Opinions on Meridian 502 preamp?

Does anyone have any opinions and feedback on the meridian 502 preamp. It interests me for various reasons, and have found very little info about it online.

What i have found, suggests its a great sounding bit of kit, and miles better than the cheaper 501 preamp.

Anyone used one? heard one?

 

Well, I liked it and if memory serves, the 501 got much better later on as well...

 

yeah i need balanced connections though, hence the favour for the 502

 

I need balanced too as well as single ended and bought a Bryston BP25 mm Phono instead some years ago! Not sure I should have done with hindsight, although I think the Bryston should be left switched on all the time to keep the discrete gain blocks warmed up.

 

thanks for the info, at least thats one person with something good to say about the 502. As memory serves it was always supposed to have been a great unit. Just been so long since i ever looked at meridian.

Just looking for a good preamp with balanced inputs and outputs that can do a home theatre bypass, has a remote control and doesnt cost the earth. 502 fills many of those categories.

 

Heard the 502 at a bake-off last year into an Audio Synthesis Desire Decade and Wilson Benesch Arcs. Sounded very good indeed.

 

had the 501 & 502, didn't hear a huge difference between the 502 & 501 (using both single ended) tbh, think the 502 is good on features & bells & whistles but not great VFM soundwise - there are better sounding s/h preamps out there for the money (around £400?) - I wouldn't go back to it!