Any experience... Merlin+Wadia+Rowland

Dkuipers a thanks for a response to a remark you made concerning the Merlin's several months back when you categorized them as being "Hi-Fi" as opposed to "musical". You have finally answered my question concerning why they were "hi-fi" to you. The Merlin VSM-SE are a highly damped design which would make them more optimal with a tube amp. This would minimize their tendency to be rather thin sounding as they can sound with ss. I have owned these speakers for the past 6 months. They aren't easy but true excellence and this degree of resolution takes time and effort to get right. Their intrinsic attributes are this based on my experience - resolving, immediate (if you like laid back, forget the Merlin's). They are completely revealing of deficiencies of source components, especially the recording. They are also very wire dependent. That said if you are willing to experiment with the components that will bring out their virtues which are SUPERB tonal balance, SOTA resolution, excellent dynamics, soundstaging and imaging champs and last but certainly not least excellence at resolving bass in the MOST natural manner without ever feeling overpowered by something that DOESN'T exist in the live domain, these speakers are among the best. But for some, the immediacy will be too much. They have an upfront presentation which may not appeal to all. I haven't listened to the Millenium S (for ss wiring harness) with a solid state amp but can't imagine the SE with SS. With the SE consider tubes as your only option. Oh bty, I love the music coming through these speakers.

BTY I have found MIT speaker cable both 750 and 770 reference a MUCH better match than the analysis plus oval 9's with the Merlin's. I initially liked the AP but long term the sound became fatiguing. The MIT's cured this for good. Harmonic Tech Truthlink interconnect cables work well with this speaker system.

Dkuipers I suspect all components are colored to one degree or another what is more important is how they work together. You are not alone in your impressions of the MIT's but I like them in my system and feel that they offer a more realistic presentation of the music. Image placement better bass impact and rather than the highs being rolled off I say more laid back, the music is there its just not "in your face" as it can sound with certain recordings. The HT truthlink cables are in my estimation one of the best values in cable period. Probably something to do with the single crystal casting process. So far as high frequency roll off I can only say I don't hear it. When I get the Trancendent OTL amp in the system I will post further impressions. Are the Merlin’s “fundamentally flawed”? I say the flaws lie elsewhere, and not with the speakers. I suspect the speakers are as Rhyno says neutral and the problem lies in the recordings and the upstream components. At least that is my experience to date. As always, audition first.