If I had my druthers I would own both a Berning zh270 and a pair of Joule Grand Marquis or maybe Atma-sphere M60's and stop fretting over the right choice :) Own the Berning and love it for many reasons which have been well documented on Agon over the past few months, it is a great choice with the VSM and it will never leave my possession. With the Merlins you have other excellent options as well. They are an easy load and work with a wide variety of amps and as noted by others above will reveal the intrinsic character of the components leading the parade.
Whatever blows your sails is the right choice. Some will prefer ss some tubes, my biases are well known. A great high efficiency speaker with a great OTL is the best seat in the house IMHO. Ask Bobby for the insider's choice. He hasn't heard them all and has his own preferences but will certainly guide you in the right direction.
