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Have you heard the latest Merlin VSM-MXe speakers?

Have you heard the latest Merlin VSM-MXe Speakers? — "Wow!!!" That's what I said after setting up these wonderful and beautiful speakers and listening for about one minute to a very familiar CD. I mean straight out of the box with only about 8 hours of playing time at the factory they simply overwhelmed me! Where have they been all my audiophile life? Why did I not find Bobby Palkovic's masterpiece before now?

How could he make this kind of music with two drivers in not so big, but absolutely drop-dead gorgeous piano black lacquered, cabinets, and an electronic box called a 'Super BAM'? I don't know! Wow!!! In my 50 years of putting systems together... including such speakers as double KLH-9 and Martin-Logan electrostatics... Fulton Premiers... the biggest of the Magneplaner speakers with the four bass panels... Wilson Watt Puppies with the Whow... and, on and on. Merlin VSM-MXe's are the BEST!

I've had them breaking in for 10 days now, and they have compelled me to listen to one favorite CD after another into the wee hours of the night. They are so musical! They have just the right texture... female vocals have that "slobber" factor... strings twang with all the nuances. They are coherent and transparent... and, oh so dynamic! The soundstage is deep and wide with the right height. And, when you close your eyes they simply disappear, leaving you with the people and the instruments performing right there in your living room. They make music!

Folks, don't ever listen to these speakers if you can't buy them... you will be sick until you can. Bobby, you did it!

I first purchased the Merlin TSM-MMe Monitors about one year ago after a respected dealer told me I should try them. I was totally satisfied with the sound, even though I was missing a little on the bottom end. They are the best monitor speakers I've ever had. But, I kept thinking, "If the TSM's are this good, how could the VSM's be so much better?" So, I just had to see... you know... the audiophile thing.

If you have never had Merlin speakers, the TSM's are a good place to start, and they will wet your appetite. But, just know that one day, as I was compelled to do, you will have to step up and get the big ones. They are complete! You will instantly hear what you have been missing in other speaker systems.

Now, I can sit back, relax, and enjoy the music. It's all there!
Skooks
skooks
fosse
47 posts
 
Do you all prefer the BAM in tape-loop over BAM between pre-and power amplifier?

I used to have the Merlin Generation III or SE with the last BAM before the super-BAM. In the beginning I used the BAM in the tape-loop of my Hovland HP-100. Under a listening session with a friend of mine we switched to between Hovland HP-100 and Graaf GM20.

The sound between pre and power was somehow “clearer”, leaner, with a deeper and more defined soundstage. More articulated in a way (as I remember it) tighter? BUT, it wasn’t as smooth, warm and full as with the BAM in tape-loop. My guess is that the better place will depend on taste, choice of music and set-up. But that’s just my opinion.

These days I’m using a pair of MXe with super-BAM RCA/XLR. I have not tried this BAM in tape-loop because I did prefer between Hovland and Graaf with the last speakers/BAM. Is the super-BAM different in this regard?
fosse
47 posts
 
Has anybody heard the Merlins with Wavac electronic?
Wavac has some monoblocks with 805 tubes, rated 55W, (MD-805)?
sbank's avatar
sbank
3,381 posts
 
Fosse,

Bobby will almost always recommend that you use the tape loop as first choice. 2nd best alternative is between your source and preamp. BAM or SuperBAM between amp and preamp is not recommended and only a last resort.
In addition to sounding worse, it will open up the risk that DC leakage from your amp(e.g. if you blow tube or a transistor board in your amp) could send a surge that would damage the BAM. The first two options are safer and better sounding. Cheers,
Spencer
usblues
1,217 posts
 
I didnt know that....thanks
dgarretson
2,608 posts
 
Spencer, The BAM is capacitor-coupled at input and will not be damaged by a DC pulse from an upstream component. Is it really possible that an amp could propagate DC leakage backwards through its input? I've never heard of an upstream component being damaged in this manner.
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