Merlin vsm mme owners, Cardas cabling Question.

9rw, you are right the John Dunlavy knew ALOT about speaker design and some really love his speakers. He also basically said that those that can here differences between speaker cables are hallucinating (other than the impact of guage). That essay he wrote wasn't popular with cable manufacturers. Do you agree with him? You can Google his essay on "differences" between cable. quite interesting.

I, by the way, have heard improvement through Bobby's incremtal improvements. Perfecting the basic design over years is on reason the speaker is so well "sorted out" and for many owners, in some ways, the best speaker ever made. Which is not the same as saying it will be everyone's favourite speaker. But it is a speaker that needs to be taken seriously when looking for the best sound in the home.

Pubul57: I notice that you have all of the prescribed components for the Merlins, affirming my position.

As for Dunlavy's belief about speaker cables, I read that essay many years ago. I'd have to read it again to be sure of his criteria, but I've been pretty clear about what I have found to be true. Cables can make a big difference, hence the need for Cardas -- or similar cables -- with Merlin.

If you're happy with your system, that's what matters most, cost be damned.

9rw, I have used CAT, Pass, Quicksilver, Lamm, ARC, Placette, and a few other pre/amp combos with the Merlins. The reason I have what I have is they work well with the Merlins, that being said OTLs will work incredibly well with any speaker that is tube friendly, which the Merlin is. With all the amps I have tried, nothing beast OTLs to me, and the reason Merlin is often recommended with Joule, is the fact that it happens to be an OTL, so it does not shock that Bobby would go that way, though he liked the CAT gear too. That amp/speaker interface is so important to get right, perhaps the most important part of getting a system right that I think you would have to be crazy to not take advice from a speaker designer that suggests what he thinks will work best. I think there is some truth to the perception that some may fear that gear not on "Bobby's Approved List" might not work well. That should be nipped in the bud, as the speakers certainly work well with any of the tube amps I have used, and the Pass XA30.5 as well. But there is a tendency to believe that if Bobby does not mention a particular amp or cable then it won't get the best from the speakers, that can get dangerous. Probably why most manufacturers will stay away from recommend to specically a particular amp, power cord, tube, etc for their speakers. For the most part Bobby has chosen well and I think most folks have been happy with his recommendations for accompanying products. If you don't want to experiment too much and possibly waste alot of money, Bobby's recommendations seem to be right on the money (for his speakers).

Call the Cable Co. and have them send you a full set of Cardas GR and evaluate them. I have Bobby's full receipe with the Fila integrated and it is the best all around system I've owned. I've had Soundlabs, Maggies, Acoustats, Quadratures and Martin Logans. Bobby's system has an organic natural quality that I've never heard before and I'm basically a planar/electrostatic guy. Pretty damn hard to beat in my opinion.

Be sure you are using the Cardas Golden Ref or one of the other more transparent Cardas line. The Cross line are slightly warmer but also slower and more opaque. I like Cross mainly with lower priced transistor gear that is a bit unrefined on the top end.