As some of you know I had to deal with a serious family medical issue which has been miraculously cured. So the new ELEMENT amplifiers are getting out to all those asking about them and the few lucky ones that have purchased them.
The ELEMENT 118 and ELEMENT 116 will be going out to reviewers and on tour to various audiophiles and dealers. So more will be showing up. I will provide a short trail and welcome questions and comments, all in good spirit.
After years of research and using OEMS, we have a proprietary design that we believe is an order of magnitude improvement over the previous amps and also sets a standard across all the classes of amps in terms on sonics. Of course taking a listen and doing a comparison is the best way to confirm this.
The new design is an open loop, zero feedback, and zero deadtime, using the Gallium Nitride Transistors - which unlike other transistors have close to zero capacitance and hence allow very fast switching. Additionally the PCB and layout is a highly advanced layout that reduces the parasitic capacitance and inductance to near zero, allow close to zero overshoot and ring, and of course the zero deadtime. The open loop, zero feedback, zero deadtime allows a spacious and precision stage with long detailed decays, very fast attack without the parasitics causing other distortions. The first 10 seconds impresses the listener with a musical tone, that is open, wide and fast. The rest is musical immersion.
I will post the systems as they are run through as best I can. Enjoy and I hope you get to listen to the ELEMENT Series of Power Amplifiers near you.
The ELEMENT 116 is touring Texas right now. Soon to be back in NJ. Any one looking for a listen, there are ELEMENT 116 in Northern NJ and soon to be in NYC also.
Good detailed review of Class D and the ELEMENT 118 in the March issue of HiFi+ Magazine, on your newstands now. Alan Sircom, editor and a very good, succient writer dives into both. Take a read.
Merrill Audio Introduces Lower Priced Gallium Nitride Monoblock Power Amplifiers, The ELEMENT 116. For Immediate Release: 9th November 2018 Merrill Audio Advanced Technology Labs, LLC Bernardsville, New Jersey, USA. Following the enormous success of the ELEMENT 118, Merrill Audio is introducing the ELEMENT 116 Monoblocks, with the same Galliium Nitiride Transistos, ZXOL design which has zero feedback and zero dead time. This innovation gives a music reproduction that is full of air, emotion and detail, simply superbly presented with a wider, deeper stage at a lower price point. Using Merrill Audio’s proprietary ZXOL design, the new ELEMENT series of Power Amplifiers are an order of Magnitude better in every sonic characteristic than their previous amplifier range. A great many new technologies are used in the new ELEMENT series, code name Project Oganesson. This is named after the Oganesson element – the latest Atomic element added to the periodic table, OG with atomic number 118. The ELEMENT series of Amplifiers start with the ELEMENT 118, as with Og 118, and continue with ELEMENT 116, ELEMENT 114 which will inherits this technology and advances in audio reproduction. Using a zero feedback, open loop proprietary design which Merrill Audio has code named ZXOL, the ELEMENT 116 Monoblock Power amplifiers give you amazing detail like never before and yet with an immediacy found only in live music. The open loop, zero feedback design takes every advantage of the very latest, fastest transistor material technology using Gallium Nitride. A highly advanced, custom PCB removes almost all of the parasitic inductance and capacitance enabling a superbly fast response with a smooth, controlled sound that capilizes on the full capabilities of the Gallium nitride transistors. Using expertise developed over a decade, the extra special Circuit boards were designed with unique pure copper onboard heatsink for ultra fast thermal transfer and stability, giving large power handling with very low parasitic impedances. 16 pounds of pure copper are used for heatsinks. Only the finest 0.1% tolerance components were used. All wire is silverplated OFC copper, with PTFE sleeving for the best signal transfer and lowest dielectric. The ELEMENT 116 Power Amplifier Monoblocks are package in beautifully engineered chassis that is accented with Rose Gold Acoustical Dampers and faceplate, making it a work as an art piece as well, befitting enjoyment for your ears and your eyes. The ELEMENT 116 Power Amplifier Monoblocks have a huge reserve of power for extended transients, and the power expands linearly with the load - 300 watts into 8 ohms, 600 watts into 4 ohms and 1,200 watts into 2 ohms, for powerful, uncompressed music. Dual, top of the line WBT speaker binding posts provide easy bi-wiring. A 20A IEC AC inlet is used for a tight, excellent connection with heavy power cords. The ELEMENT 116 Monoblock Power Amplifiers includes GAIA III footers from Isoacoustics. All details have been provided for excellent music reproduction. Hear them at the World premiere introduction at the New York Audio Show, room 117 presented by Distinctive Stereo. The ELEMENT 116 Monoblocks are priced at $22,000 a pair. About Merrill Audio Advanced Technology Labs, LLC Merrill Audio Advanced Technology Labs, LLC designs ultra-high end equipment that has been the forefront of technology since its inception in 2011. Merrill Audio based in New Jersey, USA, is known for their excellence in Audio reproduction, using advanced techniques and technologies. To Learn more please contact: Merrill Wettasinghe T.415.562.4434. ELEMENT118@MerrillAudio.net www.MerrillAudio.net Facebook: merrillaudio Twitter @Merrill_Audio
Here is a review of the ELEMENT 1116 versus the VERITAS Monoblocks as posted on Audiogon. This was done by Dr. Michael Bump, Percussionist at Kansas Symphony and Profession of Percussion at the Truman State University. A very good write up and enjoyable read.
So far the ELEMENTs have been to Munich, Hague, Kansas, NJ, CT, WA, NH, France with a few locations in each place. More places to go. They are currently in Netherlands, France, Washington, NJ. Any one looking to compare their amps can take them into listen side by side.
French Horns cozy up to the ELEMENT 116 Power Amplifier Monoblocks. Daniel the new owner heard the ELEMENT 118 at Munich and decided to be the very first customer in Europe with the ELEMENT 116 which have not been announced yet. Daniel claims that his system has never sounded so good.
The ELEMENT 116 power amplifier show here driving horn speakers with a built in passive woofer. There are the Sunny Speakers, very nice sounding. http://www.lauferteknik.com/ was testing out the ELEMENT 116 with very positive results.
To see the Horn speakers, click on the link below.
An afterthought, per the other posts on VERITAS versus the new Merrill Audio proprietary designed ELEMENT 118 Power amplifiers, the new ELEMENT 118 is, IMHO, about an order of improvement over the VERITAS Monoblocks. The ELEMENT 118 has the delicacy and fineness that simply engages. Hopefully you can get listen to a location close to you and do the comparisons for yourself.
The ELEMENT 118 against the VERITAS Monoblocks and another set of Pipedream speakers. This time the Christine Reference Preamp and Jens Reference Phono stage was in place.
Full disclosure: I am a dealer for Merrill Audio products. However, I have been a fan and supporter of
Merrill’s products from my days as a reviewer, well before I began Distinctive
Stereo.
When I first heard the Veritas I was so impressed I put my
money where my mouth is, and purchased 2 sets of monoblocks (so I could bi-amp
my speakers). The Veritas became my
reference amps, and I used them to power every speaker that came through my listening
room.
I recently was able to compare, in my own system, the
Veritas to the Element 116’s. (I did this was a loaner pair; my own pair of
Element 116’s are currently being built, and should arrive within the next few
weeks.) I concur with all that Isaac so eloquently expressed.
The Element 116’s have all the terrific properties that made the Veritas so special
- speed, transparency, bass control, clarity, low noise floor, etc. - but take
them to dramatic new levels. A good as
the Veritas are, the Element 116’s provide a far greater sense of realism, palpability,
and musical flow. While not inexpensive, they will (as do all Merrill Audio products)
compete with products costing far more.
The Element 116’s will work well with other high quality components;
I use them with the Merrill audio Christine linestage preamp and Jens phonostage,
the combination of which is nothing short of extraordinary.
Last, but most assuredly not least, I have also heard the
Element 118’s, though not in my own system.
As great as the Element 116’s are, the Element 118’s bring things to an
entirely new level. (If the 116’s are a
Porsche, the 118’s are a Ferrari). It is
my belief that the Element 118’s will set a new standard for audio
reproduction.
Thank you for looking. The ELEMENT 114 has not been priced yet. It is expected to be between $9k and $12k. We are trying to bring it in as low as possible. The ELEMENT 114 will be a stereo unit which results in a little less stage. The ELEMENT 114 will also have less power. Both of these are difficult to hear unless you have a very resolving system and listen to the ELEMENT 116/ELEMENT 118 side by side. By itself the ELEMENT 114 sounds excellent with all the charateristics fo the ELEMENT 116/ELEMENT 118 - speed,detail, transparency,stage, control, musical and very easy to listen to. The ELEMENT 114 will be released towards the end of the year. All the prototyping has been done. We just have to take it to production and will do so once we clear the backlog of the ELEMENT 118, and the ELEMENT 116 - which has not been announced yet!
Input impedance 100k, output 2mohms. As always, listening is the best gauge of the control and sound.
Sounds like these are world class. How much $ per pair will the Element 114 be and how much of the 116/118 sound will you get and how much power, when will they be released, etc.?
Also, what is the input impedance and output impedance of your new amps? No listings for these in your specs.
To be honest, I have not directly compared the 118’s to the Burmester 911mk3’s yet. I expect each to be world class but have different strengths. So I can’t say 100% that I’m not replacing my 911’s with 118’s, but with the level of performance I have and the synergy I have with the matching Burmester 077 preamp I don’t see me making a change.
Rsf507- nope. What I have is amongst the best there is already. For me to go from what I have to the 118 would be like changing from a Ferrari to a Lamborghini when the Ferrari is already paid off.
But if someone took what I had and left the 118 in its place, I’d be happy as a clam and want for nothing.
The big difference is, the 118’s retail for pretty much half of what my 911mk3 monoblock retail for. Which makes the 118’s extraordinary.
Offering me 2 cents. I have not yet heard the 116 but I am quite familiar with the 118 both sonically and aesthetically. I am also a former Veritas owner. And as I keep it no hidden secret, it took upgrading to a pair of Burmester 911 mk3 monoblocks to make it worth upgrading.
The 118’s are in a different stratosphere then the older Veritas. What they are not, is like any amp you have ever heard. What they are, is astounding. Speed, delicacy, refinement, accuracy and just abjectly silent. The noise floor makes them freaky because with the crazy speed and bottomless noise floor, everything has a sense of harmonic layering and emotional involvement that has made me laugh out loud several times while listening.
Might as well call them the Merrill Audio LOL, cuz that’s what they make you do.
And they are crazy cool looking amps. Fit and finish. Just wow.
Try to hear them. Try to see them. Try to resist them! Lmao. That’s brilliant and cheesy all in one. But they seriously are that good!!!
The ELEMENT 118's driving very low efficiency PipeDreams. This is the original pipe dream speakers, never sold. A new design based on this coming soon.
LOL! Ladder DAC has many complicated issues. Using the the GaN transistors would be like putting rocket fuel in a Ford Pinto - for those that remember the Pinto.
Comparision of Merrill Audio ELEMENT 116 Power Amplifiers to VERITAS Monoblocks based on Hypex NC1200.
This comparison was done by a Merrill Audio dealer in Brooklyn, NY. You can bring your there amps to compare to the ELEMENT 116 at anytime.
Hey Merrill, Thank you for lending them to me for a few days. I had the opportunity of spending the better part of 2 days listening to them and switching back and forth with the Veritas. I took notes, I am planning to write a review… My general impression is WOA! Honestly, they leave the Veritas in the dust. I wont say that in the review of course. The Veritas are great amps and these cost 2ice as much. But there really is no comparison other than the ELEMENT 116 take all of the good qualities of the Veritas and run with them. The metaphor that comes to to mind is this: Imagine the sound image is a relief sculpture. With the Veritas, the image is chiseled with delicacy and finesse. You “see" (hear) all of the details and perceive all of the textures and tones, specially if you focus your attention on any of these qualities. With the ELEMENT 116 Power Amplifiers, the image, its details, textures and tones are even more fine and clear, but, more pointedly, the background from where the images emerge is farther back, more recessed and thus the figures and their contour and placement in the scene is way more evident without effort. So if with the Veritas YOU COULD PERCEIVE THNGS IF YOU PLACED YOU ATTENTION ON THEM, with the ELEMENT 116 Power Amplifiers, it is almost impossible to miss them. They are self-revealing and evident. They jump into space as the music unfolds with natural force and they recede into nothingness with such momentum that you can’t miss them. It is quite something. This was evident in ALL recordings. Dull records sounded alive, great records sounded as vivo performances right there on the space between the system and I. Specially one record, https://www.bauerstudios.de/de/data/shop/6560/ was so vivid and real that Mar, who was in a separate room and with earbuds on listening to a talk, yelled “WAO!!!” when the first track concluded and came to join me to listen to the rest of the LP. I did not tell her which amps were playing and asked her to close her eyes when finished and switched to the Veritas. She got up after a minute: "This sounds great, but it’s uninteresting by comparison.” In short, these are quite an achievement. Seriously the best amplification I have ever heard. I am sure the ELEMENT 118 Power Amplifiers are even better, specially under stress, but these ELEMENT 116 Power Amplifiers are something achievable and to cherish. Best,Isaac Rivera livingacoustics.com 111 Montague StreetBrooklyn, New York 11201
Here are the photos shot by Lee Shelly Photography. He does a great job with photography. He has done a number of Audio company products. Not to mention he is such a nice guy. These pictures are all propritary to Lee. http://https//leeshellyphoto.com/
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