I ran a Merrill modded AR for several years with an Audioquest (Jelco)tonearm until I got a Merrill Heirloom. I bought it new stock and had it upgraded in stages by George Merrill. It was definitely a cut above the stock AR. It was a great table. IMHO opinion the AR even in stock form is a great option for a budget TT. You can always start with a stock table and upgrade through Dave at VN in stages if you like. If you can buy one even stock in good shape for under $500 you can't go wrong. These tables have more soul to me than the lower priced offerings of Rega and Music Hall et. al.
However, I have seen and heard George Merrill's new replica table and it is outstanding. It has many properties of the Merrill Heirloom and the Merrill Scallia MS-2. It is a great bargain and worth checking out.
However, I have seen and heard George Merrill's new replica table and it is outstanding. It has many properties of the Merrill Heirloom and the Merrill Scallia MS-2. It is a great bargain and worth checking out.