Merlin VSM-M or VSM-MX vs. Kharma CRM3.2 series

Thanks Kevin for your input. I heard others say the same as you. On the other hand, Bob Harley said it was the best to his ears. My yardstick is live music too. I've played it enough and listened enough over the years and I'm sorry to inform you if you haven't already noted by now that live and recorded are 2 different experiences. One can only hope to capture the essence of the performance through an audio system and to get involved in the performance. In the here and now I'm just afraid to report I haven't heard it duplicated. btw, I did enjoy the Merlin room more than any other room at that show, NYC 2002, of course I may be prejudiced :)

I recently heard the Kharma CR1's with Tenor's. Absolutely a phenomenal combo. One of the best soundstages I have ever heard and high's that were airy and open. The bottom end is also very tight and extended, with no bloat. In some ways I wish I had NOT heard them, now I want them, and the combo is muy pricey.
Have not heard the Merlin's, but I seriously doubt they could be in the same league, I have rarely heard a better sounding system. The CRM3.2's are supposed to be even better..WoW!

Rcr, if you used the VSM without the BAM then you never really heard the speaker. In my opinion, the BAM is a make or break unit with the speaker. I would not have owned my pair for several years without it. It makes that big a difference. You mentioned "deeper and tighter bass". That is exactly what the BAM addresses. It makes the speaker play lower, and just as importantly, enables the speaker to play more accurately throughout its range because of the filtering of sub bass. Because the woofer is not trying to play a 20hz signal it is able to be that much more accurate within the range it is being asked to play - bass, midrange, etc.

Kmmorgan, I have not heard the MX yet but from opinions I am reading it is a pretty dramatic step up from the "M". I'm not sure there are more than a few pairs in the field given how recent the change is. When you are talking about speakers of the quality of Kharma and Merlin you really have to listen for yourself. An investment like that is worth a trip.

Good luck.

Kmmorgan,

The VSM M with the BAM is quite simply a speaker to build a system around. With the correct selection of upstream components, wire and power conditioning, will bring years of listening pleasure.

The Kharma's are fine speakers but do not convey the same emotional connection to the music (to my ear) that my VSM M set up does in my rig. It is a matter of taste, economy and ultimately an emotional connection to the music that matters the most. To me, the Merlin's deliver it it spades.

Factor in the almost unbeleivable customer support that Bobby@merlin delivers and they are truely the bargin speaker of the high end that will deliver years of listening pleasure!!

Kmmorgan,
The MX is a very new introduction and was shown to the public for the first time at the CES in Vegas. Rich Brkich, one of my best friends only heard it about ten days before the show so there are none in the field. We have already sold out months of production and are in the process of stock piling the necessary parts. We begin limited production of the MX the first week of February.
Bobby@merlin