonance feet provide a stable base and raise the cabinet to its optimal acoustic position.

This is a speaker designed to sit in a room without demanding attention, and to justify that presence acoustically every time it plays.

Technical Specifications

Who Is It For?

The Ellipse suits two types of listener. The first is someone who wants a single-box solution in a room where a separates system is impractical — a bedroom, a kitchen, a study, a second living room — but who is not prepared to compromise on sound quality. At £1,450, the Ellipse is not a budget purchase, but what it delivers sonically is not achievable at this price point by any other single-box speaker.

The second is a more serious listener who needs a genuinely capable wireless speaker — perhaps to complement a main system in another room, or for use with a television — and wants something that will stand comparison with 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.

Buying from Martin's Hi-Fi

Martins Hi-Fi has stocked and demonstrated Meridian since long before streaming speakers existed. We have a long-standing relationship with the brand, and that means we understand the product range properly — not just the specifications, but how different Meridian products perform in different rooms and with different types of music.

The Ellipse is available to hear in our Norwich showroom. Given what it does with a well-recorded track at volume, we recommend hearing it before buying — not because you might be disappointed, but because the bass performance in particular needs to be heard to be understood. Call ahead and we will have it ready.

When you contact us, you will speak to Dave or Chris — both experienced and direct. They can advise on placement settings, streaming setup, and whether the Ellipse is the right Meridian product for your situation. 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, open six days a week. You can read more about how we work on our Why Martin's page.

Contact: info@martinshifi.co.uk | 01603 627010 | WhatsApp: 07554 687137 | 85–91 Ber Street, Norwich, NR1 3EY