Thrilled with My New Bache Audio Speakers

I am a long term (10+ years) Merlin owner who just replaced my VSM’s (VSM-mme with custom Master Bam and Master RC’s) with a pair of Bache Audio Metro 001’s. I can say without hesitation that the Bache Metro 001’s are superior to the Merlins. The Metro 001’s have more accurate and natural timbre and tonality, and are the Merlins' equal in imaging and soundstaging. The 001’s provide more bass depth and heft, the highs are sweeter, and overall they are more forgiving and sound better with a broader range of recordings than the Merlins. My VSM’s sounded great with great recordings, but as several reviewers noted over the years, they are "ruthlessly revealing". I found that I was listening to less of my music collection with the VSM’s because they seemed to highlight the flaws in less than stellar recordings, and were slightly bright overall. The VSM’s are likely a touch more resolving, particularly in the highs, but nothing is missing when I listen to the Bache speakers, and I listen longer without fatigue and enjoy my listening more with the Metro 001’s.

Greg Belman of Bache Audio was great to deal with. I was able to talk with him about the design of the Metro 001’s before he built them, and ended up ordering the optional cabinet (3/4" thick bamboo instead of mdf), and the higher end Audyn True Copper Max crossover capacitors that he uses in his top of the line model. I picked up the speakers in person at his shop in Brooklyn, and was able to listen to them before he boxed them and put them in my car.

Highly recommended.