Merlin VSM-M or VSM-MX vs. Kharma CRM3.2 series

I certainly can't offer the depth of experience Jacob has since he owned and listened extensively to both the Kharmas and Merlins but I would like to comment. At the home entertainment show in NYC I had the opportunity to hear the 3.2's with Lamm electronics and felt it was easily among the most musically involving systems at the show. Of course there is nothing like hearing a system in your own environment maximally tweeked to your taste. In other words, I'm sure the Kharmas can sound much better than they did.

I've owned the Merlins for almost 4 years and can say there is nothing I've heard in the interim that would make me want to own something else. They are tonally accurate and efficient,like the Kharmas and have electrostatic like speed and clarity. The point is that at this level of performance it may not be as clear cut as it seems on the surface. The Kharmas aesthetically are beautiful speakers and sonically may appeal more but I doubt they are better, just more preferable to some listeners. I'm certain I could live with them but my listening impressions sided with the Merlins because they have a liveness that IS more important to me. The Kharmas seemed a bit darker but none the less very clear and extremely involving, YMMV.

My comments are to offer a perspective that at this level of performance there is no substitute for personal audition, especially considering your room size and musical preferences. Musical involvement being the goal, I would expect each of these designs would offer what you are looking for, only you can decide which one does the better job of it.

I totally agrre with Jwaugh. The Merlins are very nice speakers and very difficult to beat at its price range, but the Kharmas are a very special thing matched with Tenor (I haven't heard them with Joule Electra).
I own a pair of Tenor 75wi that have been working well with the Merlins for more than one year, BUT, when a tried the Kharma CRM 3.2F in my room, I felt in love inmediately and inevitably: bigger and more coherent soundstage, deeper and tighter bass (I owned the Merlins without BAM), and overall the famous and unknown for me until that moment "timbral accuracy". The textures of all the instruments are unbelievable, specially the strings in classical music. Tenor plus Kharma represents the more involving musical experience I have experienced.

Merlins are great, with very good service, but Kharmas are, at least matched with Tenor, in another league IMO.

Good luck

Rcr I would expect that without the BAM what you heard was quite a bit leaner presentation than what you would hear with it. If you have not heard this speaker with the BAM in full battery mode I am confident your listening impressions would be different with reference to texture, density, image depth, soundstaging and tonal balance not to mention bass which is in a different league taking into strong consideration the power rating and damping factor of the amp to be used. On the other hand, I didn't hear the Kharmas with the Tenor which seems to be a synergistic match of the highest order. Some day I hope to.

Hi Rcr,
I'm afraid that you have no idea what the Merlin VSMs sound like without the BAM. The BAM is part of the system and is in fact the speaker's management system. It would be like driving a Vette on 3 wheels and saying that its handling and acceleration are suspect. Resolution, depth, extension, purity, tonal balance and dynamics are all greatly improved when it is used. There is also the matter of which finish Merlin VSM you had because the clearcotes are quite superior in resolution again. IMHO, the Tenor is a better match with the 3.2 than the Merlin and the Joule is a better match with the Merlin than the 3.2. Comparing the 3.2s and Tenor to the Joule and Merlin VSM M or MX would prove quite interesting.
Bobby@merlin

"I had the opportunity to hear the 3.2's with Lamm electronics and felt it was easily among the most musically involving systems at the show."

I really do believe most audiophiles have lost touch with what has to be considered the reference point for hifi sound: live music. I was at the NY show as well. The Kharma 3.2/Lamm room was a standout in my mind too-- as Worst Sound at Show. Highlighted edge definition, thinness, stridency... this system had it all. So your opinion of what sounds good is very different from mine. I don't know what your yardstick is, but mine is live music. That being the case, IMO the Merlin gets miles closer.