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

Kmmorgan,
The MX is a very new introduction and was shown to the public for the first time at the CES in Vegas. Rich Brkich, one of my best friends only heard it about ten days before the show so there are none in the field. We have already sold out months of production and are in the process of stock piling the necessary parts. We begin limited production of the MX the first week of February.
Bobby@merlin

Bobby,

Why do you say, "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."? Have you had a chance to listen to the Tenor's with your speakers? I have listened to all the combinations, and I think you would be in for a real surprise.

You build a fine speaker and I am not going to get into why I greatly prefer the Kharmas, because like you, I am in the industry and have a vested interest. I would suggest that your post certainly would keep any Tenor owner from considering owning your speaker.

Jonathan Tinn
Chambers Audio

No Jtinn,
That is what you are saying because the Tennor sounds wonderful on the Merlins. I just prefer the Joules for very specific reasons, which I will not go into here. But think about my choices in cable and ancillaries and you can piece a bit of it together for yourself. You see, I have heard the combinations myself and I know that you would be in for a an even bigger surprize if you looked at it in an open minded manner. It is clear that we prefer different aspects of the presentation. And because these speakers sound very different as do the amps, it is impossible to say which is the better. Anyone who knows me well knows that I routinely recommended the Kharma, Rockport, Vertity, Quad, Sound Labs etc., products when calling my business. I have also recommended the the Kharma/Tenor combination to a few. Lets face it, whats good is good and I don't mind losing a sale to well designed products.
Bobby@merlin

Joneill: Your response truly surprises me. Most of us who have heard the Kharma's and the Merlin's would say the opposite. Not to take anything away from the Merlin's which are a nice value at their price point, the Kharma speakers are all about emotional connection and lifelike presentation.

Are you sure you heard the Kharma speakers in question?

Ah come on Jtinn,
I can say exactly the same thing.
I had two individuals come into our suite at the CES who were big Kharma fans. In fact, both owned the 3.2s and were still in love with the size of their soundstage and other aspects of their Kharma sound. But both felt that the VSM MX had a more immediate character, sounded more live and less dynamically compressed. They have a totally different presentation. Do you like Burgundy or Bordeaux? I'll bet...Burgundy. ;-)
Bobby@merlin