Kmmorgan,
The MX is a very new introduction and was shown to the public for the first time at the CES in Vegas. Rich Brkich, one of my best friends only heard it about ten days before the show so there are none in the field. We have already sold out months of production and are in the process of stock piling the necessary parts. We begin limited production of the MX the first week of February.
Bobby@merlin
|
Kmmorgan,
The VSM M with the BAM is quite simply a speaker to build a system around. With the correct selection of upstream components, wire and power conditioning, will bring years of listening pleasure.
The Kharma's are fine speakers but do not convey the same emotional connection to the music (to my ear) that my VSM M set up does in my rig. It is a matter of taste, economy and ultimately an emotional connection to the music that matters the most. To me, the Merlin's deliver it it spades.
Factor in the almost unbeleivable customer support that Bobby@merlin delivers and they are truely the bargin speaker of the high end that will deliver years of listening pleasure!! |
Bobby,
Why do you say, "IMHO, the Tenor is a better match with the 3.2 than the Merlin and the Joule is a better match with the Merlin than the 3.2. Comparing the 3.2s and Tenor to the Joule and Merlin VSM M or MX would prove quite interesting."? Have you had a chance to listen to the Tenor's with your speakers? I have listened to all the combinations, and I think you would be in for a real surprise.
You build a fine speaker and I am not going to get into why I greatly prefer the Kharmas, because like you, I am in the industry and have a vested interest. I would suggest that your post certainly would keep any Tenor owner from considering owning your speaker.
Jonathan Tinn
Chambers Audio |
Thanks Kevin for your input. I heard others say the same as you. On the other hand, Bob Harley said it was the best to his ears. My yardstick is live music too. I've played it enough and listened enough over the years and I'm sorry to inform you if you haven't already noted by now that live and recorded are 2 different experiences. One can only hope to capture the essence of the performance through an audio system and to get involved in the performance. In the here and now I'm just afraid to report I haven't heard it duplicated. btw, I did enjoy the Merlin room more than any other room at that show, NYC 2002, of course I may be prejudiced :) |
Rcr, if you used the VSM without the BAM then you never really heard the speaker. In my opinion, the BAM is a make or break unit with the speaker. I would not have owned my pair for several years without it. It makes that big a difference. You mentioned "deeper and tighter bass". That is exactly what the BAM addresses. It makes the speaker play lower, and just as importantly, enables the speaker to play more accurately throughout its range because of the filtering of sub bass. Because the woofer is not trying to play a 20hz signal it is able to be that much more accurate within the range it is being asked to play - bass, midrange, etc.
Kmmorgan, I have not heard the MX yet but from opinions I am reading it is a pretty dramatic step up from the "M". I'm not sure there are more than a few pairs in the field given how recent the change is. When you are talking about speakers of the quality of Kharma and Merlin you really have to listen for yourself. An investment like that is worth a trip.
Good luck. |
I recently heard the Kharma CR1's with Tenor's. Absolutely a phenomenal combo. One of the best soundstages I have ever heard and high's that were airy and open. The bottom end is also very tight and extended, with no bloat. In some ways I wish I had NOT heard them, now I want them, and the combo is muy pricey.
Have not heard the Merlin's, but I seriously doubt they could be in the same league, I have rarely heard a better sounding system. The CRM3.2's are supposed to be even better..WoW! |
Hi Rcr,
I'm afraid that you have no idea what the Merlin VSMs sound like without the BAM. The BAM is part of the system and is in fact the speaker's management system. It would be like driving a Vette on 3 wheels and saying that its handling and acceleration are suspect. Resolution, depth, extension, purity, tonal balance and dynamics are all greatly improved when it is used. There is also the matter of which finish Merlin VSM you had because the clearcotes are quite superior in resolution again. IMHO, the Tenor is a better match with the 3.2 than the Merlin and the Joule is a better match with the Merlin than the 3.2. Comparing the 3.2s and Tenor to the Joule and Merlin VSM M or MX would prove quite interesting.
Bobby@merlin |
Rcr I would expect that without the BAM what you heard was quite a bit leaner presentation than what you would hear with it. If you have not heard this speaker with the BAM in full battery mode I am confident your listening impressions would be different with reference to texture, density, image depth, soundstaging and tonal balance not to mention bass which is in a different league taking into strong consideration the power rating and damping factor of the amp to be used. On the other hand, I didn't hear the Kharmas with the Tenor which seems to be a synergistic match of the highest order. Some day I hope to. |
"I had the opportunity to hear the 3.2's with Lamm electronics and felt it was easily among the most musically involving systems at the show."
I really do believe most audiophiles have lost touch with what has to be considered the reference point for hifi sound: live music. I was at the NY show as well. The Kharma 3.2/Lamm room was a standout in my mind too-- as Worst Sound at Show. Highlighted edge definition, thinness, stridency... this system had it all. So your opinion of what sounds good is very different from mine. I don't know what your yardstick is, but mine is live music. That being the case, IMO the Merlin gets miles closer. |
I totally agrre with Jwaugh. The Merlins are very nice speakers and very difficult to beat at its price range, but the Kharmas are a very special thing matched with Tenor (I haven't heard them with Joule Electra).
I own a pair of Tenor 75wi that have been working well with the Merlins for more than one year, BUT, when a tried the Kharma CRM 3.2F in my room, I felt in love inmediately and inevitably: bigger and more coherent soundstage, deeper and tighter bass (I owned the Merlins without BAM), and overall the famous and unknown for me until that moment "timbral accuracy". The textures of all the instruments are unbelievable, specially the strings in classical music. Tenor plus Kharma represents the more involving musical experience I have experienced.
Merlins are great, with very good service, but Kharmas are, at least matched with Tenor, in another league IMO.
Good luck |
I certainly can't offer the depth of experience Jacob has since he owned and listened extensively to both the Kharmas and Merlins but I would like to comment. At the home entertainment show in NYC I had the opportunity to hear the 3.2's with Lamm electronics and felt it was easily among the most musically involving systems at the show. Of course there is nothing like hearing a system in your own environment maximally tweeked to your taste. In other words, I'm sure the Kharmas can sound much better than they did.
I've owned the Merlins for almost 4 years and can say there is nothing I've heard in the interim that would make me want to own something else. They are tonally accurate and efficient,like the Kharmas and have electrostatic like speed and clarity. The point is that at this level of performance it may not be as clear cut as it seems on the surface. The Kharmas aesthetically are beautiful speakers and sonically may appeal more but I doubt they are better, just more preferable to some listeners. I'm certain I could live with them but my listening impressions sided with the Merlins because they have a liveness that IS more important to me. The Kharmas seemed a bit darker but none the less very clear and extremely involving, YMMV.
My comments are to offer a perspective that at this level of performance there is no substitute for personal audition, especially considering your room size and musical preferences. Musical involvement being the goal, I would expect each of these designs would offer what you are looking for, only you can decide which one does the better job of it. |
There is an obvious price difference, but the CRM3.2f with enigma is in a different league frankly. I have owned both the latest VSM-M and the 3.2crm with enigma. The Kharma is much more vibrant with very large images, huge soundstage and tonal accuracy in a combination that amazed me and a number of other seasoned audiophiles. One of my friends previously lamented on my selling the CRMs as "the only pair of [my] speakers [he] actually liked" before my new ones arrive...
If they are in your price range, try to audition them, but expect to fall in love - especially with the Tenor. I am sure you will find a lot of comments on these archived.
Don't get me wrong, though. The Merlins are excellent too. I bought a pair so I can enjoy my system while I wait for my replacements to be delivered... and am enjoying them!
Well, I am sure you'll get a lot of comments, so I'll leave it at that for now.
Hope that helps...
Jacob |
