Merlin VSM-mm's a good value at $3000 used?


Hi,

Quick question. I am looking to spend about 3K used, and several people seem to be very happy with the Merlin floorstanding monitor VSM-mm. These are going used for about $3000. Would you say this is a good value at the used price? Preferred music is jazz, classical, and some modern, electronic jazz mixes (I love THE NECKS, for example). Room is about 11x18x10 (with some spillover into a larger room at the end). I would also have the option of a 14x24 room. Electronics TBD-whatever works best, as I have no issues swapping out my current gear with something more suited to the task. I guess the only thing that I am worried about is the lack of low-end: I would like to get a true full-range sound (although I don't listen to organ music, but would hate to partially lose the bass lines so prominent in jazz, which has happened with past monitors I have owned). Most of the speakers in this price range are 3 to 5 ways, so it seems hard to believe that a simple 2-way can reproduce the full-range of the larger speakers. Darn, I wish I had an audition, but there is nobody within a few hours of me here! Obviously there are lots of options for $3K used (Legacy Focus, Tyler Sig System, Audio Physic Virgo III) but it seems difficult to find a bad word about the Merlin's, with several people going through mulitple upgrades over time, as new models come out. Thanks for your help!
dawgcatching

Showing 2 responses by gregm

I never really understood the question of “Can these speakers (whatever they may be) fill my room…
I hear you -- but what they mean is, "can the speakers pressurize my room?"

A small spkr in a big room won't. It may play plenty loud -- but screach or reach its thermal limits.

BTW, 75dB @ 3m is quite loud. You probably reach more than 90dB during musical peaks.
Our ears are very sensitive to harmonic distortion in the bass.
This is news to me. In the old times, our ears' sensitivity hit the ceiling over 300Hz to ~6kHz (ballpark figures).

HD in the bass can reach very high levels; 3% at equal loudness (as per F-M or "phon" curve) is extremely good. But, usually, HD in the bass is perceived as bloated midbass...

Fletcher-Munson egual loudness curves imply that 3rd order harmonic distortion from a 20 Hz fundamental needs to be below 1%, or over 38 dB down, in order that it is less loud than the 20 Hz fundamental!!!
Here you've lost me, too. You are referring to the "phon" curve?