Gallo 3.5 vs Merlin VSM-MXe

The Merlin's can be further upgraded for an increase in performance.

I own Merlin VSMs and have heard the Gallo extensively (tho never owned a pair). There is a local dealer who sells both, and I have heard an A-B.

To my ear, they share many of the same strengths, but....

The Merlins are really special - one person's take, YMMV. I'd choose them every time.

For your needs, the Gallo might be a better idea. Both speakers are -IMHO- highly coherent, but the Gallo has significantly more weight below 100hz. If you double up on amps to co-drive the Gallo woofer, I'm told (never heard it) that the difference in that region increases even more.

Good Luck.

Marty

PS The ultra wide dispersion of the Gallo tweeter does lend it a particular character that many people love. It is distinctive tho, so check it out.

Only heard the Gallo is show conditions so my opinion of it is not too worth. Have owned two iterations of the VSMs the past nine years and they are to my way of listening the finest two-way speakers in the world, at minimum, highly competive with any two-way speakers in the world. You mention coherence, well that is their bread and butter. You can go to audioreview.com and see what a few hindred people have to say about Merlin VSMs - they are that good, and if you don't crave, need, or want the very bottom octave that you can get with much larger speakers with 12" woofers, you can live happily with them for a long time and build the rest of your system around them - what many Melrin owners do.