Anyone using Duelund VSF capacitor in Merlin VSM

i previously owned the VSM-MXe's, and sold them recently to a friend. this past week, i received the VSM-MXR's, and this past weekend set them up. i'm very early in the break-in, but right out of the box the MXR's are a different animal. they're both more authoritative AND more articulate in the low end. my rock albums sound better than ever. i've ordered the master BAM and rc's as well, and will be looking forward to setting those up when it comes my turn.

i'll be happy to post more as the MXR's break in.

hey all, i thought i would jump back in and give my impressions on the newest merlin iteration, the VSM-MXr. by way of introduction, this all started for me about 5 years ago. i originally owned the VSM-MX for about 3 years. i sent them back to bobby for the "lead-free" upgrade, and upgraded the BAM batteries. with this upgrade, i found the sound to be even more continuous, more dynamic, and more energetic. i have a largish room with vaulted ceilings, and i found the upgraded VSM-MXe's to be more room filling. a little while after that, i got the itch and decided to sell my upgraded lead free VSM-MXe's to a friend locally, who was willing to wait for me to get the new pair of fully lead free VSM-MXe's, with a lead free BAM.

after a wait, bobby surprised me with a pair of VSM-MXr's. full disclosure--simultaneously i also upgraded my digital front end from an audio aero prima to the AA capitole classic SE; AND, i bought a two level critical mass direct coupling rack for my filarmonia and the cap classic. my reference analog front end is unchanged--VPI TNT 6 hotrod.

i've got about 500 hours on the VSM-MXr's, and about 300 hours on the critical mass system. just like all the prior merlin upgrades, this one too gives you MORE of what's so special about the merlins to begin with. the speakers are now more continuous form top to bottom, more articulate and more authoritative in the low end, and the top end is even more precise and natural. the stage is more expansive. they're still tonally neutral, they still disappear completely from the room. but the sense of realism is heightened, so the sound is even more "life-like," less like a recording. in that way, the speakers are even more emotive.

i'm waiting for my turn on the master BAM and RC parts upgrade, which i'm hoping will make the speakers even more authoritative in the low end, which i want since i'm trying to energize such a large spatial volume.

as is, IMO, the new VSM-MX's do justify their "r" designation. they sound to my ear clearly better than my prior merlins, a different animal.