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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
farmdoc
45 posts
 
Linkster,
I agee; I think the Alana is good amp that is markedly improved with the Mk III upgrade. I have not A/B'ed it to the Hovland but plan to. It certainly will not leave my abode for awhile, if ever.
pubul57
3,712 posts
 
That BEL amp is one amp I wish I had the chance to have tried, Bobby speaks very highly of the BEL. I too had the Ars Sonum, and it is a wonderful integrated, but ulitmately I prefered the Atma-sphere gear which has bested a lot of other stuff I had tried, but would love to have an SS amp that is a killer with the Merlins and I suspect the BEL would be the one for me to try. It will be interesting to know what you think of the BEL versus the McCormack.
joneill
112 posts
 
Paul,

We look forward to your impressions and informed observation as well of the Master BAM & RC :-)
rleff
1,065 posts
 
Pubul57 would the older jeff roland amps(models 6,8t,9t) be a good match for the Merlins;I have a pair of model 6 monoblocks driving usher rw 723's and its just a great sound;I would think driving Merlins the sound would be even better.
pubul57
3,712 posts
 
Hi Rleff. I just don't know. And don't get me wrong, the Pass XA30.5 and Aleph J sounded extremely good with the Merlins, but I still preferred the Atma-sphere and Music Reference amps. It just maybe that I am too much of a tubeaholic to ever really be totally satisified with an SS amp - but I won't stop trying; though I think Nelson Pass is about as good as it gets in SS. My friend loves his Rowland Concentra, maybe I can get him to....
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