I went from Quad ESL63USA's to Merlin VSM-MX, and couldn't be happier. The Quads were used as a reference for the midrange sound when the Merlins were designed. Many Merlin owners are former 'stat owners, and they mate particularly well with tube amps.
The Kharmas are certainly respected, but when you search the archives and read the "Kharma 3.2 vs Merlin" thread, it makes it clear that both these companies are doing plenty of things right, and have loyal following.
For me, value for my $ is an important criteria. That swayed me towards the Merlins. The tons of enthusiastic reviews on audioreview.com didn't hurt either.
You often hear about former Quad owners going back to them and their love/hate relationship with their Quad ESLs. I understand their pain, but don't find myself missing a thing. Cheers, Spencer
The Kharmas are certainly respected, but when you search the archives and read the "Kharma 3.2 vs Merlin" thread, it makes it clear that both these companies are doing plenty of things right, and have loyal following.
For me, value for my $ is an important criteria. That swayed me towards the Merlins. The tons of enthusiastic reviews on audioreview.com didn't hurt either.
You often hear about former Quad owners going back to them and their love/hate relationship with their Quad ESLs. I understand their pain, but don't find myself missing a thing. Cheers, Spencer