Hi, sorry for a delayed response.
The system I am driving merlin is described as follows from the front end;
CARTRIDGE : Ortofon SPU AE with tuned original brass stabilizer and spacer mounted on SME 3009 on Thorens TD-124, SME stock cable
PRE-PRE AMP : BB OPA27 base gain amplifier, 18 times voltage gain , 100 ohms and 600pF input loading
CABLE : low capacitance teflon silver cable
PHONO AMP : passive RC RIAA filters between 12AT7 cathode ground resistor load gain and cathode follower buffer amplifiers
LINE AMP : FET-bypolar solid state with cascode differential front end, full symmetric over positive and negative rail
POWER AMP : bypolar differential front end with J-FET base constant current source, MOS-FET (2SJ50/2SK135)rear end, full symmetric, full thermal conjuction of positive and negative rail active devices, 136000MF and 600W class transformer in the power supplier
SPEAKER CABLE : 12GA silver plated copper strands in teflon insulation single pole wire used in random spacing between the wires
ROOM : 166" X 94" X 280", medium level damping with carpet and furnitures
OTHER : zobel network, jumper cable and speaker positioning instruction from Merlin was carefully applied - worked really well!
REMARKS : It is extremely transparent/sensitive and very picky for recording. I am going to try different phono stages and cables to make it more forgiving for some situations I have to play lower-fi recordings.
