Top or best amps for merlin vsm

Regarding the M-60s it is possible to run them with less output tubes per channel. For example you can remove two output tubes per side. Less power and less heat are the results, but in this configuration you should still have more power than an S-30.

You have a lot of nice choices on your list.

In a small room, you don't need a ton of power to get VSMs to really sing. Unless you like to listen LOUD!, in which case the VSMs might not be the best choice, anyway.

Assuming that you're not headbanging, I'd note my experience, FWIW.

I've used a lot of different amps with my VSMs (including several solid state amps that were excellent matches) and the bottom line is that the speaker reveals the specific qualities of the mated amplification more clearly than any other I've owned. I really doubt that you'll find a SS amp that really "feels" like an OTL thru the VSMS, so...

If you really like the particulars of OTL sound, I'd suggest that you go with a low power OTL amp. Thus will minimize heat and the lowish power output will very likely still be more than adequate into the VSMs benign load. I had an early Atma-sphere S-30 that was extremely sensitive to the partnered load and it was very happy with the VSM. I also had success using the 15WPC Cary 300B in a moderately sized room.

My own view, go OTL.

Good Luck

Marty

Clio09 makes a good point. I believe the power supply regulation in the M-60's is higher quality than the M-30. So if you have the space for the amps, you could cut back on tubes and heat and get the benefits of the monoblocks.

Ollirdep, I honestly don't believe you are going to find a SS amp with ALL the attributes of the best OTL's, it may exist but I would expect it would be pricey. I'm sure you might find one you like UNTIL you listened to an OTL with this speaker. The Pass Aleph series of amps are nice but I haven't heard with VSMs, Class A operation which I tend to like but again more heat and I have found the bass a bit lacking with these amps but a very sweet natural presentation.

From a practical AND sound perspective the Berning is probably the best option but may NOT be the first choice for everyone. I have commented many times through the years on this forum and elsewhere on my love affair with this amp and my VSMs. I still own it and it is truly an amp to build a VSM system around. Not only that but it is dependable, extremely well designed and hand built by a very meticulous man. Form follows function. I personally think it is SOTA, at least for my taste and what I am trying to achieve compared to other amplifiers if not all of them. To this day feel it is the best audio purchase I've made for its efficiency, reliability and performance and the ability to be a foundation for improvement in the rest of the system, in other words this amp is unforgiving of anything less in front of it. The T8 which I also owned for a while is a very refined sounding amp if you can find one at a reasonable price but if you listen to large scale classical music I personally don't think it will have enough power in a medium to large size space. The Atma-sphere and Joule, only the latter I heard with VSM, would be excellent choices and maybe a first choice but the heat would have to be factored in. Would it be an issue to you? For me it was living in Florida and it making my room toasty in February with the windows open! I would keep MY focus on the OTLs with Merlin. I'm sure the ARS is very nice or Bobby wouldn't recommend it but I'm also pretty certain it is not going to do what OTL amps do and when you have a speaker that works well with this design it is quite difficult to go back. The resolution and space/time aspects of music along with natural tonality and dynamic shadings all put together are in my experience the most difficult aspects of making recorded music more believable and the OTLs do it better than anything I've listened to especially when paired to a speaker that can highlight this. Bottom line is we never know how good something is until we hear something that improves on it. If you see a used zh270 on the market for 4-4.5K snatch it up at least to listen, you can always sell it or a better option, if possible is to listen in a sorted out system to know the possibilities. This could be said for all these amps. It is difficult to rely on the opinions of others if your tastes are different. The newer zh230 at less than half the power and North of 8K seem less of a value, the quadrature at 200 watts and 30K is overkill with the VSM so that leaves the zh270 used as a steal, again, IMO. You HAVE to listen but there is plenty of info in the archives on these amps with Merlin to get all the opinions you could hope for.

If I had Merlin speakers there are only a few amps which I would pair them with due to my experience with them. I would absolutely put Joule at the top of that list. I've also heard them with Atma-Sphere amps which I would be a very close second. Pass XA series are also very good with them but I would go tubes if at all possible.