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 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"

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.

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.

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

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