How well do you know your merlins?

Bobby,

I'm rotating 4 different amps - ss, kt88/kt66/el 34, 6550, and 211/845 SET with Hovland cables. A bit different sound with each amp (or even each tube in the same amp), but pretty consistent results. The other speaker that I've found this phenomenon with is the original Quad. Part of it is me, I'm sure, but the other part is poor recordings.

For instance, I've always loved the Impulse RVGs and wondered about those who found them thin sounding. I still love the recordings, but I get the criticism. I just hear a lot more through the VSMs - for better and worse. Also, I really love Todd Rundgren - he's probably my favorite songwriter of the last 50 years. His records are generally awful sounding - and the VSMs show that plainly. It's a bit less obvious on the Verities and less obvious still on the S/F Cremonas.

You should understand that my criticism is of the recordings, NOT the reproduction through the VSMs. The other side of the coin is that my best records sound better through the VSMs. I just need to learn to love better sounding records.

Marty

Donaudio,
My tweeks are displayed in my virtual system.
The last tweek I performed which I have not posted any pictures of yet is having installed acoustical foam to the side walls of my merlins. I may be looking for a different sound though? When I posted earlier here on gon that I suspended my merlins from the ceiling no one chimed in to say it worked for them as well, so either no one has done it before or it didn't work.
To me it makes sense to decouple the speaker from the room. In fact I think it would be an interesting manufacturing feat. Everyone has a different listening room, from floor to dimensions to furniture there are no two rooms that will be alike. So if a speaker is designed suspended that can be one consistency from drawing board to actual application. But how many nuts I mean audiophiles will be willing to do that or get their wife to agree? But then if thousands are spent for the sake of getting life-like sound there must be some willing to go the extra step. I wanted to post earlier this concept to the forum and probably will now that I am so content with my efforts. The merlins are total killers, thank you Bobby!!

marty,
i'll bet you the most organic sounding is the el34. 88s and 66s sound a little pushed in the lower treble.
the 6550s perhaps fuller but a little sparkley.
try an eqitech power conditioner on the amp, you may be amazed. 2q or sone of q.
i think the hovland cable is perhaps a better interface with the sfs and the verity than the mxe. try cardas golden ref just for comparison sake. it will sound fuller and more relaxed. nothing against the hovland but i really think it is better for the other 2.
best, b

Bobby,

I use Equitech conditioners.

Your characterization of the tube sounds is spot on-I would have written it exactly the same way. I'd only add that the el-34 benefits come at the cost of a little bass impact.

I've never tried the Cardas cables because I screw around so much with other stuff that the Hovlands have been a happy constant in my otherwise ever-evolving equation.

Maybe one day I'll ratchet the disease up another level and give the Cardas a shot.

Marty

What brand of bungee cord and eyehook's do you use? When you say the speaker's are killer's, do you mean before or after the mod's? have you compared them to later model's?
have you tried suspended speaker's with non-suspended ancilliaries and vise-versa?