Merrill Audio VERITAS Amps: Any other experiances?


Despite the Sandy Hurricane interruptions, Merrill was kind enough to provide me the opportunity to audition his Merrill Audio Veritas Mono-block amps with my system. He delivered the amps and I listened for approx 48 hours over a period of three days. It should be noted that never once in this time frame did I or anyone else listening experience listening fatigue.

The Veritas units were temporary replacements for my ARC VTM200 MONO-blocks and other than a short experience with my neighbors ARC 610 Mono-Blocks which really brought my Maggies to life, it was a reawakening as to what my Maggies can do given sufficient power. It's not that the VTM200 don't do a good job, its that financially, moving up with more powerful tube amps is out of the question.

Basically , I was overjoyed with what I was listening to. With the Veritas supplying 700 watts per channel vs the 200 tube watts, which is fundamentally 3 and one half times the power I had been feeding them, it was the first time I heard the Maggies with the power they were recommended to be supplied with other than the 610 experience. It should be noted that every piece of electronic audio equipment I have is TUBE centered. The presentation of the Veritas into the system was the first time a pure solid state unit had been introduced to the system and the lasting impression was WOW...just like the web site stated!

We listened to vinyl as well as CDs...Jazz and full orchestration as well as solo piano, cello and violin. Beside myself and occasionally my wife, the listening panel included Blaine Handzus of the NJAS as well as an interested neighbor along with Merrill.

If and when I replace the ARC VTM200s, the Veritas would be at the top of the list.

Having heard Class D amps at other systems, I had never been totally satisfied with what they delivered but the Veritas units presented a completely satisfying and different audio presentation. In short, the 'you are there' effect the Maggies are famous for with the proper watts was stunning.

Simply put, the Veritas are an audio achievement, with extremely accurate front to back definition as well as a superbly accurate soundstage presentation. The holographic effect of instrument position within the orchestra was excellent.

But more to the point, the sounds of the instruments themselves were very accurate. My wife, who listens to live music on a daily basis, both strings, keyboard and horns made the comment that she "could hear the cellos and violas breath".

It was a sad hour when Merrill came back to take his amps away!
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Hi Guidocorona,
Please accept my congratulations on a beautifully written review. How does the Merrill sound differ from your long term favorites--the Rowland 725/625 amps?
Thanks!
Guido, how you doin, as they say here in some parts of Jersey.

GREAT review and it was worth the long wait. I see the attacks have started. You handle them well.
My friend asked me if I could bring my pair of Veritas amps over to his house so he could listen to them again. He really likes them but wanted to have a friend of his who is an award winning recording engineer hear them in his system against his current amps. Said amps are tube based and highly regarded.

To make a long story short, "Mikey likes it". No he really, really liked the sound of the system with the Veritas in it.

Now my friend plans on getting a pair of Veritas. Go figure?!
Hi APDOC, my absolute reference amplifier is the new Rowland M925 4-chassi monoblock. See:
http://forum.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/fr.pl?aamps&1369518273&openmine&zzGuidocorona&4&5#Guidocorona

Concerning class A/B Rowland M625 300W stereo and Veritas 400W monos.... My M625 was a very early unit that lacked the benefits of some key circuit enhancements derived from M725, which JRDG incorporated in later M625 production units.

Predictably, Veritas monos with their higher power delivery excell in authority, size of both sound stage and instrumental images. Both amps are excellent at controlling difficult to handle treble "jaggies" in complex sostenuto passages and coherence of bass, but in this arena Veritas was superior to my early M625 unit.
Guido,

I would just like to chime in, as several others already have, and congatulate and thank you for your series of well written and articulate posts that formed, when taken as a whole, an excellent review of your very nice amps. I found it very interesting and informative on how your impressions of their performance changed as they broke in.
Thanks again,
Tim