Merlin TSM comparisons

Bobby, My bottom line is if I can move some money out of cabling and into better electronics, like the Filarmonia, I'll get closer to where I wanna be... on the theory that electronics takes priority.

p, cables are imho more important than electronics.
the room, speakers, cables, sources and the amp.
in order of the least amount of $ spent offering the potentially largest improvement in sound.
cardas is the best bet for the speakers you own.
golden presence is a good one to consider.
b

Golden Presence is ~$2,000 for 3 meters. No way in the world am I going to spend 2K for speaker cable. OK, if I did, that would leave me maybe 1K for an amplifier. Does that make sense!?

p, i just mailed you directly so keep and eye out.
you should get the speakers first and listen to them for a while then we can talk and see what you are hearing. it is best to know the speaker a little imho. se 9 cardas is a very good alternative for you regarding performance and price.
b

Most of us who don't have dedicated listening rooms end up making compromises, for sure. But I agree with Bobby that the room is key. Putting an area carpet down in my listening room, which otherwise is very "live," made a big difference for not a lot of money. Would I like to do more radical stuff to the room for the sake of sound? Sure, but domestic tranquility prevents me from doing some of that stuff. I have to take my significant other's room livability and aesthetic considerations into account. And my budget has definite limits.

The nice thing about buying Merlin speakers is that you know that the design is so sound (no pun intended) and time-tested and that the quality control is so good, that your tweaks and adjustments will be rewarded and get you closer to what you want to hear. So, for example, if the tonal balance seems off or the speakers aren't "disappearing" as they should, you can look elsewhere in your set-up because you know that your Merlins (TSM-mmi's in my case) aren't the culprit.