I've had the Merlin TSM-MMe's in my system for five years and remain satisfied. |
I bought a pair of VSM-SE speakers from Bobby in Dec '99. He later upgraded them to MM version - huge leap in performance. I think one of the things about the VSM is they don't look like they should be able to do what they actually do. People see a tweeter and a 6.5" woofer and think they know what it is - but they don't have a clue if they've never heard them. If you hear these speakers, with the right gear, you realize what you think you knew didn't mean squat because your experience is based on something else unlike them.
I never thought I'd see the day when Bobby is using an integrated amp and a Mac computer running iTunes for front end. My head has been in the sand for too long.
If that doesn't say "don't assume you know, go listen" I don't know what does. |
mickey, no it was not, sorry. we just got a hold of it and one of the very first master bams with it used internally was at the rmaf. currently less than a half dozen in existance. link to a comment by one of the owners near the top of the main page of my site.
it is a taped cardas clear geometry cable designed for high impedance circuits like the mbam.
imho, inexpensive and fabulous.
bobby@merlin |
Hi Bobby, I had my superbam upgraded to the masterbam a while back (last year), was the cardas clear geometry stuff used at that time? |
thuan, we have just started rewiring our earlier speakers and bams with cardas clear geometry cable. this is the very same wire i use in the master version of my products.
check the main page of www.merlinmusic.com for information. the internal wiring, the jumpers and rc's would all changed.
bobby at merlin |
Tubegroover,
Long time no talk!
I am upgading my BAM next week with the cardas Clear geometry cable upgrade. Turn it around is a week or so. After BAM returns and has 150-200 hours on it, I'll add those impressions and post my review.
Teaser....... your gonna like'em, a lot :-) |
Hey Jim, I really am looking forward to your review. It seems the reference is the culmination of this design and I am REALLY interested in your assessment and the progression of each of the upgrades.
I originally purchased a pair of VSM-SE's with battery BAM in 2000 and upgraded to the M in 2001, 12 years total. The system is well sorted out and very satisfying musically. I am curious exactly what I can expect to specifically gain going from the Millenium to the Reference, hmmm. |
Not the longest, but 16 years with Merlins. March 1996 VMS Gen III, RC version, SE, M, MX and MXe. Currently own VSM Master. (my review pending)
I have built a system and dedicated room around the speaker(s). Simply put, nothing has ever gotten me closer to "the absolute Sound" and that is what this hobby is all about for me!
Customer service by Bobby and company is beyond extraordinary by my experience. |
Thuan, send those VSM-MXE's to me for safekeeping.
BTW, I run my VSM-M's with a REL Storm III also. |
Booby,
Mine is VSM-MXe which just upgrade to Master-RC and Master BAM not long ago |
Bought my VSM-M's new in 2000, they are stock except for the addition of the Masterbam and Master RC network. Still running strong in the main listening room. |
Thuan, what version of the VSM do you have?
B |
Update: after 15 months, now my Merlin's are resting in the corner of my listening room. The new BE20 Diamond took Merlin's spot in the last 2 months. Funny thing is that I still hold on to them, hopefully can find a spot in the house for them (if wife allow that). Still an unforgettable memory with them, sweet sounding and all
Happy listening |
They were produced from 87-92 and cost over $2000 back then and were highly regarded. If they are mint I would jump on them and if you don't let me know so I can. They're made about 50 minutes from my house yet I've never heard or seen them and $500 is a small price to pay to find out. They're tall and heavy speakers. |
Please more reviews of OLDer Merlin 3Bs!
SHould i spned $500 for a pair of Merlin 3b's or go elswwhere?
Help with ideas?
3Bs in great shape |
I'm now four years with my Merlin MMe's and still love them. They are excellent performers and I've identified no shortcoming's or reasons to upgrade at this point. |
Hello all,
My Merlins still with me, but I have to add a pair of REL Storm III to cover bottom end. Blend well if you spend time to move the subs around for best smooth bass. |
"i have changed my focus from the sub to the completion of the master vsm and tsm."
I'm wondering what that will entail? |
Pubul57, You said it succinctly and best when you stated..."I simply don`t think about other speakers anymore-and those that own them understand why".
yup. |
What you could do...and this makes very little practical sense....is offer to refinish subs like mine so that they match the speakers!
;-)
Rob |
rob, very true. there are a lot of competent woofer disigns out there and i have changed my focus from the sub to the completion of the master vsm and tsm.
who knows what the future will bring.
:-)
bp |
I don't know how motivated Bobby is to design a sub. There are already some excellent choices out there that blend well. My TSM's are currently running with an MJ Acoustics 150, which is a small sealed 10" with a remote. The remote and digital displays make the sub very easy to tune, even on the fly when tweaking for specific recordings. Sadly at around 1800.00 I wouldn't call it a bargain.
Sub is set to 47 hz roll-off.
Rob |
|
I've retired my speaker selection process :)
Had the VSM-MXe (and now the Master BAM and RCs) since 2007 and have no desire to change speakers....might add that new Merlin sub when it comes out though |
That sounds like a superb retirement strategy:) |
Agree w Pubul57 regarding supporting small craftsmen and his inclusion of RV and RK in the mix. I'm sure that there are many others that fall into that category; perhaps Steve McCormack, Ed Meitner, Dick Sequerra and I know I've left out some others. |
10-11 years--TSM SE and Millenium. Saving for VSM when I retire next year |
It does feel good to support an "local" craftsman with excellent products, customer service, and a pretty genuine concern for his customers - all the ingredients for success - and Richard Vandersteen and Ralph Karsten are also in that camp. |
Can't help but wonder what our national economy and overall corporate status would be like if everyone had Bobby's passion for his work and desire to provide a quality product at a fair price (along with the upgrade path). Of course smaller companies like Merlin have the ability to be more engaging with their customers, but that's hardly the norm... |
Aside from Merlin's, the most relaxing speaker I've ever heard was the four-piece Audio Artistry "Beethoven" back in '96 that requires a large room. |
imho, what works well/sounds right in a more normal living environment (up to 4000 cubic feet) is very different than what works well in much large rooms at greater listening distances. merlin speaker systems are designed to be very qualitative and dynamic for smaller/more normal sized rooms. they are also very linear with great axial dispersion. not for everyone but that is why we have a substantial following and people tend to stick with them. what also helps is the upgrade potential rather than being forced to buy new with each model change.
again not for everyone but for those that want to follow developments more closely, they have the opportunity at a reduced cost.
regards,
b@merlin |
I agree. And I don"t think I ever had a room that would really be optimal for large, multi-driver speakers - though of course they could "work" - it just seems large speakers really need large rooms to sound coherent across the spectrum like the Merlins and Quad 57/63 electrostatics do - in an odd way, they seem more alike than you would think given how different they are in "driver" technology. |
My take is that bigger can be better but it then becomes a much more ambitious project and is extraordinarily difficult to achieve. There are too many considerations and most folks don't have them all (read room) to even start considering them all. The true advantage of large systems is their potential dynamic capability and bass. Having said that I find the VAST majority of the large cone based systems I've heard bring too much attention to themselves instead of the music to consider, electrostatics excepted but can be even more ambitious an undertaking. I have only personally heard ONE exception but view it due as much to the talent and hearing acuity of the guy that put it together as much as the speaker itself. The point is that Merlins are a speaker that can enamour the most jaded audiophile but like all things in audio they will not appeal to everyone, what they do well they do very very well. Audiophiles have different objectives and aspirations as to what is ideal and my observations, based on my opinion of course, is that they often have nothing to do with fidelity as much as taste. |
It can take some time to come to the conclusion and accept that bigger and more expensive might not be better; to accept that a smallish 2-driver speaker might be one of the speakers in a small group of speakers that are amongst the best in the world - I think the Merlins are. |
Great story about Merlin and Bobby!
I hope he's not turning red from the comments, but that's what you get when handling customers properly. Pabul, I too have pretty much ended the endless wheel of auditioning stuff after buying the TSM's. I do on occasion listen to a BIG speaker and I plan on VSM's soon.
Rob |
Not only interesting how long folks own their Merlins, but how many people stopped looking to change speaker once having Merlins in the fold. I owned many speaker before, but once I got on to the Merlin trail, I simply don't think about other speakers anymore - and those that own them understand why. |
|
14 years for me(SE's, Millenium's and MX's). |
I would like to support the idea that you can own Merlin speakers for good:
I am a professional violinist
(you will find me, if necessary); i have not personal affiliation to the producer.
I own VSMs now for quite some years. They are good.
and (this is now directed at that dissenting voice)
I have started using TSM MXM's (let me use them a little more, before i explain what i hear) in my living room -
Going in and out of studios with what-ever-you-want speakers i feel this is THE speaker to have.
Cult it will be, lets hope!! |
I'm the guy referenced above with 1988 Merlin 3B+ 3-ways. I bought them sight unseen at the recommendation of a dealer. In a phone conversation with Bobby at the time, he recommended the 3B+ over the smaller size speaker I was considering. I remember him telling me "These speakers are good enough that they could last you 15 years". That was 23 years ago.....
Nothing else in my system has lasted anywhere near as long.
I've wandered around RMAF a couple of different seasons to see what attracted my attention and I kept coming back to Bobby's room and the VSMs. If I was in a position to upgrade, they would be my #1 pick. As a former college piano technician and stage manager with fussy ears, Bobby's designs come closest for me to providing pleasing music reproduction. |
My take is a bit different Pubul. I think Jimbo was just bored and wanted to troll a bit to see where it went knowing full well the passion that Merlin owner's have. The real clue was attacking Bobby to add a bit of spice. Maybe he has an ax to grind for other reasons only he can chime in on, who knows, but of course we know he won't, he got his desired result, really not worth further comments or attention IMO. |
I know a guy who has Merlins he bought new in 1988. They are still his primary speaker. |
Yes, we must thank Jimbo for saving us from ourselves - a true public service. |
And here I thought I was a tough as nails retired old sea capt. only to have jumbo set me straight. Started the journey 20 yrs. ago w/3 way merlin sig. 4`s. I've had the immense pleasure of listening to music through the tsm/mme`s for the past few years and wouldn't trade them for any other monitor on the market. |
Feeding the troll here, but...
Okay, Jimbo2. Over the 25 odd years I've been in seriously into this hobby I've owned:
Vandersteen 2c's
Totem Arro's
Ohm Micro Walsh Tall's and 100 S-3's
Silverline Preludes (briefly)
Ascend Sierra 1's (very briefly)
PSB Synchrony 1B's (briefly)
LSA1 Statements (twice!)
Green Mountain Audio Rios
So I've had more than a few highly regarded loudspeakers in and out of my rig, and the Merlin TSM-mmi's (which I've now had for just over a year and which I just upgraded to Master RC's) are wonderful. They are resolving, musical, coherent, and create musical beauty. That's not to say that I don't continue to be fascinated with loudspeakers of various designs... I'll be at RMAF this year listening to all the goodies on display. But to trash the Merlin brand wholesale, as well as its talented designer, is patently unfair and uncalled for.
Merlin may or may not be your cup of tea, but it's a quality product made with love and integrity... no doubt in my mind about that. |
Marty, don't waste the pixels. |
For Jimbo,
I currently own Merlins, Verity Parsifal P/Es, SF Cremonas, Maggie MMGs w/subs, Ohm 100s (w/the same subs) and a few other speakers that you might know. Some are in different rooms, other get rotated thru my main system. I've flipped thru ownership of many other well regarded designs over the years, too.
I consider myself a hobbyist and a million miles from a cult member dedicated to single brand, design, or philosophy. Indeed, I appreciate the strengths and openly acknowledge the shortcomings of each design that I own. In my book, none is perfect. (Hence, the collection.)
Your sweeping pronouncement says much more about you than it does about the VSM or the people who own them.
Marty |
Bjesien- If you want to drive down to central CT to hear Merlins, hit me w a PM thru the agon system. Mine are from 04 upgraded to MMes w Master RCs and SBam. |
less than a year with my Merlins. These speakers are supremely musical and completely disappear into the room....great stuff bobby! |
Perhaps Jimbeam2 would be a more appropriate username. I am a virgin to the Merlin sound. Where in the Boston area can I hear them? Any dusty pairs hanging around the shop that you can ship off for a demo? From what I read I think I would like them. |
