Merrill Audio Veritas

The Merrill Veritas is a fine amp indeed! Here is my review on Positive Feedback:
http://positive-feedback.com/Issue68/merrill_audio.htm

I bought a pair over 2 years ago to drive 81dB efficient MBLs. They continue to impress.

I received a pair of Acoustic Imagery Atsah monos about a month ago and have been very pleased with the sound quality. The Atsahs use the same Ncore SMPS and amp modules in a solid aluminum case. Your description of the sound of your Merrill's is exactly what I hear from the Atsahs. Very nice indeed.

Hello Mitch2. Yeah,these class D amps are very impressive in their ability to just get out of the way and let the music flow. I was a little bit hesitant about class D amplification at first,coming from tubes and class A/AB amps in the past... but when the Merrills came into bloom after a few hundred hours of play, my class D prejudice just fell to the wayside...Color me impressed.

I am also a proud owner of the Merrill Audio Veritas. I have said many times that the Veritas is one of a handful of amps, of any class, that lets you hear what is wrong or right in your system. It lets you know what is the weak link. It has allowed me to use components/cables that are like its self, pure in sound. No more using components/cables as tone controls. I have owned many amps, many highly regarded, over the years but this amp I truly find so satisfying.

I would like to pass along some tips/tweaks for both the Veritas and your system in general.

1) If you do not already use the optional Stillpoints Ultra SS vs the Mini I recommend that you do. The difference is not hard to hear and it is an improvement.

2) This one is very cheap and is amazing for the money. It also works in your whole system.

Ikea sells a bamboo cutting board (APTITLIG) for $15.00 that when used under the amps (or any other component) even with the Stillpoints improves the sound. This is the largest of this model.

I even use them under my B&W 802D speakers (with Stillpoints) with great results.

And Ikea has a very liberal return policy so it is a no brainier.

3) This next one made such an improvement, top to bottom, that I was floored by it. I did not expect it at all. I thought there might be a small improvement and one that would be hard to hear. It was not.

I highly recommend that you try the Synergistic Research RED Fuses in the Veritas. You will not be disappointed.
Unfortunately it entails sending the Veritas back to Merrill Audio so the Fuses can be installed because of warranty issues. But it is IMHO definitely worth it. You will not be sorry.

Now this is not just to be used on the Veritas but on any component in your system. And they come with a 30 day money back trial.

Thanks for the tips Hifial...

Thank you Aolmrd1241 for your kind comments. Merrill Audio VERITAS Monoblocks is proud to have received the
2014 Best Equipment Award, Blue note award from Enjoy the music
Maximum Mojo Award from MojoStereo
Best in show from AV Showrooms

Please also see our Award winning Thor Monoblocks, ANAP Interconnects, ANAP Speaker Cables, ANAP Power cords that were originally built for the Thor Monoblocks and source equipment. Finally the latest introduction the Taranis Stereo Amplifier.

Sign up for our newsletter for information on the new products coming out as wells as music, cheap tweaks and other interesting Audio equipment that we come across like Harry Weisfelds double inverted Ohm F Speakers.

The VERITAS Monoblocks are engineering for the best sound, includes UltraMinis Stillpoints, Waveform HE MKIII power cords, Synergistic Fuse, a chambered billet aircraft aluminium chassis that has strategic venting for long electronic life, along with separation of power supply and audio boards. This and many other refinements make the VERITAS Monoblocs one of the best in sound that will play on 110db horn speakers to 84 db Electrostats that is musical, detailed and fast.

I appreciate all of the feedback provided and it has certainly helped me with my decision making, but found one area of the amps performance overlooked. From what I understand they are designed to be biwired and provide two sets of speaker binding posts for this purpose. I was curious as to whether or not owners are utilizing this feature or are using a single run of speaker cable? Thank-you.

Hello tmaple. I have used a single run of speaker cables with jumpers and thought very well of it. As of now... I biwire. I much prefer my biwire configuration... more so than single plus jumpers, but,in all things audio, you need to try these things out for yourself. Personally, I would start with the best single run you can afford plus quality jumpers and then down the road... you could purchase another matching set for biwiring. Good luck in the quest.

The NC1200 modules have four output posts coming off the board, two are positive and two are negative.  Hypex recommends twisting the two positive and two negative wires together and connecting them from the board to the two sets of binding posts, one wire to each post.  The best view is on page 4 of this review.
http://www.6moons.com/audioreviews/acousticimagery/4.html

With my Atsahs, I eventually connected both pair of hook-up wires to a single pair of binding posts, leaving the other pair of binding posts unconnected.  With your Veritas amps, this will be a little more difficult because Merrill indicates they solder the wires directly to the board and posts, and because they put a label on the amp and void your warranty if you open the box.  You could always ask Merrill to do this for you.

Your other option is to craft a pair of short jumpers out of high quality wire and jump the two posts together at the amp end, so both pairs of outputs feed a single pair of binding posts for use with your single wire speaker cables. The easiest method, would be to make a set of jumpers  with a pair of banana connectors at each end.   

You can also simply use only one pair of binding posts and not worry about the other pair.

Any of you Merrill owners in the New Jersey area?  I would like to get a listen to them.

@bigkidz

Sorry, I can’t help you there, but I do highly recommend you arrange for a demo... one cautionary note - only do so if you’re prepared to buy the amps!

I’ve had numerous amps of various topologies - Atma-Sphere, VAC, Pass Labs, Spectron, Levinson, Counter Point, McCormack, Job (Goldmund), to name a few - and ahead of an international move picked up a pair of Thors to take with me, as I was attempting to simplify my rig. I had never been a fan of class d amps, so was doing this for practical reasons more than anything, but the Thors completely blew me away. They exceed my expectations across the board... they are not just good for class d, they are amazing amps, period.

If it matters to you - it certainly does to me - Merrill Wettasinghe is truly one of the good guys.  Absolutely fantastic to work with.  I place him in the highest caliber, right up there with Ralph at Atma-Sphere, Nelson / Kent at Pass, Kevin at VAC, Lars at Raidho (you get the idea if you've ever dealt with any of these guys).

Two years now with the Merrill Audio Veritas monoblocks... and still loving them. 8)

bigkidz - Merrill Audio is in NJ (Bernardsville).  Dunno what facilities he has for auditioning but worth an email to him.  Maybe you'll be able to work something out.  (I have his Taranis amp)

Ghosthouse...great reply for bigkidz. I’m sure Merrill would love to give an audition to anyone who would care to drop by his facility.