In Memoriam: Bobby Palkovich of Merlin Music

In 2011 we waited 18 months for our VSM-MXr/SuperBAM speakers to arrive ..a friend and I ordered at the same time.He decided he wanted Merlins after hearing my VSM-MM SurperBAM.I sold my VSM-MMs this year to a very happy new owner and decided a few weeks ago to order.Let me ad this was the first Merlins in my country.Every other Merlin was bought after friends listened to my system.
In spite of being very unhappy about waiting 18 months in 2011,I LOVE their sound.I decided a few weeks ago to order TSM Studio Black Black Magics for my second system.Bobby promised it would take only 4 weeks this time ....I am still waiting and will now most likely never get them.It was fully paid and I really cant afford to lose the money too.I am very concerned.

This news was certainly a bit of a shock. I can't say I knew Bobby well but I chatted with him several times in the Merlin/Joule Electra room at the CES over the years. My impression was for his dedication - to his speakers, to his customers, and to music.

I can only hope he found peace at last.

He seemed very passionate about what he did. That says a lot.

Do the fully paid up buyers have any legal recourse (directed at any lawyers in this forum), other than wait for maybe years for the estate executor to complete his job? (See Bluebulls post)

I had a paid up order for a set of Master RC's that Bobby said he would ship 2 weeks ago and it didn't happen.

I just placed a claim with PayPal but that could be a lost cause as well. While my possible loss of $385 is a lot to me that's small potatoes compared to some of the other posts of pending and unfulfilled orders.

It's really a sad situation all the way around. I have sent emails and left voice messages but so far have seen or heard nothing back.

I don't know the setup of Bobby's company but have to assume it was only him and a couple of other employees.

My wife works in a wills and estate law office and she told me I can place a claim against the estate but this will take years to work itself out....the whole thing is very sad.

I can only hope that somehow Bobbys remaining staff can pick up the pieces and complete the remaining orders before things have to shut down for good.

Beside my speakers I bought a lot of Cardas cables from Bobby. While never the fastest on shipping stuff out (my speakers took 4 months) Bobby always answered emails or phone calls and was very honest on what was going on.

I can only hope that all of us who love Bobbys speakers can get some closure so our ongoing memories of him are nothing but positive.