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Focal Mini Utopia vs Merlin MXe

Is this a fair comparision(sound quality wise ignoring price)? Looking for comments from people who owned both speakers for good length of time. I own mini utopia and Quad 989s and love them both. Trying to simplify and get full range speaker which will better both mini and quads (bass, imaging, stage depth & width, seamless in crossover transition) for 50% jazz and 50% Classical. This is new system building so open for amplifiers choice but leaning towards Transendent sound OTL. Please keep this discussion limited to these two speakers. Space limitation is making me sell my quads. Thanks.
celestial_audio
tabl10s's avatar
tabl10s
1,093 posts
 
Paul,

If you can do the Cat, you know you can do the MBAM{:^)~
pubul57
3,712 posts
 
Maybe if the MasterBAM weighed 180lbs:). Now where did I put Bobby's number....
pubul57
3,712 posts
 
Well, the check is in the mail. We'll see what the next refinement of the VSM brings to the table. So far, every upgrade Bobby has made to the speaker has made a great speaker just that much better, so I look forward to listening to the MasterBAM and RCs.
farmdoc
45 posts
 
Something else to consider, Pubul; I'm using the ARS Sonum (latest edition) and still am breaking it in.(about 2-300 hrs.) I switched my VSM MXe's over to a ss amp for awhile and was surprised about the soundstage and depth of the music.(Female vocals, light jazz, choral) I was plugged into a McCormack DNA 1 that had the platinum upgrades from Steve McCormack fronted by a Gill Art Audio Alana pre which was also upgraded by David Gill. I am having trouble putting the ARS back in the system to continue the break-in. At my other home, I have a Hovland hp 100 and a BEL 1001 Mk V that I'm going to put into the Merlin system for comparison soon. It is a wonderful synergy for a low powered ss amp and the Hovland and I'm looking forward to the combo voicing the VSM's. I've not heard the Belles, but a modded McCormack with a quality tube pre might be a consideration.
linkster's avatar
linkster
432 posts
 
Farmdoc, I had my Alana updated to Mk III status (from Mk II) by David Gill last month. It's easy when he only lives five miles from my home. At the same time he installed balanced outputs which happen to be the preferred mode of operation for my Einstein LITD power amp. Now there is a real combination that would make your MXe's sing! The Alana is a real giant killer and a bit of an underground product.
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