Depending on Merlin model, room size, listening volumes, etc. - you may want to audition some SET amps. On paper, it looks marginal, but my VSM SEs sounded great with Cary 300B monos. Vocal reproduction and dynamics! were amazing. Overall warm, but rolled off bass. A Krell KSA 50s (unsurprisingly) punched up the deepest bass but lost some of the SET sparkle. At present, a Dyna Stereo 70 provides very good reults with the speakers backed up a bit toward the wall behind them.
If you can audition in your room, try a bunch of different amps. Moving the speakers toward/away from the rear wall reinforcement will yield many possible combos of warmth vs. bottom end extension vs. max imaging vs. dynamics, etc. Depending on your temperment, you'll find this process either fun, rewarding and educational or a hellish pain in the ass.
Good luck and happy listening!
