Merrill VERITAS monoblock amplifiers

I'm sorry, I can't give an opinion on the Merrill, but I've found the 15.0 to be a wonderful amplifier, please keep us updated. I'd love to hear about the differences.
Tim

Hi Theo, the Merrill Veritas is a very fine sounding amplifier. You will find my discussion of its internals, break-in process, and performance relative to my own system in my article for PFO:

http://positive-feedback.com/Issue68/merrill_audio.htm

Saluti, Guido

Guido, how you doin?

OK, to answer the OP. I am one of the first to own the Veritas. I also had a demo pair on and off in my system for four months. Am I still enjoying it? Hell yes! IMHO it is one of a handful of amps that are worth owning.
I had gone through MANY amps over the years never really satisfied with the overall sound from them. ALL highly respected brands. Some expensive.
As no one piece of equipment is perfect I expect that I have to compromise but the Veritas is one of the few that has the least amount of compromise.

I have heard your brand amp many times and I can tell you that you will be more then happy with the sound of the Veritas.

The Veritas is so good that many times it will show what is the weakest link in your system. Sometimes when this happens the Veritas is made the suspect. WRONG. The smart, open minded and patient ones are rewarded with better sound and a better system.

Now some people will suggest that the Veritas is not musical, is sterile, blah blah blah. TOTALLY the opposite.
It is one of the purist,transparent,resolving,dynamic,musical and tonally accurate amps IMHO.

One more thing. Several (more really) Audiophiles that sold their Pass, ARC, Ayre, Devialet, CJ, Krell and Atma-Sphere amps and bought the Veritas after hearing it.

Hello Ptheo,

I hope two things for you very much, first you got a great price on these mono blocks because I believe they are hideously over priced and secondly that you like their sonic's a lot more then your very good Coda. The Ncore modules used in these amps are much better sounding then other types of D amps, however I still do not find them as musical as some of the better and less expensive SS or tube amps. The Ncore modules themselves are relatively inexpensive, yet the retail price of the Merrill VERTTAS is 12K. I know you get a well built and fancy chassis, it seems it stocked with good parts, however I can't see how you could justify what these sell for.

Teajay, there are at least two extreme ways on how to look at the value of a piece of audio electronics....

From a purely functionalistic point of view, the value is purely based on how the device performs when compared to devices of comparable/lower/higher price. Under this criterion, based on my modest experience listening to a variety of amplifiers, including Veritas completely broken in at 1K hours of processing sound, I am confident that Veritas price is attractive. Please note that I have not had the opportunity yet of listening to other amps that have declared to be based on Ncore NC1200 technology, nor to amps based on other new class D technologies like Pascal or Abletech. So my statement above does not take into account other such new contenders.

Conversely, if we look at the value of a device based on the amount of active internal components, the relative crowdedness of the layout, the complexity of the design surrounding the fundamental power conversion modules, and the mass ratio of circuit elements vs metalwork, you may have a good point.

Needless to say, it all depends on what is important for the OP, and in what ratio.

G.

"09-26-13: Teajay
Hello Ptheo,

I hope two things for you very much, first you got a great price on these mono blocks because I believe they are hideously over priced and secondly that you like their sonic's a lot more then your very good Coda. The Ncore modules used in these amps are much better sounding then other types of D amps, however I still do not find them as musical as some of the better and less expensive SS or tube amps. The Ncore modules themselves are relatively inexpensive, yet the retail price of the Merrill VERTTAS is 12K. I know you get a well built and fancy chassis, it seems it stocked with good parts, however I can't see how you could justify what these sell for."

Hi teajay.

I am curious were and in what setup you had the chance to hear the Veritas?

As far as the cost of the amps you (and some others) do not understand the TOTAL Costs involved in the markup of goods. It is FAR from just the cost of the parts in any product.
That said it all comes down to the "performance and sound" when it comes to audio. If the amps,DAC, etc sound great who cares if it a "wire with gain" or a complex 100 part piece of equipment. If the only way to have it is to buy from the OEM vs DIY then you buy the OEM. Even your Pass amps have very little inside them. It is REALLY the Engineering and Technology behind them with the Proper Implementation and Assembly that has the real value in the sale price of the amp. Sure parts matter but it is not a game of who has the most parts and whose are the biggest. But what you do with them and does it make great sound.
Look, I love the sound of the Class A Pass amps. But they are too heavy, can heat a house, too expensive, etc for me.

"hideously over priced" Really? You can say that about almost all high-end Audio. Are amps worth $30,000, $60,000 or even $200,000. Or Cables, Or DACs, Or Turntables. OR etc.

As Guido mentioned about the Pascal or Abletech tech I too am interested in hearing them. More so the Pascal.

I have heard a bunch of Ncores, including the Merrill, sorry guys they don't sound as good as a top shelf conventional amplifier, I have heard them in shows, and in people's homes, nice amplifiers but not as magical as the best conventional amplifiers.

Thank for all responses guys!

The reason I’m interested in the Merrill VERITAS(or another cool running monoblocks) is because I was looking for:

Monoblocks that will fit in my rack- Cannot be taller than 8”.

Monoblocks that run cool- After spending another five hot months(May-Sep) here in Sacto(100+) with my Coda amp, I have to make a change. The reason is I cannot listen to my music whenever I want. The heat coming from the amp after a couple of hours of just idle listening make the room 80+. I have to wait until it cool off after 11PM to enjoy. Yes, even with the AC set at 72. And if I want to crank it up on my Apogees which is all the time, forget about it!

So, I bought a pair of AVM MA 3.2s monoblocks(NCore400?) from a dealer for 4K. After reading all the glowing reviews I thought what the heck, now I can get back to enjoying my music in a cool room. But no matter how much I tried(I really really tried), they just didn’t sound real to me. If I cannot feel the emotion of the music & feel it in my heart & make me want to stand up a boogie, it’s no real sounding. Coda 15.0 ate it for lunch. And this is after the dealer told me the 3.2’s would smoke it. Please.

So, my search continues. That is where the Merrill VERITAS come in. Yes expensive, but I cannot find another brand that implements the Ncore1200 module in the VERITAS the way Merrill Wettasinghe does. Parts quality is simply the best. Attention to detail is the best. I’m sure Merrill has to put may labor intensive hours to make the perfect. The only way to get better is if HYPEX comes out with a new & better module. This is not gong to happen for the next ten years I understand. You cannot do/get any better, period. Now I just hope/pray I will LOVE the way the Ncore1200 module sound. Plus Merrill is kind enough(really nice guy to talk to!) to sell me a demo pair for a reduced price I cannot pass up. But if the don’t make me wanna get up and jump around (or bring me to my knees for that matter) the way my Coda 15.0 does, much search will continue. If they do, man I’ll be one happy camper. I will enjoy them for a long, long time all year around!

Plus they draw SO much less power that class A/AB, I will save mula($20-$25 a month?) in the long run.

Timlub- Yes, once I have sometime with them I will post my findings.

Guidocorona- I have read your excellent review many times. Your review is one of the reasons I’m trying them out! I’m curios if you have them as your current reference amp?

Teajay- Thanks for your post & truth in you opinion! Yes, 12K is alot of cash & more that I can afford/care to spend.

Hifial- Glad to hear you are still enjoying them! Very reassuring since you have compared them to many amps, including my Coda 15.0! One question, I read a review they run warm? Tell me it isn’t so.

Look forward to any more replies! Thanks again! Paul

Hi Paul and great post! Let me see if I can help a little more.

1)("So, I bought a pair of AVM MA 3.2s monoblocks(NCore400?) from a dealer for 4K.")
No way is that an NCore 400 (NC400). It might be another Hypex module like the UCD 400 but it can not be an NC400 as Hypex forbids the NC400 be used by OEM. The NC400 is ONLY for the DIY market. I did a search and I can not find out what Class D tech they use so it could be another brand altogether. Heck it could be B&O Ice or the ones that Guido mentioned.

2)("One question, I read a review they run warm? Tell me it isn’t so.")
Well it is an amp so it is not "cool" to the touch. Also the way it is designed all the "hot" parts are mounted to the "roof" as that is thicker then the bottom plate and help as a heat sink and vibration control.
I can say that it is a "cool" running amp compared to how hot even the best cool running Class A/B amps are. I can say that it should not worry you at all.

3) Apogees, wow, very nice. What is your other equipment?

4)("If I cannot feel the emotion of the music & feel it in my heart & make me want to stand up a boogie, it’s no real sounding.")
I know exactly what you mean. Let me tell you about a friend. He has a VERY nice system (even a custom room) that is VERY revealing and transparent. Since he put in the Veritas the hairs on your arms stand up when you hear the music. I wish you could hear it because I think it is what you stated above.

5) Merrill. Great guy. You said it so well about what the whole story is when it comes to the Veritas amps and Merrill Audio.

Well after waking up and not being able to sleep it is now 4AM so I better stop for now and try and sleep.

Long time no talk AudioOracle!

What Ncore amps have you listened to other than Veritas?

Ncore amps take an inordinate amount of time to reach peak performance, both in terms of break-in and warm up time... 1K hours of break-in, and two days of warmup.

Furthermore, if the amp has been implemented as bi-wirable, it should be bi-wired to the speakers for best results.

Paul, there are a couple of other manufacturers that have declared of having developed Ncore NC1200 based amps: Acoustic Imagry has ATSAH, Audience manufactures WavePower, Mola-Mola has Kaluga (will be at RMAF exhibited by On A Higher Note in the Long's Peak room)). Sorry, I have not listened to these yet, so I have no idea how they would compare.

Veritas will be exhibited at RMAF by Merrill Audio in Room 582.

Concerning my own reference amp, it is the Rowland M925 monoblock.

Guido

The great and powerful AudioOracle has spoken!! That's it, no more debate, the all knowing made his decree. He's back down from the mountain top.

So AudioOracle, all of these Audiophiles that sold their Pass (including Class A), ARC(both tube and SS), Ayre, Devialet, CJ(both tube and SS), Krell, Atma-Sphere and etc, amps and bought the Veritas after hearing it know nothing, can not hear and you know better.

("don't sound as good as a top shelf conventional amplifier,") Top self means expensive, right.
Look, there is ALWAYS something else to hear and consider. But not something you sell please.
Funny how you where so anxious to be a dealer for the Veritas. Now that you are not you have nothing good to say. So from that and your statement I take it your NOT a dealer for ANY NCore based amps.

To all; The Veritas are just one of a handful of amps at varying price points that are really worth owning. They are by no means the end all. Never said they are.
But they are one of the few.

It would be nice if AudioOracle would let everyone know that he is a dealer and not a dealer of Merrill. Not a problem with AO's comments, it is just good to know when someone is a dealer so that folks can take that into consideration when reading their comments.

Btw, I am a dealer.

Hi Guys, I might be chiming in here where I don't belong, I've never sat in front of a single NCore. I've been in the Audio World for 34 years now, working in Manufacturing, as a Manufacturers rep and owning my own retail store. Been to a hundred shows if I've been to 1... One thing that I have noticed is that many amps have a very different sonic signature and have had umpteen amps through my own home... Very recently, I purchased some Abletec boards and built some amps, this minute, they have 250-260 hours on them, still not enough to fully report back on, which I have promised in another thread. I am currently using an Old pure Class A Sumo Nine that has been modified to the hilt. All litz wiring internally, double filter capacitance, better bridge rectifiers, all resistors upgraded, all electrolytics and ceramic disc changed out to very high quality parts on the board, better input jacks and speaker terminals... Recently I came across a B&K Reference amp cheap... Don't remember model... 200 watts X 2, snatched it up. My Sumo EMBARRASSED it, it wasn't close, I sold it off within 2 weeks... What I have always noticed is that very good amps, sound more alike than different. Obviously if someone COULD build the perfect amp and someone else built another design that were both perfect, they would sound the same. When I put the Abletec amps in my system, I first listened after about 30 hours of break in. I can tell you this, My Abletec was not embarrassed. It is slightly different in presentation, but this is a very good amp indeed. Whether a certain amp is the perfect amp for you or another amp may sync better with a certain pair of speakers??? who can say, but one thing is for sure, Class D amps are coming into their own and are competing with world class amps. Which is the best, it doesn't exist, the question is, "Which is the best for you"

Tim, well said.

I would like to make a suggestion, if you are willing, that besides trying the Abletec get a set of Hypex NC400 and a set of Pascal modules. Then you can compare the best, though the NC400 is not on the same level of sonics as the NC1200. Not sure if the Pascal and Albetec that are available to DIY is the same offered to OEM either.

If I had the time I would do it myself.

Paul, if you are willing I would really like to know what the other equipment are in your system. I might be able to give you some incite in relation to the Veritas.

Best, Al.

Hi Paul,
Looking at the modules, I'm not sure that the NC400's are really inferior to the NC1200. The 400 has cheap plastic input and output jacks and terminals, the film caps on the board are mylar... I believe that replacing a few parts and soldering directly to the board would make an audible improvement in the NC400. I contacted Pascal, Not being a current amp or speaker manufacture, they would not cell to me. The Abletec Modules were less than half the price of the Ncores by the time you bought a switching supply.

Dude, there is hype and there is reality, I have been doing this for 25 years professionally and most peoples system's sound poor, I don't care how much you've spent.

Look at how many people's system don't use power conditioning, room tuning or proper vibration control.

I had a direct comparison to my reference amps and there was no contest Merrills amps are very good, would I trade in a CJ, or a Chord or an Electrocompaniet, or an ARC, or a Coda, my answer is no, they are lovely and practical amplifiers.

You have an opinion, but I can guarantee that in my 25 years of going to shows, setting up systems and selling and installing thousands of components in hundreds of systems, I think I can claim title to knowing what I am doing.

The problem with Ncore as with the Hypex before it is the claims made do not justify reality, I have in my shop right now a very highly rated Hypex amp which six moons said was fantastic I think the amps are very good, but are not magical.

When Ncore came out the hype was the Mola Mola was being compared to Solution and wow they had some similar qualities for 1/5 the price, hey all I can tell you after hearing them at shows, in my shop and in another location I came away with the impression these amps are good, but not a game changer.

You want an example of a game changer? Auralic Vega dac $3,500 compares with dacs at $7K and above very favorably.

Janszen's new ZA 2.1 electrocstatic hybrid, in many ways absolutely like $15-20k speakers at current price of $7,500.

Those are game changers. So far Hypex amps good, Ncore good game changer no.

What is the difference between good amps and great? It is the sense of presence, it is their dynamics, it is there ability to create a realistic soundstage and lastly bass control and dynamics. The Ncore amps just slightly miss the mark, which makes them competent high power amplifiers, and a good value for the price and performance. Call me not yet convinced.

Tim, I know several very competent OEM who have done many mods to the NC400 and even though it made it sound better they all felt it still was not as good as an NC1200. There is more to it then you think. I have heard both and it is easy to hear the difference in a very good system.

Sorry to hear about Pascal. I think they could give the Ncore real competition.

The Albetec being less then half the price of the Ncore is meaningless if they do not sound as good or better then the Ncore.

Great info everyone! Thanks much!
Question, why does it seem like Class-D amps are more 'system dependent' than Class-A amps. Meaning Class-A amps sound terrific in any system regardless equipment/cables/wires, but Class D doesn't?! Is this true?

Anyway, back to my post- I plan on placing my order tomorrow night for VERITAS amps & receiving them by the end of next week. Man I can't wait to hook them up to my system! Regarding my system, it's HT/music system:

Temporary source- Oppo 95( I'm looking for a tubed CD/SACD player with XLR outputs & a volume control to feed direct to the VERITAS)
Pre/pro- Classe SSP-800
Speakers- Apogee Studio Grands Piano black
Subs- Dual JL Audio 212
Cables I/C- Tara Labs The One 1M
Cables speaker- Audioquest Caldera(Double runs 6' each)

All info & advice is much appreciated!!!

I've only heard the Merrill VERITAS at a show (Capital Audio Fest) so it wasn't under the best of conditions. Having said that, I think there are at least two more choices for slim-proportioned class D monoblocks that you might want to consider:

Anthem Statement M1 ($6998 / pair)
http://www.stereophile.com/content/anthem-statement-m1-monoblock-power-amplifier

Bel Canto Ref1000M ($5990 / pair)
http://www.stereophile.com/solidpoweramps/bel_canto_ref1000m_monoblock_power_amplifier/index.html

Both are on Stereophile's Recommended Components list, if that matters.

Hi Paul,
Just reading your response,
"Tim, I know several very competent OEM who have done many mods to the NC400 and even though it made it sound better they all felt it still was not as good as an NC1200. There is more to it then you think. I have heard both and it is easy to hear the difference in a very good system"
Good to know others have already tried this, it saves others a lot of time... as far as there is more to it than I think, nope, circuit design is key, parts transform a good amp to a great amp, but you can't mod a poor design into much better than a poor design.
As far as "the Abletec's being half the price is meaningless if their not better" Meaningless is strong. Very high quality and inexpensive mono blocks at this price won't be found out there, I guarantee most people on this forum don't have unlimited funds to go out and buy or try
the best, much less as you suggested, to buy all 3. Someone forced into a 20 year old amp or could only afford something like a new Parasound or equivalent can obtain a true option at a great price. Of course many can't build their own but none the less a viable argument why competitive with the best means a lot without necessarily squeaking out that last bit of performance.
With that, I can only say that the Abletec modules are very
good, can't really say how they compete with the best. Although I am very anxious to hear how the Coda 15 compares with Merrill. The Coda is a great amplifier.

Theo, there seems to exist an old wives' tale that class D amp suffer from some arcane form of pernicious system dependencies... The answer is both yes and no....

In olden days, a number of entry level class D amps suffered of relatively high amounts of the shrillies, as they seemed to leak persistent hash from everywhere... They did need some kindly filtering somewhere in the system, lest they could drive you batty. Furthermore, some class D amps had relatively low input impedance, limiting successful coupling to preamplifiers.

With newer generation power conversion modules, such as NCore technology for example, the above is definitely no longer a problem. The Veritas in particular, have an input impedance of 90K Ohms... You will have a hard time finding a preamp that is not compatible. On the output side, unless you try to drive absurdly sensitive speakers, the 1K damping factor will serve you well.

Merrill Veritas are extremely sweet sounding, and do not appear to be feeding perceivable hash into the AC line. having said that, while the amps are shipped with fine power cords, you may want to experiment with PC alternatives. I have experienced excellent results with Aural Symphonics on Veritas, as explained in my scribbling. In older days, with ICEpower class D amps like Rowland M312, Bel Canto Ref1000M Mk.2, and REF500M, I had the opportunity of testing with the Shunyata Z-tron series, which controlled treble intermodulation artifacts to a superior degree... I have it from reliable sources that the Cardas Clear family may also be consistent with this behavior.

Best, Guido

Dave, as of less than one month ago, the Mola-Mola kalugas had not been release yet.... What you probably heard were prototypes, unless they were the basic Hypex (non Mola-mola) Ncore NC1200 engineering demonstrators that Hypex has been circulating to garner interest amongst OEMs.

apologies for beating a totally dead horse... But unless you had the amps churning audio material full time for a good two months straight, it is not terribly likely that you heard what an Ncore NC1200 implementation is capable of.

Saluti, Guido

So Dave, all your years in the business makes your OPINION the ONE and ALL the OTHERS are SECONDARY.

Yes, you are entitled to your opinion. But you state your opinions like it they are all knowing. Hell it is in your handle. Oracle!

But I must state again that your ONE opinion vs ALL the others who have traded their ARC, CJ, PASS amps, and so many more brands, for the Veritas amps mean a hell of a lot more the your one opinion. Many of them also have years of experience in audio. Many have spent years tweaking and spent countless hours on vibration control, power conditioning and room treatments.
But even if the did not, does that make their opinion on what they hear any less valid then yours.

["What is the difference between good amps and great? It is the sense of presence, it is their dynamics, it is there ability to create a realistic soundstage and lastly bass control and dynamics."]

Well, I agree with part of your above statement but you leave out so much more that also matters.
Like the reproduction of realistic tones of each instrument, the attack of the leading edge and decay of the trailing, top to bottom interrogation, a top end that just keeps going but is never harsh on its own, a bottom end that never booms or is bloated, but is firm and extended and so much more.
If what makes a great amp great and a good amp only good is only what you mentioned then all amps wood sound the same. And most do.
The above and the following are way a few amps sound great. They DO NOT ADD COLOR to the painting of the reproduction of the music. No rose colored glass to look through.
IMHO that is what the best PASS LABS Class A mono amps do, as an example besides the Veritas amps. Yes there are more but not many. And I am only talking about amps that are not the cost of a new Lexus and above. Say NO more then $20,000. But many can be found for a lot less.

Hi Paul. First I must say you have a very nice system.

["Temporary source- Oppo 95( I'm looking for a tubed CD/SACD player with XLR outputs & a volume control to feed direct to the VERITAS)
Pre/pro- Classe SSP-800
Speakers- Apogee Studio Grands Piano black
Subs- Dual JL Audio 212
Cables I/C- Tara Labs The One 1M
Cables speaker- Audioquest Caldera(Double runs 6' each)"]

I asked about your system not because the Veritas, being a Class D amp might not integrate well into your system but because the Veritas can expose any weak links in your system. Any great sounding amp would do the same thing in your system.

IMHO may I suggest that though the OPPO is a very fine player it is the one to replace. Also you would be better served to go the route of a stand alone DAC and computer and not use a CD player at all.

Rip all your CDs to your computer and do the following.
1) Get a dedicated computer. Mac or PC.
I use a Mac Mini with a Quad Cure, 16GB Ram, solid state hard drive just for the operating system and an external regular hard drive for music storage and playback. Use Firewire or Thunderbolt to connect the XHD to the Mac. Only use the USB on the Mac to connect to a DAC.

2) Get a stand alone DAC. One that uses USB to connect to the computer.

3) Get a DAC that is also DSD capable.

There are many great sounding DACs that retail from $2,500-$5,000 and you can get them for less. If your budget is less then there are a few in the $1,500-$2,000 range that come very close to the others.

Make sure the one you get has XLR outs in case you decide to connect it direct to the Veritas amps.

You can get a lot of info on Audio Circle and Computerudiophile web sites.

By the way, your two runs of speaker wire will serve you well with the Veritas. It will give you a better sound vs just one run.

Sorry for the delay guys, EOM at work is crazy 12-14hr days. Plus I need the cash to pay for the VERITAS amps. The amps will be here Friday! I plan on calling in sick nextweek!

Timlub- The Coda amp is the best amp I have ever owned. It never runs out of juice & is sweet sounding. Example, I have a pair of Mark & Daniel Apollo II’s that have made every amp I owned clip when I wanted to crank it up. Not the Coda 15.0. Also, I live 5 miles from the Coda factory so I can get the 15.0 switched to a 33.0 for no charge! The only other amp I have tried at my house is the Plinus SB-301, great sound amp & can give the Coda a run for it’s money. But MUCH hotter running plus no stand by feature. Always on. The other amps I have owned are(in order) Adcom 5800/Adcom 5802/Classe 200/Classe 201/Parasound A21/Bel Canto 1000M/Classe CAM-200/ Bel Canto 1000M MK-2/Coda CX/Coda 15.0/...VERITAS?!

Guido- Thanks for all the info. I plan on using my Shunyata Python Helix Alpha 1M with the VERITAS plugged in to 20A dedicated circuit. I also have a pair of Cardas Golden REF 26’ pc’s that I will try.

Audiooracle- Appreciate your honesty & I can relate. That is why I sold my Bel Canto’s. Twice. Power galore but sterile. So I really hope all the reviews are true about the VERITAS & prove me wrong & maybe you too. Yes, the Janszen's ZA 2.1 looks like great speakers & a killer deal. I hope to hear them some day.

Yage- I haven’t heard the Anthem M1’s, but remember reading some negative reviews regarding being harsh in the treble. My Apogee’s will reveal that right away.

Hifial- Thanks! I know my system cam be better, but I really enjoy the way it sounds. Yes, I definitely need to invest in a computer so I can download HD tracks. Not the best person with computers but I look forward to the upgrade. Thanks for the tips bud!

BTW, besides the Apogee’s, I also will be trying these speakers with the VERITAS:
Raidho Xtreme’s (MTM design)
Mark & Daniel Apollo II’s
Silverline Grand La Folia’s

Keep the info coming!!! THANKS!

Correction- That's 26", not 26' pc's.

Ptheo,
How did the Coda CX compare with the 15.0?

Hey Tim- The CX was nohwere as sweet sounding or as dynamic. Much more Class A power on tap. Better presence & snap on drums.

Yage, "Stereophile's Recommended Components list" doesn't mean jack s***. I feel sorry for anyone who goes by that.

https://app.audiogon.com/listings/cd-sacd-players-oppo-bdp-95-original-owner-like-new-priced-low-to-sell-fast-2013-10-04-digital-95670

Hey guys- I will be posting my findings/review of the Merrill VERITAS amplifiers very soon. Paul

Looking forward Paul.... How many hours of active operation with a sound signal through them do they have already?

I have had them powered up with a signal on since I received them last Frday. But it only took 12hrs to come to a conclusion on there performance.

Question-Should they be powered up all the time(like other Class D amps) or shut off after use everytime?!

Hi Paul, Veritas should stay on all the time... Feed them interstation hash from any old FM radio tuner whenever you are not listening to music for the first couple of months... Turn them off during thunderstorms. Aftrer 12 hours of operation, Veritas have barely scratched the surface of their capabilities, and may be yielding a bit of very temporary anomalies. G.

Paul, I would suspect that these amps don't draw more than 6 or 8 watts at idle. I've never had a solid state amp that didn't get better and better for at least a couple months. I'd never turn it off.
Tim

Paul, regardless of your conclusions of the Veritas after 12 hours of listening, as Guido said they improve markedly over time. That said they need to be on all the time and if turned off need anywhere from several hours to 24-48 hours to come into its own again depending on the time spent off.

I would recommend that all amps be unplugged from their power source for around a day every couple of months. You will get better long term performance.

Even if your conclusions are favorable after just 12 hours you will be in for a better experience after more hours on the amps.

By the way, when you install the Stillpoint footers make sure to leave a space the size of a playing/credit card between the base of the Stillpoint and the base of the amp. DO NOT tighten them ALL the way up against the amp. Also make sure to crack the cap on the footer about a 1/4 to a 1/2 turn. If you do not do both of these then you will not be hearing how well the amps can sound.

Don't forget guys these are demo units that reviews(Tone Audio) used so I suspect there are many hours are on them already. That is the only reason I gave them a listen so soon.

Ha, I'll loosen up the Stillpoints when I get home tonight. I really would like to install taller footers to accommodate my bulky AQ wires.

Can't wait to tell you guys my findings!!!

Paul, now I am intrigued... What kind of AudioQuest wires are you using on Veritas...

I am looking for a brand new loom of wires for my system... Soup to nuts kind of thing.

G.

Paul and Guido. Paul if you need more hight then do what I did. Use the Stillpoints Ultra SS. Or come from the top if it is your speaker wire. They are worth the money. I tried both the Ultra Mini that the Veritas comes with and the SS and it was easy to hear the improvement that the SS made over the Mini. And I was not the only one.
I understand that they have many hours on them but they were off for a long time so you should give them a good 50 hours of play and not turned off, even if you like the way the sound.

Guido. I really like my High Fidelity Cables. I use the Interconnect and Speaker cables. The Interconnects are the CT-1 RCA in a special XLR Balanced configuration that the Designer (Rick S) helped me with because he was still trying to get his finale Balanced design done and out.
The speaker cables are the CT-1E with a Jumper that Rick made so I could replace the Jumpers that came with my B&W 802D speakers. If I had the extra money I would have a second set of the CT-1E so I could bi-wire the speakers to the Veritas. I did that with my previous set of speaker cables and it made a huge improvement. Oh well, someday.
You should give Rick a call. He is a very willing to talk.

Guiido- I use AQ Caldera wires right now. Soon I want to upgrade to Tara Labs 'One' which is the same as my IC's which I like alot. Something about that rectangular copper that just sounds right to me.

Paul, what are your listening impressions of the Veritas amps?

Hifial- Give me another week so I can have two weeks with them before I post my final impressions. But I will give you a hint- Muddy Waters himself came down from Heaven the night I purchased them to give me a private concert!

Paul-Take your time and enjoy (but I am waiting with baited breath) Muddy from Heaven.

I’ve now owned the VERIRAS for two week, so after 250-300 hrs I’m ready to spill my guts!

The Merrill VERITAS is incredible amplifiers I have ever owned, period-and not by a small margin. I’ll be bold and say someday Class A/AB & tube amps will be dinosaurs. Yes I said it! I feel these are the future of amplifiers. The way they are so clear distinct .3Dish .free from the speakers quiet ..dynamic ...fast, you feel like you can reach out & touch them. I was & still am saying HOLY %#$@ with my mouth ajar. I think Merrill should call them ‘Holographic Virtual Reality 3D Machines’!


My review/writing skills are terrible, so today I told myself to write down 10 great things about the amps. It grew to over 40! So I’ll start my review tonight & finish it later. Below remarks are (truly) how I felt when listening, and how I feel now. The speakers used were my Apogee Studio Grands, and later the Mark & Daniel Apollo II’s. No particular order:

1. The first night I didn’t want to do any critical listening, but could help myself! So late(12AM), as I mentioned before listening to Muddy Waters MFSL was incredible- presence, speed, detail, depth, live, I could go on. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. It was spooky! On track# 6-‘Cold Weather Blues’ I felt like he was right in front of me. The way he was plucking/sliding his fingers on the strings, hitting the guitar, his voice from quiet to loud quick as a whip, making me jump everytime! So spooky it was putting a knot in my stomach & I couldn’t breath/sleep & had a smile on my face. I’ve owned this disk, 20-25 years & have never heard it like that, EVER on ANY system.

2. The next day the more I though about it the more I felt like Muddy himself came down from Heaven! So spooky I tell you, I still felt that knot in my stomach. So I pulled out the sample of heavy hitters: Jennfer Warnes, Mary Stallings, Katie Melva, Babatunde Olatunji Circle of Drums, Sheffield Labs drum tracks, Burmester CD-03, Telarc Great Fantasy Adventure, Telarc Thriller, Telarc Sampler V, Dorian Pictures At The Exhibition, Eric Johnson, Nirvana Bleach, Steve Va Passion & Warfare Pink Floyd SACD. The more I listened the bigger my smile got & said Holy %$#@ over & over the more I felt like: I’m going to crap in my pants, then the whole top of my head started to tingle like crazy & then my smile grew ear to ear. Like hearing them all for the first time playing in front of me. Kati Melva’s voice on Deep Purple brought me to my knees like never before & Eric Johnson’s/Steve Vai’s guitar riffs had me doing perfect pushups! Yes, serious boggie factor.

3. I love drums. I played as a teenager & lived across the street from a band member that had a wild Yamaha double bass system. Everyday he would practice I would go over a play around & listen to him play in his garage, for hours/days/weeks/months/years. I even was a ‘roadie’ for his band a number of years. Setup/tune/mic/demic/breadown. My point is I know the sound of drums pretty good. The VERITAS amps reproduce them better than I have ever heard before in my house. The Sheffield Drum track(s) were so real, precise, dynamic, perfect placement of the drum set, striking of the drum heads(make me jump!), cymbals so real, hi hat opening & closing so real(tingling of the head). I also have a Neil Peart drum solo track that hit so hard(poop in pants) not only did it feel like it could bust my jaw, it could tear a wall down! I’m not kidding, ironfisted, rockhard turn it up louder and getter harder/better BASS! Usually amps lose it when turned up, not the VERITAS! The Kodo drums on the Berm-030 cd had such unbelievable speed and impact, it reminded me of the real thing attending local Japanese Church back in my Karate days! The circle of drums SACD #1 track gets me in a trance with it rhythm I even bought an African drum. With the VERITAS, I felt like I was in Africa playing along! There drum(s) sounded just like mine! My head was spinning in delight!

4. How can a 35AMP per channel(VERITAS) sound more powerful than a greater than 100AMP per channel(Coda 15.0) amplifier? Efficiency?

5. I feel like I can’t go back to SS amps. It’s like going from HD to SD video. To me the VERITAS are HR(high resolution) & SS amps are SR(standard resolution). Just like HD(video) I can’t go back to SR(audio). Big difference. No comparison. Those apposed not sure what you are hearing,

MUCH MORE later guys, if you want to hear it all(35 points/questions/remarks left)!
Yes, I’m one happy camper!!!!!!!!

Congratulations!

The Veritas' have ended my amp search for sure. I have 81dB efficient speakers and have never heard such control and ease.

I tried different power cords(Shunyata,AQ,Cardas) & returned to the pc that came with the amps- Triode Wire Company. I think they are great pc's! Bass is tighter & sound stage is more clear/precise with better depth. I will look into getting more pc's from Merrill!

Just get them straight from TWL (Pete). He's a great guy to deal with. Get the 7ga.+ cords. They work real good with amps.

Cool- Thanks for the info Snopro!

Interconnect cables- I thought I had to downgrade cables when I received the VERITAS since they are now further away from my pre/pro. I went from 1/2M(Tara Labs The One) to 2M(Tara labs The Two) & thought my system would take a small step back. Boy was I wrong! The VERITAS showed me cables don't matter as much as I thought! My point- Don't waste your money on $,$$$+ cables, spend it on the equipment. No matter what the cost, if the equipment doesn't have the resolution, the cables won't matter no matter what the cost/design. Period! Thanks Merill for saving me big bucks on cables.

Ptheo,
Your review on the Veritas has really piqued my interest in the amps. I don't think Hifial has read it yet. Please post feedback as you put on more hours on them.