Merlin TSM comparisons


Hi,

I've been reading up lately on all kinds of monitors, and have been intrigued by Merlin's TSM. The latest iteration is the mmi, I believe.

If you've heard the TSM lately, especially in comparison to other, current monitor offerings out there, I'd love to hear your opinions. I know that there are other Merlin threads on Audiogon but I am especially interested in hearing from folks who have compared them to others, especially if you've lived with them.
rebbi
mapman, imo, the amplifier termination issue is something that almost 98% of the amps need so it did not seem incorrect to combine it with the hf filtering poetential.
speakers that are very linear with gobs of resolution can reveal things in the way of complication/confusion to the sound. we filter both ends of the bandwidth in the bam and by using the ers paper on chip sets in the system. how intense must these fields be? strong enough to be heard i suppose. i am not the only one that can hear them.
best, bobby
Guppy...what CD player are you using with the TSM's?

My associated gear:
Manley Stingray II, Cardas SE9 speaker wire, Skylan 4 post stands, MJ Acoustics 150 MKII sub. CD player is a 4 year old Oppo with a few mods. I tried the Rega Apollo, but did not find it a big upgrade.

Rob
Robbob, I took the cult idea as intended. The hardest thing to believe is that (and it is the VSM with which I am most familiar) a small two-way speaker would be able to compete with the mega$$$$, large, multi-driver speakers with a claim to being among the best. The truth this "humble" speaker is state-of-the-art for what it is, and in most real world rooms it should be at least considered, no matter how much you can, or are willing, to spend for speakers. They are not for everyone, but for many they are the core around which they can build a long-term system. The fact that they work especially well with tube amps, and that 30-60 watts is more than enough to drive them is all the better.

I once saw a thread question the evolution of the VSM and questioning the cost increases over the years, it was clear this fella did not actually listen to the VSMs over time. I for one have always appreciated that Bobby continued to find ways to improve what had already been a very good speaker right from the start.
Pubul,
I agree 100%. My friend with the MMe's is quite certain my new MXr's are quite a bit better than his already excellent versions. It is my understanding that Bobby has improved his line of speakers on every level, from cabinets to crossovers. Evolution appears to be what Merlin is all about. Bobby says the TSM and VSM are his life's work. They are unlike any speaker I've owned before; more of a musical instrument themselves. I did feel that way about my old handmade Royd speakers many years ago!

Now....the search for the right CD player!

Rob
Hello Robbob. I am using a Thule Space DVA250B CD/DVDA player and a TRL modded Sony 900 CD/SACD player. Both players sound excellent. I have Skylan 2 post stands and JWN EL34 push pull 35wpc amp and a Jolida JD50A passive. The JWN amp is excellent for the money, $750., and a few reviews are listed under in tube amp section of The Audio Asylum reviews and the JD50A passive is a nice unit for $250. especially since it has a remote, but I will buy better electonics when the funds allow. Despite these relatively modest electronics the Merlins sound fantastic with all types of music.