In Memoriam: Bobby Palkovich of Merlin Music

@ihmeyers Rich Brkich at Signature Sound (http://wp.sigsound.com/product-lines/merlin-music-systems/) is now handling distribution and service for Merlin products.  Rich and Bobby go way back and Rich has an outstanding reputation in the industry.  I don't think you have anything to worry about.  Dick

Thanks very much for the response. I felt kind of bad even asking but these things (high-end companies going under not Bobby’s tragic circumstances) are a fact of life. I can list probably a dozen companies that went under while I have owned a piece of their equipment. Some of them I sold before they ever needed repair, some unfortunately not. Latest is an AV123 sub that is kind of a PITA to fix. Company long gone (fraud).

As far as handling distribution, I recently read on the web that there aren’t any more Merlins to be had. Even Rich’s website post is date March 2012. From a classified for Merlin VSM MME on Audiogon

"These are the last of the new Merlin speakers. These speakers were purchased by my customer BRAND NEW SEALED from Signature Sound 6 weeks ago. "

That comment jibes with what I heard. Maybe that’s not true though. I am 54 years old and worry that the generation behind us, Gen X will be the last to embrace high-end home audio. The Millennials and Gen Z have much less interest in room-sized audio than we do. My son is 18 and if he can’t carry it with him he’s not interested in using it to play music. All of his friends are the same. When I was 18 I was already on my 3rd receiver and 4th pair of speakers...

Again, very sad circumstances about Bobby. May he rest in peace.

@ihmeyers Well, floorstanding speakers of any kind are going to be a PITA to fix if you have to ship them off but I understand what you're saying.  I'm from your generation and I also agree about Gen X.  My daughter is a music therapist, plays the piano, guitar, ukulele, and harp but most of her music listening is done on youtube.  Go figure.

I found that old listing that you mentioned and it may very well be true but I would get it straight from Rich first.  That said, since I already own a set of VSM-MXe's, I haven't really been in the market.  However, I would love to add a set of TSMs and would have no hesitation in buying on the second hand market.  Dick

Yes, I will be offering upgrades... while I am up to speed and can do all Merlin BAM related work (I built/upgraded/repaired BAMs for Merlin from around 2013 on) and things like Master RCs, jumpers - I'm not doing Black Magic upgrades yet.... I had hoped to be, but this past year I have just been up to my eyeballs with other work (service and upgrade work on Joule Electra and Ars Sonum gear - the latter of which I now am the USA dealer/distributor for), consignment sale work (many boomers who are aging are changing up their systems as they move, retires etc - some of the gear like the Joule stuff needs a little fixing/testing/TLC to make sure its 100% before going up for sale too which takes time), and then there is all the minutiae of being a 1 man show running his own full time retail HiFi business!

Anyway, this all my way of saying to the folks looking to do Black Magic upgrades on TSMs and VSMs to PLEASE hang in there... I am getting closer to getting that going. Things like getting a customers amp repaired, or BAM fixed, consignment piece prepped for sale etc however take priority right now. I have spent several thousand on parts, drivers, test equipment, etc during the past 6 months so I can do the upgrade work and make sure it is done to Bobby's standards/specs. I have pretty much everything I need here to service Merlin TSM and VSM speakers. Now if speaker gets dropped and a cabinet gets busted, I can't fix that and there are no spares for something as disastrous as that happening to a speaker (I am not a cabinet maker / wood worker - Just a EE).

BTW, there are no more new Merlins to be had... at then end when Bobby passed there where NO completed (or even partially completed) pairs of speakers at the plant.  The state the company has left in (it was Bobby alone too at the end) was very sad to see.

Rich Brkich
Signature Sound