Merrill Audio ELEMENT 118 on Tour

I’ve heard all of Merrill’s gear. It’s very very good. Worth the price. Clean. Lightning fast. Bottomless noise floor. No flavor at all. Truly transparent. I don’t doubt that it would beat or at least match a shootout with most gear out there. Try to hear them. They are something special. 

Bill.

Thanks for the link.  My local B & N no longer sells Hi-Fi+. Alas, the Merrill is not anywhere close to my budget, but it seems to be the current (npi) future of amplifiers. What will Putzy counter with? I think I read where he's totally rethinking it

Ric seems to suggest that the only basic difference is ~ $100 for GaNs. Im guessing there is way more to it than that

ricevs,
I'm with you.  I posted on your latest comment at the very bottom, page 2.

EnjoyTheMusic.com puts out a review on the Merrill Audio ELEMENT 116 Monoblocks and surprisingly covers the VERITAS, and other Hypex Ncore NC1200 Implementations.

http://www.enjoythemusic.com/superioraudio/equipment/0619/Merrill_Audio_Element_116_Veritas_Review.h...

Other news - Merrill Audio ELEMENT 116 Monoblocks now available for listening in Hong Kong. Send me PM for listening info. Driving the MBLS's.

Looks as if the Veritas monos are holding their own against the E 116...And 10G less to boot...8)

The " stated " signal to noise ratio on the Veritas seems to be much lower than on the 116, 128 db vs. 110 db. Is this a mistake ?

As a violinist, I think this latest review by Dr. Michael Bump is reasonably informative.  Many audiophiles describe sound in terms of width, depth, decay.  These are all derived characteristics, particularly width and depth which are subjective, whereas the fundamentals of music are frequency balance and extension, transient response and tone.  Dr. Bump certainly describes the amps with the educated ear of a professional musician whose training and present activity revolve around clarity and precision, as he states.  These are the most important characteristics of both live and reproduced music.  It would have been more informative if he compared the 116 and Veritas in the checklist at the conclusion.  Importantly, the 116 is given the maximum 5 notes for attack, but is the Veritas only 4 or 4.5 notes?  I didn't research any prior review of the Veritas in the same magazine which could have been done by someone else.  Maybe they rated Veritas as 5 notes for attack, but what counts is how a single reviewer rates both products in various criteria.  Dr. Bump is very articulate, but it helps to see numerical ratings as a summary at the end.

I hope the upcoming review comparison by Srajan in 6 moons of the prototype amp with Purifi module and the 116 is properly informative.  Let's keep our eyes peeled.

User comments on audition of Merrill Element 116 mono amps: https://www.whatsbestforum.com/threads/merrill-element-116-audition-in-hong-kong-a-new-era-of-classd.28526/

bill_k711

wow.

Thanks for sending me deep into yet another rabbit hole lol

Here's a few snippets from around the world on the 60 grand euro SPEC, their 100w is a mere $5999, neither the wpc nor the price work for me

2019   ‘Amplifiers SPECa compared to my reference system, i.e., preamplifier Ayon Audio Spheris III and power amplifier Soulution 710. I also used my notes and memories of the other tests, the range-topping amps:Kondo OnGaku, Phasemation MA-1000, AudioPax Maggiore l50 + m50and Thöress Dual Function Preamplifier + 845 Mono’.

Become however together with You, in front of a special challenge – that a company known for still of high quality, expensive amplifiers produced amp cost more, model RPA-MG1000 – this is one of the most expensive amplifiers on the market. It cost 60 000 euros device regular power amplifier, but in practice is an integral amplifier. We'll come back to that.

Importantly, besides the price, is that the amplifiers are SPECIAL working in class D. In the materials that I received in may 2013 during the exhibition the High End, it's the first time I met with the owners of Shirokazu Yazaki you and Tsutomu Banno – present chief engineer of the company – we find an eloquent picture, which shows the progres from tube amplifiers, known as "generation" 1.", through classic amps of the semiconductor, i.e. "generation 2.", to the new amplifiers in class D, which is 3. generation of amplifiers in General.

And we are not talking at all about what the Lord Yazaki-San and Banno-San does not like lamps, all exactly the opposite-they are the experts on lamps develop wonderful amplifiers of this type. It is just that I see the benefits that new technology brings. So they can be used for making any of this made sense to approach the project the right way and choose the right methods. For them, the key to achieving top-end sound from semiconductors is their work in class D.

In the tested amplifier was both types of capacitors. And this is because the SPEC gives the user a choice of sound character. For the first time this possibility was introduced in przedwzmacniaczu gramofonowym REQ-S1EX in 2013, but here taken to extremes. On a separate Board, after the filter in the output, we have two groups of capacitors and resistors. One of them is called "musicality", and the second "neutrality". This is not EQ color because it does not change the sensitivity characteristics (measurement frequency characteristics for both systems are identical) and changed the layoutthe character of the sound. Between these two modes selectable with a small switch on the rear panel.If for a moment to discard prejudices – because of bad amplifiers in class D is a lot – and we will focus on the basics, it may be easier to understand what it's wrote in the part dedicated to odsłuchom.

  http://highfidelity.pl/@main-3464&lang=

Here is my first-hand experience with the Element 118 monoblocks along with the Christine preamp.  First of all, I would like to thank Merrill for sending both the Element 118s and the Christine preamp to me for evaluation.  I have had them in my home for the past few weeks.  Full disclosure, I have no financial relationship with Merrill.  Merrill was not even aware I would be posting this. 

A bit of background.  I have been in the hunt for my ideal amp for several years now, first for my Martin Logan Renaissance 15A hybrid electrostats and more recently, for my Wilson Alexia 2s.  My priorities are fairly straightforward.  Above all, I seek transparency and resolution but the presentation has to sound natural and non-fatiguing.  For those that have been at this for awhile, you know that this is a tough ask. 

While I listen to all genres, I listen predominantly to unamplified acoustical performances, especially large orchestral and chamber music.  This is the most challenging type of music for an electronic audio system to convincingly reproduce.  If my musical preferences consisted primarily of amplified studio recordings like Adele or Journey (and I do enjoy this type of music), I know I would have been content with my setup long ago.   Furthermore, my preference is not to sit in the balcony or even the stalls, but on the stage itself. I crave immediacy and vibrancy but again, it has to sound natural and non-fatiguing.   As a frequent patron of live unamplified performances up close, I can listen for hours and listening fatigue is never an issue.

Back in 2017, Merrill was kind enough to loan me a pair of his Thor monoblocks for audition.  Some time after, I was able to briefly audition a pair of Merrill's Veritas that were owned by a colleague.  I found these class D amps to not be my cup of tea.  They were neutral sounding and very dynamic with excellent bass but to my ears and in my system, they sounded flat and uninspiring.  While they did some things better than a Pass Labs X350.8 that I was also evaluating at the time, Merrill's amps did not sound as natural to my ears.  

As I have read reviews of Merrill's new Element amplifiers, it seems everyone has been raving about them in comparison to Merrill's old Veritas amps.  As someone who was never really a fan of Merrill's Veritas amps, I found these reviews to be unhelpful.  What about comparing against amplifiers from other established top tier manufacturers like Dan D'Agostino, CH Precision, and Soulution?  This is what a group of friends and I have done.

My speakers at home consist of a pair of Wilson Alexia 2s.  We used digital sources only (Chord DAVE DAC and dCS Vivaldi 2.0 DAC fronted by a Paul Hynes powered music server that I built myself).  Cabling consisted of a full loom of High Fidelity Cables Pro Series balanced interconnects and speaker cables.  At some point, the High Fidelity Cables Pro Series speaker cables were swapped out for a set of Danacables Sapphire Reference Mk2 speaker cables (4awg).  

The Element 118 monoblocks + Christine preamp were directly compared against a CH Precision M1.1 stereo amp + L1 preamp, a Dan D'Agostino Momentum Integrated, and Soulution 511 stereo amp + 520 preamp.  While we would have loved to have conducted blinded listening tests, due to time constraints, this was not possible nor was it necessary.  The sound signatures of these amps were so different that any untrained ear could discern differences easily.  As to which amp was best, as any experienced audiophile can tell you, this comes down to system synergy and personal preference and there was no unanimous consensus as to which amp (and preamp) sounded best.

Soulution 511 + 520 -- This is an exquisite pairing and is both very transparent and very resolving although not quite to the level of the Element 118.  This combo is a touch warm relative to the Element 118.  No amp was as fast as the Element 118 although I would not consider the Soulution slow by any means.  In fact, directly compared against anything from Pass Labs and a Luxman M-900u, I found the Soulution (both a 711 and 501) to easily outpace those amps.  The Soulution is every bit as explosive as the Element 118.  Where the Element 118 paints with fine lines, the Soulution paints with broad strokes and so the edges are softer and more forgiving.  The Soulution's bass has more heft but the Element 118's bass is better defined.  The Soulution's bass is better controlled although no one found the Element 118's bass control to be lacking.  The Element 118's midrange has better clarity although vocals can sound a touch thin for my tastes and so this is where the source and cabling can make a difference.  While I preferred the Soulution's midrange, I found the Element 118's treble to be superior and better resolved.  

Dan D'Agostino Momentum Integrated -- This is the artist of the group.  Also very fast and with tremendous slam but what sticks out with this amp is tone.  Beautiful, rich, luxurious, and textured tone.  For intimate vocals, I'm not sure this amp can be beat, even when compared against tubes.  It doesn't have the bass authority or control of the Soulution or the speed, definition and depth accuracy of either the CH Precision or the Element 118 but it's not a slackard in these areas either and would probably best most other amps.  It is, for sure, the least fatiguing of the group.  This was one amp that I could listen to forever.

CH Precision M1.1 + L1 -- This setup is closest to the Element 118 with regards to sound signature.  It is equally uncolored and very fast and incisive.  With the wrong source and cables, it can sound a touch thin.  With the right setup, it competes with the Element 118 as the most transparent and resolving amplifier of the group.  It is also the most expensive setup of the group but in this case, you get what you pay for.  It had the best explosiveness of the amps tested while remaining supremely controlled.  It also had the best depth accuracy of the group.  I'm not talking about the air around instruments that people equate to depth but rather true depth accuracy where an organ that is playing 30 feet away sounds as if it is 30 feet away.  With the very best orchestral recordings we played, the CH Precision M1.1 + L1 edged out all the other amp/preamp combinations although the Element 118 + Christine were not far behind.

Element 118 + Christine -- Class D or otherwise, Merrill's flagships belong in the conversation of "best of" with respect to technical performance.  I would agree with Merrill, I don't think I've heard a faster amp than the 118 and this is what is responsible for its tremendous transparency and resolution.  Couple speed with a very low noise floor, excellent clarity, explosive dynamics but also subtlety and nuance, and you have a world beater regardless of price.  Will it be everyone's cup of tea?  If you are fully enamored by the qualities of your 300B SET, then this amp may not be for you although I wouldn't automatically dismiss it without a personal audition.  You just might find its qualities too good to resist.

Are there downsides to the Element 118 + Christine?  Again, these are personal preferences and so view them as such but the Element 118's speed comes at the expense of tonal body.  Especially at low volumes, this amp can sound a touch thin.  My Chord DAVE DAC, which is the most transparent and most resolved DAC I have heard (when paired with Chord's M-Scaler) also sounds a touch thin when compared against my friend's dCS Vivaldi and so while the Chord DAVE pairs extremely well with the Soulution, the Vivaldi is a better match for the Element 118.  I would imagine that a Lampizator or Nagra would be an even better source.  Same thing with cables.  With both the Element 118 and CH Precision M1.1, the superior resolution of the High Fidelity Cables Pro speaker cables were too much of a good thing and I preferred the softer and more diffuse presentation of the Danacables Sapphire Mk2 speaker cables.  I would imagine the Element 118s would be a dream with speakers that image diffusely like electrostats or magneplanars.  

As for the Christine preamp, this is an excellent preamp with tremendous speed, dynamics, and an ultra low noise floor and not surprisingly, is an ideal complement to the Element 118.  It incorporates a unique feature that Merrill calls a "soft landing."  This means that transients never have a hard edge and this feature, according to Merrill, is responsible for the Christine's fatigue-free presentation.  This quality turned out to be a double-edged sword for me.  On the one hand, recordings with a hard edge were indeed much more listenable and less fatiguing, but on the other hand, I missed the sharp and crisp transient that one hears when a guitar is plucked.  To be fair, there were some in my group who found this quality very much to their liking.  I did try the Element 118 with other preamps including an Ayon Spheris III tube preamp and the Soulution 520 preamp and I found these combinations to definitely have their appeal.

There are other practical considerations worth noting.  First of all, I found both the Christine and especially the Element 118s to indeed be sensitive to power cords and line conditioning.  When I plugged either component into a non-dedicated circuit with 14awg wire in the walls using cheap 14awg power cords, SQ was good but nowhere as good as when these components were powered by my HFC Pro Series power cords and plugged into my dedicated circuits with 6awg wire in the walls.  Perhaps the biggest difference maker was when these components were plugged into my Sound Application TT7 line conditioner by Jim Weil.  This line conditioner made a tremendous difference with respect to even better transient response, clarity, smoothness, and noise floor.  To be fair to the Element 118, Dan D'Agostino also states in his manual that under no circumstances should his amplifiers be plugged into a line conditioner and yet when I plug his Momentum Integrated amp into my TT7 line conditioner, the improvement heard is once again very significant.

One final consideration worth noting.  With the Element 118 monoblocks and the Christine preamp, neither of these components consume more than about 15-20 watts each while idle.  In fact, I measured each monoblock to consume 17 watts while idle.  This is, of course, the benefit of using efficient switching power supplies and class D topology.  Even after leaving the monoblocks and preamp plugged in and turned on for days on end, they always remained cool to the touch.  In fact, these units don't have on and off switches since there's no point.  There is a standby function which, according to Merrill, serves only to "mute" these units.  This means that these components are meant to be kept on 24/7 so that they're ready to play and sound their best at any time without denting your energy bill or heating up your room.  

WOW. This is the way all reviewers should write, but not many have the access to such relative kit

Viber7,
Many thanks for your informative review of the 118, which I found helpful because we have similar values/tastes in music and audio. Mike Fremer in a recent Stereophile found the CH Precision 1.1 to have a touch of warmth but otherwise reasonably good detail. Do you find the same? Coolness of tonality may be associated with fatigue and HF extension but is somewhat different from thinness. The new Boulder 1160 amp has been reviewed as extremely revealing. Although some people have found previous Boulders as having very cool/ruthless tonality, the 1160 and possibly the lighter lower powered 1161 may be serious competition for the Merrill 116/118 for sound quality. I wonder if the 118’s still non fatiguing nature suggests that it is warmer and not quite as revealing in upper mid/HF range as the Boulder. I don't know if the 118 amp has the same soft landing feature as the Christine preamp, but I am concerned that you found the guitar plucks rounded and not as lifelike sharp as they are in real life.  Unamplified guitar is not loud, so this is a red flag for me in that the Merrill duo may be somewhat forgiving at all volume levels.  As you know, live classical music up close can be fatiguing at high SPL, such as hearing a trumpet projecting its bell toward your ears. In fact, the conductor Benjamin Zander said that Mahler wanted the brass section to play as loud as they can at the climax in the 1st movement of the 5th Symphony. The object of high fidelity in audio systems is to play the music at a sensible volume so that maximum clarity can be heard, without the fatigue that comes mainly from blasting the volume.  Another way to say this is that an accurate amp will sound fatiguing at unnaturally loud SPL, but reveal all the detail at lower SPL while avoiding fatigue.

viber7...  Did you buy the Merrills? Or are you moving on?

viber7,
I usually don't read long post, but I read your entire post/review. It's great to read thoughtful reviews that differentiate between components without the hyperbole.

@Viber7 just curious what ac cords did you use with the Element 118’s since they require a 220 plug at the amp end even though it’s a 120v design? We all know (don’t we) that power cords can make a BIG difference.
BTW great write-up.

Viber6, 

Neutral, cool, warm, grey, etc. mean different things to different people and so I don't always know what people mean when they use these terms.  Right or wrong, I define neutrality as a flat frequency response where no part of the frequency response is exaggerated in any way and so this is more of an ideal rather than something that can be realistically achieved.  I define warmth as a sound that is tilted more toward the bass frequencies where the treble, while present is quieter and more subdued.  The opposite of warm is bright.  Forced to choose, I would pick warmth over brightness.  I'm not exactly sure what "cool" or "grey" means when people use these terms.  Perhaps a U-shaped curve where both the bass and treble are rolled off?  Regardless, I find these terms useful only when compared against some known reference.

In my case, my reference is the piano in my listening room and so this is "neutral."  Since I have never heard an electronic audio system sound exactly like my piano, I have never heard anything sound completely neutral.  When I listen to a piece of audio gear, I will play a piano track and compare it against my own piano and establish tonal temperature from there.  The problem with this is that some piano tracks that I have were recorded in warm environments (i.e. Carnegie Hall) and can come across as warm while other performances can sound relatively brighter and so what I have done is I have recordings of my own piano playing in my room and so I compare these recordings to the real thing.  

Using this technique, I found each of these amplifiers to sound warm relative to my piano with the Soulution sounding warmest of all followed by the D'Agostino.  The CH Precision and Element 118 sounded the closest to neutral.  As none of these combinations sounded "bright," I found none of them to be objectionable.  

Regarding this "soft landing," while the Christine preamp sounds rounded, the Element 118s do not.  Using my DAVE DAC to directly drive the Element 118s, these amps will express sharp transients as sharp transients to the point of fatigue.  These are truly transparent amps.

As for live classical music, I agree that a full orchestra has the potential to sound too loud and fatiguing if you are seated right next to the horn section.  As a frequent patron of the Davies Hall in San Francisco, the most expensive and most desired seats do not include the front row and so the front row is often available and so my wife and I deliberately choose these seats.  The beauty of this position is that with violin concertos, for example, the full emotion of the violinist comes through from these seats in a way that cannot be gleaned from further back.  I can even hear the performers breath.  Moreover, the depth perception between the 1st and 2nd violinist is easily discernible from this position but not from further back and so I find the complexity of the sounds that I hear to be better layered and more easily discerned and it is this detail delineation and depth of field that separates the best audio systems from more mediocre ones for me.  Fortunately, the stage has enough depth where the horns aren't blaring in my ears from this position.  Even after a 2.5 hour performance, I have never experienced fatigue from these seats.  The exception to the rule might be a spectacle like Mahler's 8th where the perspective from further back might be better than the front row but given the choice, almost always I prefer the front row.  The same thing applies to my home audio system but obviously, at home, you can control the volume.

What you have the equipment mounted on makes all the difference in the world.  All footers change the sound.....all platforms change the sound....all things under the platform change the sound.  Almost all stock footers can be improved by using aftermarket ones.  If I were A/Bing expensive amps like above I would have at least a half dozen different footers and platforms to play with (and of course, power cords).  Also, mass loading on top of the amp or whatever can be amazing.  You can use lead shot, damped weights, etc.  Lighter equipment generally needs more mass loading.  You must mount every amp in the same position and with the same feet to know the difference in the amps and then tweak each one for best sound with different feet/loading etc.  Yes, it takes time but is well worth it.  Just did a listening test the other day and the person who owned the system told me the difference between two different footers under the amp was "the difference between a sale or not"..........This guy had his speaker wires on the floor and when we put them up in the air the sound was incredibly better.  I hope you guys have all your cables off the floor.....otherwise you are not hearing what a real soundstage is like. 

ricevs, et al,

I too am a believer that all cables sound best when off the floor.

Years ago I demonstrated this in a friends system (all top BAT, CEC spinner with MSB dac AND several exotic TTs with multiple arms, and $5K+ cartridges). His speakers were custom frame Acoustat 4+4s with 2 servo amps per side: the offending cables were very long interconnects laying across thick carpet. The improvement was significant, better speed, better high frequencies, better everything

Recently I bought a set of cool looking speaker cable risers from an AGon seller and showed them to my friend David Salz (WireWorld). He chuckled and said they aren’t necessary when the cables are correctly designed. Well, since my speaker cables (and ICs) are WW. I removed them and noticed zero benefit. $50 down the drain.

All my components are resting on Machina Dynamic springs, which provide huge vibration isolation benefits for peanut money

My definition of cool- neutral- warm is based on several factors, like whether the singer, hollow body guitar, cymbals, piano keys/board... sound natural

Some systems get the leading edge of the pluck, but lack the resonance inside the hollow body guitar, or vice versa

or get the strike of the cymbal but lack the shimmer or warm sound of the brass, or vice versa

or with a singer where the voice is all head and no chest,  or vice versa

or the piano where you hear the keys but not the board or the sound/size of the body,  or vice versa

Do not discount the contribution of vibration control which seems to be an afterthought in many systems 

@rsf507 - With all due respect I believe you're mistaken regarding the IEC jack on the Element 118, which is the 20 amp version instead of the more common 15 amp. It has no relation to the amp's required voltage, but a 20 amp IEC generally offers a more secure physical connection along with higher current capacity compared to the 15 amp IEC.

All good points regarding vibration control and I wholeheartedly agree on its importance.  Regarding the Element 118s, Merrill incorporated a very novel means of controlling for vibration via a combination of a pair of stainless steel outriggers and Isoacoustics GAIA II footers.  The way these amps are constructed, with these outriggers in place, it's impossible to apply aftermarket footers such as the Stillpoints Ultra 5s or HRS Vortex that I own and so it's hard to know if I would prefer something other than the stock footers but at the very least, Merrill definitely put thought into this.  Furthermore, it's implemented very tastefully.

@rsf507 , I tried a variety of power cords with both the Element 118s and the Christine.  Of the 2, the 118s are more responsive to power cords.  

Yes, @bill_k is correct, the 118s use 20A IEC inlets but Merrill chose these because of their ability to more securely clamp onto the power cord rather than a need for a 20A supply.  As stated, these amps consume about 17 watts while idle and even during normal playback levels, these amps never consumed more than about 25 watts on average.  Just mind boggling for amps that can supposedly output up to 1600w each.

Having said that, these amps scaled very nicely to either the Shunyata Sigma NR (6awg) or Alpha NR (8awg) power cords I have on hand although my preferred power cord for all of my gear are High Fidelity Cables power cords.

@viber7
Just to set the record straight for those reading, I did not design or invent the term, "Soft landing" as stated in the paragraph, 

As for the Christine preamp, this is an excellent preamp with tremendous speed, dynamics, and an ultra low noise floor and not surprisingly, is an ideal complement to the Element 118. It incorporates a unique feature that Merrill calls a "soft landing." This means that transients never have a hard edge and this feature, according to Merrill, is responsible for the Christine's fatigue-free presentation.

This was from Marshall Nack so I would like to give him the credit for this. You can read more in his review here.
https://positive-feedback.com/reviews/hardware-reviews/christine-preamplifier-merrill-audio/

Many thanks viber7 for providing such a detailed, thorough and investigative report, not to mention the amount of gear put together to make this happen. It has always been a pleasure having this candid exchange with you over the years.  You provide a good contribution to the audio world.

@mattnshilp  a shout out to him also for helping with the original design challenges of form and function. The outriggers were his idea and he also did the final design tweaks.

Regarding the Element 118s, Merrill incorporated a very novel means of controlling for vibration via a combination of a pair of stainless steel outriggers and Isoacoustics GAIA II footers. The way these amps are constructed, with these outriggers in place, it's impossible to apply aftermarket footers such as the Stillpoints Ultra 5s or HRS Vortex that I own and so it's hard to know if I would prefer something other than the stock footers but at the very least, Merrill definitely put thought into this. Furthermore, it's implemented very tastefully.

@guidocorona  provided the insight to use 20A connectors for better connections. I agree and believe everyone should uses this, especially if they are upgrading the power lines and power outlets.

As with all my equipment, many, many audiophiles are engaged for listening, feedback on form and function in the design phase. Many thanks to them all for their time and for use of their systems for listening to ensure broad working function. 
The best compliment is when some say it is a bit arm and others say it is a bit cold. The middle is reached!

Back to  @viber7 , thank you again for the honest reporting.

cheers

Merrill

Viber7,
Thanks for your well expressed clarification, particularly how the 118 by itself keeps the guitar and related transient rich instruments sharp and clear, in contrast to the Christine which has a softening effect.  I also like your methodology of recording your own piano playing in your room as a reference point.  Actually, I have never been happy about the sound of any piano in a room.  Even a 6 foot grand piano needs a room at least the size of a small recital hall to sound its best, free of the stifling affect of nearby walls and low ceiling.  In a typical home, the piano is bass heavy in a similar way to how large speakers sound in a tiny room, but much worse.  So by doing the recording in your room, you brilliantly correct for this effect.  Even with my own listening to a piano in the home, I can still tell that the percussive effect at all freq is tight like a mallet striking an anvil, which is not at all like the woolly mush coming from many tube amps and some euphonic SS amps.  

Although I agree that terms like "cool" mean different things to different people, let me propose a simple way to describe what I mean.  Compare the sound of a flute, oboe, clarinet playing the same note A 440 Hz at the same volume level.  The flute has a "cooler" or "whiter" sound than the oboe or clarinet, possibly due to the fact that its overtone structure is skewed toward higher freq.  The 3 instruments all have most of their energy at the fundamental A 440 Hz, but the differences in complete tone are related to different proportions and phases of the higher overtones.  The oboe and clarinet sound more similar to each other than to the flute, with the oboe possibly sounding brighter due to the nasal piercing quality of its harmonics.  In my vocabulary, cool is like bright with more HF proportion, and warm is like dark with less HF proportion and more bass.  

What is happening with the 6moons review of the 114?  Srajan seems to be bored.  "To be continued" has been there for a month or so.

Hot off the Press from Dr. David Robinson, and his final impressions on the ELEMENT 118. Along with a good sampling of his albums and pictures. I am most impressed with his Stowkowski, although no the original pressing.
https://positive-feedback.com/audio-discourse/impressions-final-thoughts-on-the-merrill-audio-element-118/

If anyone would like to do a bake off, bring your amps to the VPI house in Matawan, NJ Sept 28th and 29th. Or arrange with any of the dealers in NJ who have the ELEMENT 116 and ELEMENT 118 each.

@viber6  Regarding 6 Moons and the ELEMENT 114 - that is enroute to 6moons. see their front page on updates from Srajan. 

Also many thanks for your violin recital and comparisons. that was certainly a very informative and entertaining recital and discussion. I which I could post pictures here but I will do that on my facebook page. 

Look forward to more listening on your speakers especially.