Speaker Asylum: REVIEW: Merlin Music Inc. VSM-MX Speakers by DBerry General speaker questions for audio and home theater.

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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 DBerry ( A ) on July 28, 2005 at 08:06:16 IP Address: 209.162.225.226

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VSM-MX (piano black) with Battery BAM

Room/Setup

- 12’w x 15’l x 7’h dedicated room (opens partially to another room) in basement

- speakers positioned along the short wall 42” out from front wall, 32” out from side wall (measurements taken from center of woofer)

- speakers are 6.5’ apart (mid woofer to mid woofer) using three Z-feet (2 front, one center rear)

- listening chair is 9.5’- 10’ away from both woofers

- cement floor with wall to wall heavy carpeting and a big oriental rug on top of that between listening chair and speakers

- room treatment is a Jon Risch-based DIY panel absorbers that measure about 5’ high by 2.5’ wide (on 1’ stilts). Composed of 6” of fiberglass wrapped with 1/2” high loft polyester. Out from walls about 5”. I have 5 of them at various strategic positions.

Equipment

- VSM-MX (piano black) with Merlin’s latest Battery BAM (see Merlin’s webpage under “What’s New” – June 10, 2005)

- Dedicated 20 amp circuit (amp/preamp plugged directly into this)

- Isolation transformer (1 KVa) fed from the 20 amp circuit. CDP, BAM, tape deck hooked into this

- Marantz SA-14 v1 SACD player

- Joule Electra LA 150 newest revision (one with 8 tubes –no 6H30-P as the Mu follower – he returned to the 6350 workhorse tubes for that)

- Belles 150A Hot Rod stereo amplifier

- Nakamichi RX-202 tape deck

- Interconnects from Element Cable (JR-based 89259/89248 twisted design with Eichmann Bullet Plugs) and Heartland cables (89259-based with Eichmann Bullet Plugs)

- Goertz MI-2 6’ speaker cables (single wired)

Phew, I hope that that is helpful to someone!

Ok, I am going to approach Bobby and ask if I can buy shares in his company as I have bought the VSM-SE (with AC BAM), the VSM-M (BBAM), the VSM-MM and now the VSM-MX with the updated BAM.

The speakers came in a single box (~200 lbs) meticulously packaged and the setup instructions were straight forward. Mine came initially without the BAM as Bobby was in the final stage of updating it. Thus, I lived with the VSM-MX for about 6 weeks without a BAM hooked into the system.

The sound prior to the BAM? Fantastic, but missing a bit of the wallop that I was used to experiencing with the VSM. What the hell else did you expect? Now with the BAM hooked up into the tape loop of the Joule, the sound has become more involving and tactile, and of course, deeper with more grunt. Of all the three BAMs that I have owned, (AC BAM, the older BBAM, and now this one) this one betters the others. The reason? Better power supply (and more versatile), improved batteries, improved filters…all the above plus others that Bobby keeps to himself? Who knows, but the end result is mostly all that matters to me.

I am not well versed in the typical writing fashion that so many audiophiles seem to have mastered; however, there is a certain “rightness” to this speaker system that I cannot adequately put into words. Notice that I said “speaker system”. This includes the often recommended components to partner with the Merlins that seem to have synergy (I am sick of seeing that word, but it is true here nonetheless). According to Bobby, the MM and MX’s have now a wider scope of equipment that mate well with them including the ARS Sonum Filarmonia integrated amp. They do not have to be expensive (look at my amp).

I usually have only 45 minutes to one hour at the end of a busy day (professional life, children, wife…you know the usual routine) and EVERY SINGLE DAY I eagerly look forward to that time. It helps keep me going. You know what I am talking about.

Is it worth the $10 500 US MSRP? Well, if you want the best two way damn-near full range beautifully finished speaker system on the market today with a customer support network that is second to none (just one example: he phoned me at home to inquire how things were going!), then yes it is.

Questions/Comments? Feel free to email me.

David

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Product Weakness:	1. Does not cost $1000. 2. Wait time, however, it IS hand made.
Product Strengths:	Please see above

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Associated Equipment for this Review:
Amplifier:	Belles 150A Hot Rod
Preamplifier (or None if Integrated):	Joule Electra LA 150
Sources (CDP/Turntable):	Marantz SA-14 v1
Speakers:	VSM-MX
Cables/Interconnects:	See review
Music Used (Genre/Selections):	Mainly jazz/classical
Type of Audition/Review:	Product Owner

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