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Merlin TSM-MXs...First Impressions

I just received my MERLIN TSM-MXs about two weeks ago, and I can't stop raving about them!

First off, the customer service provided by Bobby P. is outstanding. I don't think I've ever had this level of service from any business, so this is truly appreciated.

Packaging was great. It took me about an hour just to get everything unpacked. And everything arrived unscathed.

The finish...a work of art! I wasn't sure how piano black would look since I had never seen this finish on a speaker. Well, I am truly impressed by the finish. It looks like the finish on a freshly waxed Bentley.

As for the speakers, the music coming out of them is magical. Prior to this I had been using Aerial Model 7s, and I think my TSMs sound better even though much smaller. The soundstage coming out of these little speakers is amazingly wide. The clarity and crispness is remarkable. I'm noticing details in songs I've never heard.

Anyone looking for bookshelf speakers or good quality speakers in general should look at Merlin.

My equipment includes:
the Merlins
Proceed AMP5
Marantz AV600 (soon to be replaced by Anthem's AVM30)
California Audio Labs Icon Mk II
Cables are MIT 2 bi-wire and MIT ICs
all powered by a Richard Gray's 600S
pranxxxster
mattiboy
1 posts
 
I second the need for tubes; you aren't hearing the full breadth of those speakers yet. That Proceed amp sounds kind of brittle and sterile if my memory serves, and a tube amp would make you wonder how you ever lived with it.
tomryan
796 posts
 
Prankxxxster,

I received my new TSM-MXs (piano black) about 5 weeks ago and am just now getting a fix on them as they are quite neutral and revealing. They can sound lean and uninvolving without the right amplification and cables; they're certainly not in the Spendor/ProAc camp!

I'd be a little careful of crispness in music reproduction although I may not know what you mean. Bluebull's recommendation is spot on as regards tubes and I find myself slowly going the full "Merlin route".

Ditto for the customer service and packing - someone seems to always be there to assist us and there is never a bum's rush off the line. These are people completely passionate about what they are doing and the pride shows in the speakers!

E-mail me if you want to as we can discuss in further some of our impressions and I'd like to tell you about my equipment changes.
thedautch
329 posts
 
Not that I'm anti-tube, but I've really enjoyed the results I've gotten from my VSM-MMs from Anthem amplification. I haven't bought the Anthem gear yet, but a friend let me audition his...very musical, involving, etc.

Also, Anthem has Bobby's seal of approval, so don't think that tubes are necessarily your only choice.
artg
362 posts
 
As has been documented widely here, the Berning ZH270 OTL tubed amp works MAGIC with that speaker. You should look into it....
bluebull
269 posts
 
Thedautch
You are right,tubes not the only option,some ss gear will also work well, but as an prevous Proceed owner I would suggest the HPA 2 above the AMP 5.Character of the HPA 2 would be more suited to the Merlins,I feel. I think there are much better choices than Proceed.Personally, I favour a tube somewhere in the system and especially so with Merlins.

Chris
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