solid state amp for merlin tsm's ?

I've run my VSMs with a class D Bel Canto integrated with great results. My amp is lower powered than yours, but I'm not surprised at the happy marriage. The VSM is a terrific speaker and I've run mine with a half dozen different SS amps (as well as a half dozen tube amps). They will sound somewhat different when the amps are changed out, but I've yet to hear my pair sound less than excellent, regardless of what's feeding them.

Thanks to both of you for your thoughts. Martykl, do you use the Merlin's supplied RC network with your VSMs? I installed it per the speakers' instructions and the speakers sound quite good to me, but apparently the Ref500m uses a Zobel network (they confirmed that for me today), so I'm going to go home tonight and remove the RC from the speakers and see what difference that makes. If they sound even better than they do now, I can't imagine how happy I'll be.

I'm curious if you (or others) use the RC network on the Merlin speakers when driving them with Bel Cantos.

It's been several years, and I honestly can't recall whether I had the Merlin RC on board when I had the VSMs hooked up to the Bel Canto. It's always case by case with the RC and, as mentioned, I've literally used more than a dozen amps with my VSMs over the years. I guess that keeping the exact set-up straight is beyond my modest capabilities.

Sorry.

My understanding is that RC network adds impedance to make speakers an easier load to drive.

My guess is that typically it adds more in the case where a tube amp is used. Tube amps tend to not like lower impedances especially in the lower octaves where commonly found with many modern smaller speakers that also have good bass extension, like Merlin and many others. High power higher current SS amps, like BC Class D or many others, will be less challenged, so I would expect less benefit with those, but I suppose its always best to compare with and without when possible and be the judge.

I had a friend over last night and we did an a/b comparison of the Merlins with and without the RC network. We started with it on, and they sounded great, and we were both fully prepared for there to be little or no noticeable difference when we took them off, but we were both struck hard by the difference. Without the RC network, vocals had a little more air, there was more separation of sounds and instruments, particularly in complex passages with a lot going on, but the biggest difference was a significant increase in the bass.

I would highly recommend that all Merlin owners try their speakers with and without the RC network, but particularly those who have amps that terminate with a Zobel network. The difference was far more than I expected, and the speakers now sound even more amazing than they did before!