Speaker Asylum: REVIEW: Merlin Music Inc. VSM-MX Speakers by ThreeHundredB

Model:	VSM-MX
Category:	Speakers
Suggested Retail Price:	$9995 +/- various BAMs
Description:	Newest of the VSM loudspeaker
Manufacturer URL:	Merlin Music Inc.
Manufacturer URL:	Merlin Music Inc.

Review by ThreeHundredB ( A ) on March 01, 2005 at 07:56:26
IP Address: 80.26.233.166

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This is without doubt the most satisfying speaker I have ever owned. I have been a fan of the VSM design from more than five years ago when I purchased my first VSM. Now with the MX the sound is simply supremely natural and seductive. My previous VSM Millenium were just the most natural sounding speaker I have heard for medium or small size rooms and I thought none or very little at all could be done to improve that design but I was (happily) wrong. The MX takes the Millenium strenghts to the next level. The first thing you notice with the speaker fresh from the box is the increase resolution and inner detail. The detail retrieval of the Milleniums were just SOTA but incredibly the MX not only seeems to extract more detail but it seems to have more "body" or "inner structure" (I hope you know what I mean to say). This is clearly noticed in vocal sibilants and cymbals which are reproduced in a totally fluid and coherent way. The mids are a indeed more transparent and pure and the bass is another area where the improvements are not subtle. The bass now is clearly more controlled, articulate and detailed. In my listening room this has been very clear and I needed to reposition the speakers to better effect. Now I have my listening point far than before and the sound this way and with the MX is more cohesive and even. Images now are more fleshed but at the same time more naturally resoluted and defined. But above all the sound is inmensely fluid and relaxed. It makes my previous Milleniums a bit colored something I never thought of them until I hard my new MXs!! Two words that comes to mind when trying to resume the improvements of the new MXs over the previous milleniums are "purer" "and "coherent". It´s VERY impressive to see how neutral and emotive is at the same time the speaker now. At the end it´s just incredible how a few and carefully implanted design details can change a superbly natural sounding speaker and take it to an previously unexpected next level. Just a superb gift for the music lover and sound pros alike!!.
A classic, period.
P.S.: Sorry about my English Grammar, I know is not very fine. :-(

Product Weakness: Maybe you need some care choosing the partnering electronics to extract all the inmense magic these speakers are capable of.
Product Strengths: Incredibly natural and seductive. Pure and transparent. A final purchase for the music lover.

Associated Equipment for this Review:
Amplifier:	Berning ZH270
Preamplifier (or None if Integrated):	Joule Electra LA150
Sources (CDP/Turntable):	Ack Dack 2.0
Speakers:	Merlin VSM-MX
Cables/Interconnects:	Cardas Golden Reference
Music Used (Genre/Selections):	all
Other (Power Conditioner etc.):	PS Audio Ultimate Outlet
Type of Audition/Review:	Product Owner

Product Weakness:	Maybe you need some care choosing the partnering electronics to extract all the inmense magic these speakers are capable of.
Product Strengths:	Incredibly natural and seductive. Pure and transparent. A final purchase for the music lover.