arkio,
if you want to fill a large room and play all sorts of electronic music then consider getting a sub or two with the mxe. why give up the magic that the speaker has to offer for a few % of the music when you can augment this. and they can put out tons of bass and impact but it depends on your room size and ancillaries and how well they do this on their own. howards question is important and needs answering.
howard,
skooks may be older but he has had a number of champion systems and his comments are welcome because he speakes in a relative sense.
m,
put you bam between the cdp and pre.
is your pre a tube unit.
if you read the two reviews of the vsm mme or mxe on the main page of www.merlinmusic.com it says clearly why not to use the bam between the pre and power.
and if you want to hear the speakers sound the most linear, most continuous, complete and without distortion, then put the bam in and leave it in. the speakers will sound over bright from distortion and lacking body without it.
read marty's bfs comments about this very point. same thing said in the review from italy from igor zamberlan and another from uwe kirbach in germany (to come).
be open minded. if you use the speakers the way they were designed to be used, they will sound much better and play way more music in an enjoyable manner.
best,
b@m |
m, does the pre have a processing loop?
you want to hook the bam up so that it is buffered by the tube line output stage of the pre amp and then it will sound as it can. between the pre and power is after the tube line output stage so the bam is not buffered. the bam also has a capacitive input and used between a pre and power amp will sound leaner and less complete.
try calling the pre manufacturer and see if they will add a processing/tape loop for you.
just a thought.
also just to see what i mean, try cdp out to bam and bam to cd input and then compare to bam between pre and power. you will hear it both ways and sense what you are missing. this is a worthwhile experiment and says it all.
best,
b |
howard,
a great speaker can play any kind of music, period. doesn't matter if it is classical, jazz, bluegrass, rock, electronic or heavy metal. the most natural will make any of the music types sound more natural too. now if you want a speaker to act as a tone control for different recording qualities, we do not do that as you know.
best,
b |
paul,
he is getting some new audio reasearch gear as far as i know, i can't wait to hear what he thinks of it. had a chat with him about the fila but he had already gone in a different direction.
best, b |
marty,
see if you can find a used bel 1001a.
ss but i think no feedback and low damping.
have a friend that used otls and prefers this amp on his vsm mxs.
your mxes sound more fleshed out and richer than mxs so they sound wonderful with ss, imho. and...should be even better sounding with this amp.
let me know if you find one and how you like it.
best,
b |
m, we can upgrade the bam to a dual input version if need be but if you have more sources than 2, you are in the same position. again, call the pre distributor or manufacturer and see if they can add a tape/processor loop. if not then i am sorry to say that you will have to sell the speakers. the bam is a very important piece and if you have a pair of mmes or mxes, you are lost without it. what pre is it?
best,
b |
d, you are are correct of course but imho, the sbam sounds better buffered by the tube line output stage of the pre.
m, using the bam between the pre and power to have multiple functions is still a whole lot better than not using the bam at all. sometimes you have to do what you have to do.
best,
b |
arkio,
no 3 or 4 ways planned.
"I don’t think I want to have to add subs. I think at that price range you should be able to get a decent speaker that can do it all very well."
i really can't offer an opinion on this forum about this because it would most certainly cross the line. if you want to call me at the factory i will tell you what i feel about this and what you may miss. 585 367 2390 |
as i said m, try the bam between the cdp and the pre and then in between the pre and power to compare the buffered and unbuffered sound. this will give you the idea immediately. i know what i prefer but that does not mean you will. if you prefer it buffered then have your pre modified with a processing loop.
the benefits of a bam type filter proprietery to any speaker would almost be as obvious as it is to the vsm. it is much more than just an equalizer and phase correction device. the amount of im distortion and 2nd and 3rd order harmonic distortion removed makes it a must.
secondly, you really have to judge if the speakers are providing you with what you want in sound. if they are conveying what you need then you will get the pre modified to get the most out of them. they may also convey more than you expected with the bam between the pre and power.
you have to be the judge.
but, if the speakers are used the way they were designed to be used you will get more out of them. this i know for sure.
one of the most famous reviewers in europe is using a dual input bam for cds and phono with great results.
the benefits of the bam far outweigh any potential negative aspect.
good luck,
b |
m,
always the same cable in and out. use of different cables will result in a character clash and a reduction in fidelity.
that said, you may want to experiment with cables to an degree at a later date to see if your new system is as good sounding as it can be. call me at 585 367 2390 for a discussion about this, i will not do it here. the speakers work, sound and were designed to do certain things. it would be good for you to hear this 1st hand.
what model do you have? describe them?
best, b |
m, have you compared the sound of the bam between the pre and power and between the cdp and pre?
i am interested in your findings.
happy weekend!
best, b |
i have read through this a few times now and i think fosse and daveg have a handle on what makes them happy. their specific preference is imho because of what they have in their system. since we are all different in how things affect us, it is possible that we can differ in our opinions. when a sub is used it tends to make less difference where the bam is used because of the added fullness. but in a sub-less system the additional fullness and relaxed nature of the buffered sound makes most happier.
now, if you do not have a tape loop and use multiple sources, use of the bam between the pre and power amp will still benefit the sound much more so than not using it.
try it both ways to see how you like it best.
my very best regards,
bobby |
hi carlos, thanks for your thoughts.
most times this is the way i prefer it but there are always exceptions and those too, are personal.
dr, george you say, in brazil?
:-)
thanks,
b |
bene,
the vsm mxe has a special polymer coat embedded in the finish layers that does a superb job of damping the cabinet surface to a greater degree. the mme does not have this. the finish costs merlin close to $1000 a pair to have done. there is one more cryoed part in the network and a different torque setting for the driver fasteners. the mxe sounds more continuous and centered to the midrange making it more expansive than the mme by a slim margin. the mme is ever so slightly more relaxed in the mids making the central and upper bass slightly fuller by comparison. the mme is superb with ss or leaner tubes while the mxe is better with all out tube systems. both sound very similar. the mme is easier to get great sound out of because it is slightly more forgiving while the mxe is capable of more but you need more of a system to show this off.
if you need more information please call me at the factory at 585 367 2390.
best regards,
bobby |
glad i could be of help pw.
the mme sounds like the way for you to go imho.
remember too that by the 15th of october the us price will be going up and be much closer to the german one.
this i can say with 100% certainty.
the us retail of the vsm mme is going up $2,255.
cost increases and other pressures from overseas make it necessary.
remember to use the lead free jumpers and a single speaker wire for best results.
best,
b |
