Verity Parsifal or Magico V3 or Wilson Benesch ACT

To me, listening in room with you electronics, and yes, using your ears is the only that really matters. Yes, the Merlins definitely sound best with tubes, they can work with SS, but they are not the same speaker, they are optimized for the way tubes amps work. And yes, rooms make a lot of difference. The difference between my system with room treatement and without significantly changes the perfomance (better with bass traps and side defraction panels)and in that setup, the Merlins are very coherent and balanced from top to bottom (maybe not the very bottom - but you can't have everything in a speaker - I don't think. It is interesting that Merlin lovers seem to like Verity - there is something they are both doing I right - not sure measurements would tell us why.

Well of course your right Dhaan but SF actually uses the 'transducer as a musical instrument' implicitly in their advertizing. In sense they "voice" the cabinets. The crazy thing is lots of people like this. What can you say? THEY think this is musical and THEY like it. The Wilsons elevated midbass , I think, is intentional and aimed at a consumer who thinks this is normal and indeed expects it. The people at Wilson Audio are not dummies and I have no doubt that for a fraction of what they charge they could produce a better behaved speaker if they so chose. They don't so choose and they are making a hell of alot of money not doing it. Hip hop, boom boxes, the ubiquitous poorly designed sub, even alot of R&B have conspired over time to place an unnatural emphasis on the midbass. If you don't listen to much unamplified music it's hard to unlearn this. Most people don't. - Jim

The people at Wilson Audio are not dummies and I have no doubt that for a fraction of what they charge they could produce a better behaved speaker if they so chose

I have asked myself that same question many times. You may give them too much credit. Yet, I may be be given them too little…

Al and Dhaan,

I agree that Wilson's speakers are usually voiced this way. Did you ever wonder how they sound in a 50,000 cu/ft space? I bet the bass region falls substantially back to a more "normal" balance? I don't want to overstate the room thing, but I wonder whether Wilson voices their speakers for palatial rooms - maybe appropriate for their clientele. I've had the same question about the big MBLs.

Marty

the car analogy is interesting too.
many love to associate their speakers or even amps with car brands.
'this model is the Ferrari on loudspeakers'.
so what is the 'best' car then?
if measurements is the parameter and the only parameter, then laptimes would rule for the 'best' car. ie fast equals to best.
an F1 could so qualify as the car to which all other cars must be judged and compared to.
could be, but the thought of driving an F1 on the road to enjoy? the clutch action alone is a nightmare.

it is a human thing to compare and draw an analogy with whatever.
what is the best airplane? what is the best speedboat?
what is the best wristwatch?
it all depends on what you want to measure, judge or 'proof'.
another human thing is to get right over anything.
that is only fuelled by the ego and has seen even worldwars as a result.

a best car is the best car to your liking and driving needs.
beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
everything is subjective.
live music is very subjective too. a Cello on the street has a very different sound than as played in a small church.
and this difference can be measured absolutely.

we never listen to loudspeakers.
we listen to a whole gear put together, in a certain room which contributes or not to the experience.
roomacoustics is of such a great influence that any highend gear is a big compromise if not taken into account.
once listened in a truly dedicated room and you cannot go back.
like you have put on slick racing tires for the first time.

a truly good audiorig should reproduce and represent the biggest differences in recordings. and on absolute terms that's the only thing it can do.

we never listen to music we listen to recordings of music.

btw i really just love the BMW Z4 coup.
subjectively that is...