Any experience... Merlin+Wadia+Rowland

PS--I tried various Cardas, JPS, Analysis Plus, Nordost, TG Audio, Tara Labs, and Transparent Audio cables with the Merlins. Nothing cured the "in-your-face" nature of the Merlins, though the Analysis Plus was (surprisingly to me) the least objectionable of the lot, even more than Bobby's long-term reference, Cardas Golden Cross and now Golden Reference.

I've used my Merlins with a Pass Aleph 3, a Bel Canto SETi40, a 47 Labs Gaincard, an old Luxman M2000, a NAD 960(?), and an old COunterpoint SA100 (all with Golden Cross ICs and speaker cable). My fave was the Counterpoint, but the speakers worked well with all of the amps. The old VSM-SE were heavily damped to match amps with lower damping rates (usually tube), but the new Millenium versions offer a choice of wiring harnesses to match tube (T-harness) or solid state (S-harness). The Dynaudio Esotar tweeters are very revealing in the top-end, but I've never found them to be fatiguing. The Audio Review write-ups of the Millenium version mention them having more body, but I haven't upgraded yet. I would definitely recommend trying them with your Rowland amp before buying.

Hey folks I just have to comment on the Merlin speakers, (as being a previous owner of many of their speakers)how far can you extend the current design, it is the same sized cabinet as what they started this speaker with and I believe the price was approx. $2500-$3000/pr..I see they arenow offering another version of this speaker for $8000/pr.. Where is the $5000/pr.increase coming from?
Just my two cents worth.

i dont know why anyone would call the merlins bright or fatiguing. they're not. they're neutral. few other speakers are. what will happen is you will hear the intrinsic characteristic of your rowland amp (as well as your ICs &CDP). one of the fun things about merlins is that every change you make is obvious--garbage in, garbage out (well, not GARBAGE out, but you get the idea). sounds like you've got a nice upstream, with the SS wiring harness you might be hooked (i've no experience with the SE, i have the M w/ a SS wiring harness, and have few complaints). ---BTW, merlins are as musical as the music you give them (via the colored components in the signal path). the speakers have NO character. i'd be hard pressed to give a higher compliment to any speaker.---but audition first. as always.

Dkuipers a thanks for a response to a remark you made concerning the Merlin's several months back when you categorized them as being "Hi-Fi" as opposed to "musical". You have finally answered my question concerning why they were "hi-fi" to you. The Merlin VSM-SE are a highly damped design which would make them more optimal with a tube amp. This would minimize their tendency to be rather thin sounding as they can sound with ss. I have owned these speakers for the past 6 months. They aren't easy but true excellence and this degree of resolution takes time and effort to get right. Their intrinsic attributes are this based on my experience - resolving, immediate (if you like laid back, forget the Merlin's). They are completely revealing of deficiencies of source components, especially the recording. They are also very wire dependent. That said if you are willing to experiment with the components that will bring out their virtues which are SUPERB tonal balance, SOTA resolution, excellent dynamics, soundstaging and imaging champs and last but certainly not least excellence at resolving bass in the MOST natural manner without ever feeling overpowered by something that DOESN'T exist in the live domain, these speakers are among the best. But for some, the immediacy will be too much. They have an upfront presentation which may not appeal to all. I haven't listened to the Millenium S (for ss wiring harness) with a solid state amp but can't imagine the SE with SS. With the SE consider tubes as your only option. Oh bty, I love the music coming through these speakers.