Meridian and LG Electronics confirmed the new partnership in anticipation of CES 2018, where LG will unveil the new speakers. "This collaboration is set to deliver unique solutions for the ultimate listening experience," says Meridian.
"Since our inception over forty years ago, we have continuously driven the audio industry forward, adding power, simplicity of integration and premium performance through our audio solutions for home cinemas and whole home applications. As the pioneers of high-resolution audio, an authority on Digital Signal Processing (DSP), creator of the world’s first digital active loudspeaker and experts in the field of psychoacoustics, our influence has been felt in every corner of the industry. We have also played a fundamental role in the development and adoption of revolutionary audio technologies, including Hi-Res Audio and MQA, as well as undertaking pioneering work with Dolby. In addition, our expertise has led us to set new standards for automotive audio, designing the world’s first in-car 3D surround sound system in 2012 for Range Rover," adds the British company.
From its humble beginnings as the first Korean brand to manufacture radios for domestic customers, LG has a long history in developing audio products for the global market. "The partnership with Meridian will introduce a new level of acoustic performance based on natural and authentic sound derived from rigorous research and development. LG and Meridian will collaborate on a vast array of LG audio products including soundbar and wireless speakers," states LG.The first LG products to be revealed at CES 2018 all feature Meridian's advanced audio technology and include three different categories of home speakers, from an immersive Dolby Atmos soundbar to portable Bluetooth speakers and the company's latest artificial intelligence (AI) speaker with Google Assistant built-in.
LG’s new SK10Y soundbar delivers 550W of powerful output and supports 5.1.2 channels by harnessing the power of Dolby Atmos technology. According to LG, the soundbar will be able to effectively create the full immersive experience from all directions, including the ceiling. To create the effect of being in the middle of the action, the SK10Y is equipped with multiple speakers, including a pair of powerful up-firing speakers. Users can adjust the volume of the upfiring speakers to optimize the sound with the height of the ceiling in room.
LG’s partnership with the British audio pioneer benefitted the SK10Y speaker with innovative audio enhancements, including its Bass and Space technology. Meridian’s Height Elevation technology raises sound above the sound bar to the level of the screen, bringing extra clarity to speech and music. What’s more, the LG SK10Y is compatible with high-quality lossless audio files to perfectly recreate sound recorded in the studio. The speaker also offers a sound upconverting feature that boosts the quality of standard audio files to 24bit/192Hz for internal digital processing.
From a design perspective, the SK10Y is a modern, slim profile speaker that seamlessly fits underneath many of LG 2018 OLED or SUPER UHD TV models. The device is also extremely accessible, with full connectivity to hubs, speakers and other smart devices supporting Chromecast. The sounder also features Google Assistant voice interaction.
Another addition to LG’s 2018 catalog is the portable PK speaker series, combining powerful sound and mood lighting, in a fun, convenient package that can be taken anywhere. Also featuring Meridian Audio’s advanced technologies, and exhibiting the British company's name in the chassis, the PK speakers are capable of delivering powerful and undistorted bass as well as optimizing speech and vocals. These speakers support apt-X HD 24-bit streaming over a wireless connection, while the Dynamic Party Lighting flashes to the beat of music. All three PK models feature rugged designs and convenient grips for easy handling.
Finally, one of the highlights of LG's new audio products for 2018, is its first premium smart speaker, the LG ThinQ Speaker. Also enhanced by Meridian, the new "AI speaker", as LG names it, not only produces high-quality sound on a compact package but also comes with Google Assistant built in. LG teamed up with Google for the voice recognition features in the LG ThinQ, making it also a personalized voice-activated interface for LG’s smart home appliances. Meridian Audio provided the High Resolution Audio processing technology to support high quality lossless streaming.
“Sound technology has come a long way since LG introduced the first radio to Korean consumers almost 60 years ago,” says Seo Young-jae, head of the convergence audio and video business division of LG’s Home Entertainment. “At this year’s CES, I’m confident audiences will be impressed with the amount of technology we’ve introduced into our audio products without compromising on sound quality.”"This partnership with Meridian is an example of LG’s commitment to creating premium audio systems that can rival the best in the business,” adds Seo Young-jae. “This partnership is all about delivering an outstanding entertainment experience for LG customers worldwide.”
As Meridian also explains, "For decades, LG has poured vast resources into its audio product development while listening attentively to its global consumer base to deliver higher quality audio experiences. Building on these foundations, the Korean electronics giant is now partnering directly with us to incorporate our expertise into their projects. LG shares our philosophy of bringing natural and authentic audio to integrators through meticulous attention to detail and rigorous research and development."
John Buchanan, chief executive officer at Meridian Audio added, “We are thrilled to have entered into this unique partnership with LG and confident that our expertise and shared values will see us bring a great number of innovations to the market together, both now and in the future.”
www.lg.com | www.meridian-audio.com
