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Speakers free of grain, glare and steel?

$2,000 or less used/new speakers free of grain, glare and steel, but with detail, extension, imaging, and tonal accuracy and balance? Acoustic Zen Adagio, Merlin TSM MME. Gallo 3.1, Frafrotski SE? Most speakers are competent, some are outstanding, a few deliver magic. Which speakers are the most musical and easy to listen to, rising to the top of a crowded field given their price point, and the most "forgiving" of their associated components? Which have magic?
pmboyd
pmboyd OP
391 posts
 
About Merlin TSM needing "tubes to really shine"... I have a tubed dac and a tubed preamp, but ss monoblocks (albeit designed to sound like a tubed amp). Hmmm.
clio09
3,355 posts
 
Don't let your solid state amps dissuade you from Merlin or any other brand. Case in point, I am in the minority when I say I preferred solid state amps with my Spendor speakers rather than tubes. However, the combination worked fine and I'd gladly do it again. If Merlin interests you call Bobby and ask him what works best with his speakers and whether your amps would be suitable. He's a straight shooter.
pmboyd OP
391 posts
 
Overly "polite" is not desirable either.

Do any of these options qualify as overly polite?

My tubed preamp does give me some leeway for "tuning." And I have a large menagerie of NOS flavors.

I wonder how the various recommendations stack up in terms of speed, density, layering, note decay, imaging and air?

Balance is the key. No gaping holes...
pmboyd OP
391 posts
 
How do high-hats and brushes sound with Spendors and Merlins?
bondmanp
1,816 posts
 
I've heard Merlin VSMs do high-hats and brushes very, very well. All the qualities you seek, plus a delicious delicacy to the sound that is rare and unforgettable. Note that the Merlins I heard were upgraded to a more recent version, and the electronics were very high end. However, with my champagne taste and beer budget, my Ohm Walsh 2000s get me surprisingly close to the Merlins.
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