why no recent Merlin speaker reviews?

Justlisten,

It doesn't seem to me that the environment to which you refer is a thing of the past.

Recently Stereomojo (Malcolm Gnomes) did a review on the latest VSM MXR with the Dueland caps and Cardas Clear wire. The BAM has been completely redesigned with a more powerful switch mode power supply.

"Why not just label their speakers series 1, 2, 3 etc"

Because we would be on series 493, or some stupid s^&t like that......

Shakey

My new Merlin Master TSM's are being completed as I type this.
If you wish, when they arrive, I'd be happy to share my
initial impression followed eventually by a more studied
impression after I've lived with them awhile. This won't be a
formal review, though. (Note, FWIW: I've never heard any of
Merlin Music's speakers.)

rx7audio

Marakanetz is probably correct but you need to hear them for yourself and not what you read in a mag. If you knew some of the reviewers, their systems and rooms, you probably would wonder why you are reading their reviews.