Range Overview

Melco Range Overview

Daniel Raggett - Melco Europe General Manager

The Melco product range has grown and evolved over the past seven years, so I thought it would be useful to provide an overview of the products we have today, and how we got there.

Melco first emerged with two products: the N1A/H40 (43cm wide) and the N1Z/H40 (35cm wide). These were both HDD-based UPnP servers with 4 TB hard drives (2 x 2 TB HDD) and both featured a key unique feature, two Ethernet ports: one for the signal from the router to the music library and another from the music library to the renderer/streamer (to make a direct signal from the music library to the renderer).

Melco then added the N1Z/S10 (35 cm wide) flagship and the only SSD model in the range (2x 0.5 TB SSD). All the models were made up of 2 x equivalent HDD or SSD drives and involved a Raid system and controller. They all had multiple USB ports to attach a backup drive, expansion drive, optical drive and/or USB DAC; this was the MkI journey for Melco.

N1A/H40 (43cm wide)

N1Z/H40 (35cm wide)

Today, Melco still has the same models in production, but in MkII guise; these have been available for about three-and-a-half years. The MkII models have different-sized HDD and SSD drives, a dedicated USB output for a USB DAC, improved power supplies, improved capacitors and more mechanical and electrical isolation engineered into them.
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About three years ago, Melco added two accessory products to the range in half-width chassis configurations, the D100 (high-performance optical drive) and the E100 (3 TB HDD expansion drive).  Both are built in the same quality aluminium material as the music libraries.

D100 High Performance Optical Drive

E100 Expansion Drive

With the introduction of these half-width accessories, two years ago, Melco launched two half-width music libraries:  the N100 (the new entry-level 2 TB HDD, 21.5 cm-wide) and the impressive N10 (3 TB, separate linear power supply, 21.5cm wide) music library. This brought a great new option to customers who were either downsizing their systems or were space-limited.
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The last product to join the line-up was the S100 audiophile switch.  Again, built in the same solid aluminium casework of the N100, D100 and E100, the S100 has brought a greater amount of detail, musicality and reduced noise to many customers’ systems since launch. Melco works fantastically well and perfectly complements many top brands, including Linn, Naim, Chord Electronics, T+A and many more, but the 100 switch has proved even more universal.

Today’s Melco range

N100-H20 – Entry-level 2 TB HDD music library. Three USB ports, two Ethernet ports, supplied with a 12 V DC off-board power supply.

N100-H20 – Entry-level 2 TB HDD music library

N1A/2EX-H60 – Full-sized, 6 TB 3.5-inch HDD, five USB Ports including a dedicated Neutrik DAC port, 2 Ethernet ports, single high-quality military grade AC power supply (internal), single high-quality capacitor bank.

N1A/2EX-H60

N1Z/2EX-H60 – 35 cm-wide (Linn-sized), 6 TB 2.5-inch HDD, four USB ports including a dedicated Neutrik DAC port, two Ethernet ports, dual high-quality military grade AC power supply (internal), dual high-quality capacitor bank, high-quality mechanical and electrical isolation.

N1Z/H40 (35cm wide)

N10-H30 – half-width 21.5 cm two-box unit. A ‘head’ unit with and OLED and separate linear power supply. Connected with specialist Neutrik three-pin connectors, 3 TB 2.5-inch HDD, three USB ports, 2 Ethernet ports.

N10-H30 half-width 21.5cm two-box unit

N1Z/2EX-S40 – 35 cm-wide (Linn-sized), 4 TB 2.5-inch SSD, four USB Ports including a dedicated Neutrik DAC port, two Ethernet ports, dual high-quality military grade AC power supply (internal), dual high-quality capacitor bank, high-quality mechanical and electrical isolation.

All products are available in silver and black brushed aluminium finish.