Unusually at this price, it offers resolution support all the way up to 192kHz. Meridian has pipped its peers to the post with MQA compatibility, embedding the support well into its design functionality too. With such competition in the budget DAC market, being different is not so much courageous as necessary. Ultimately, the Explorer 2 is closer to the sonic standard of the DragonFly Black, cleaner and more solid albeit not as rhythmically erudite. Instruments are delivered with more transparency (drums greater thwack, synths more chime…), as well as greater movement both geographically and dynamically within the DragonFly’s soundstage. The Meridian affords them clarity, hard-driven momentum and a sense of purpose, but the DragonFly Red not only follows each thread, but with better timing and precision also makes the multiple rhythms work better together.
![meridian explorer dac with mqa meridian explorer dac with mqa](https://i0.shbdn.com/photos/22/79/88/927227988yg7.jpg)
There’s a lot going on in the instrumental soundscape of The American Dollar’s 4 BC: intertwining percussion pattern, overlapping drum and acoustic guitar melodies, and underlying shimmery electronica. While its presentation tugs the rope over the line from its peers with a touch more cleanliness and refinement, the DragonFly Red hauls it back over with its greater detail, subtler dynamics and firmer grasp of rhythms.
![meridian explorer dac with mqa meridian explorer dac with mqa](https://www.avforums.com/image.php?imageparameters=editorial/products/2c52593062d564f4ffb9d2b7aef430f1_10790.jpg)
It’s the Meridian’s second ambition – to offer better sound quality than its competition – where it is less convincing.