Merlin TSM comparisons

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.

Rebbi.

I agree 100% with the comment about domestic settings and at some point you just need to sit back and listen. After tweaking, trying out CD players and cables and all the rest I finally agreed with my wife to TAKE A BREAK...at least for the summer. I stopped listening for issues and areas to tweak and started listening to music. Come winter I'll probably re-start the madness, but we shouldn't forget that the music is the thing.
Now....where are those helium filled CDP isolator feet I ordered? ;')

Rob

Next to your 12lb power cords that will blow you away....

Happy to be able to say I'm not obsessive about my system. Reaching "good enough" is already a lot of work -- and it's good enough.