Speaker Asylum: REVIEW: Merlin Music Inc. VSM-MX Speakers by Sordidman 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 Sordidman ( D ) on August 17, 2005 at 13:33:25 IP Address: 209.157.148.112

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Merlin VSM-MX (Piano Black)

High Order cohesive seduction.


My first experience with Merlin was a listening
session at a friend’s/Dealer’s home who couldn’t stop talking
about how these amazing speakers so accurately reproduced the organic essence of the music that they just got out of the way of it and “disappeared.”

We listened to the stand mount TSM-M back to back with some
Talon Khorus speakers, - two very different speakers, - I was amazed at the TSMs ability to be detailed, musical, and cohesive. How they stood up to the much more expensive and beefier floor-standing Talons. I bought the speaker. The TSM reserved an important place in my home. Then I went to CES in 2000 and was stunned by the speed, detail, coherence, flexibility, and nimbleness of the floor-standing VSM-M. I knew that I had to own this speaker. I finally was able to acquire a pair in November 2004.

From the outset, - I heard wondrous things. As I
listened, - I was amazed at the delivery and the seductively huge and
expansive soundstage, the power and dynamics of the music, the firm, fast, sweet mid-range and the deepest detail, clearly audible, even when at low volume. One of the things that really impressed me at CES is the thing that is often overlooked: delineated bass. Many floor-standing speakers are capable of delivering ENOUGH bass. But few deliver QUALITY bass.

For over 15 years I’ve been co-songwriter/producer/lead bass player in a two bass player music group. It was always critical to CONTROL the bass, (often, to prevent it from booming, or lingering too long). When I listened to the VSM-M with its external Bass Activation Module, - I was amazed by the tunefulness of the bass, how each note that was supposed to be different, did indeed sound different, and how the clarity of the bass was more distinctive, yet did not obtrude up out of the mix, but was an organic part of it. To say that I was both sensitive to “boomy” bass, and listened for what I hear as “correct” bass is an understatement. Many speakers get the treble right, many get the midrange right, few get the bass right, and few have an overall balance and cohesiveness that gets everything right, and almost none have the dynamics and clarity and absence of noise that the VSM-MX does. This was incredibly evident when I purchased the APL Universal CD source, which has balanced outputs. I needed to exchange my single ended BAM for a balanced one, so I was running the speakers without a BAM. When one put one’s ear up to close to the speaker, - a quiet hiss was heard from the amp/CDP. Once the new BAM was on and in place, - the hiss was completely quieted. This new BAM, (better power supply, battery, detachable AC cord) is amazing, and it greatly assists in achieving that wonderful, piercing, clarity.

During a subsequent visit to CES a few years later, I remember sitting with Bobby, listening to a pretty amazing saxophonist, jazz trio,(whose name I can’t recall), the drummer had a large sizzle ride cymbal, - it was unbelievably real sounding, (with just the right amount of sibilance, decay, body, speed, and lightness), located just where one would picture a drummer putting that cymbal, off of his right hand, slightly stage right of where he was sitting in the center. This cymbal sounded so dead on real, Bobby and just looked at each other and started laughing at how absurdly, clear, coherent and TRUE the whole band sounded. I will never forget that day, and that song.

My Speakers:

When I received my VSM-MX in Piano Black gloss, - I
was happy, - but still knew that I had a long way to go. Yes, - I wanted
that “CES Show-piercing-clarity-beauty” that the Merlin/Joule/Audio Aero/Cardas show system had in spades. Running the VSMs with PS Audio Oval 9 bi-wire, Levinson 383 integrated amp and Arcam FMJ CDP was not going to cut it. Upon adding the Audience AU24 speaker cable, the system became hugely improved and got me a step closer. It was only after getting the Blue Circle BC204, Cardas Golden Reference speaker Cable and the APL 3910 Universal CD player did I take that final step up to that level of no noise, effortless, relaxed detail, smooth highs, fast, tight bass, and the incredible soundstage and clarity that I
knew that the VSM-MX could produce. Neutrality builds upon itself, and
achieves more than the sum of its parts. This gestalt is one of the reasons that Bobby@Merlin talks about an entire system approach. He not only cares about how your speakers sound, but how your SYSTEM sounds, about how your MUSIC sounds, and about how to make that music sound its best.

And not to contradict myself, - but I’d also like to emphasize that the Merlins did sound great with my Levinson 383 integrated and Arcam FMJ CDP. However, - they weren’t over the top. They were pretty good choices, especially for fast, techno and rock, they just didn’t sound quite as accurate; (less body and organic and realistic instrument weight then the BC or the Joule systems), not as good for all types of music.

It’s not that the speakers don’t sound great with many, many, components, - but if you truly want that amazing, “piercing clarity” and huge soundstage, - you have to go with the Merlin recommended neutral cables, amps, and source(s). Because Bobby does take this system approach, he’s spent a great deal of time researching amps, cables and sources. He's come up with lots of choices, this leaves a lot of wiggle room for varying budgets. Just give him a call.

Fit and Finish:
I sometimes read the cliché, - “fit and finish are what you’d expect from a $10K speaker.” Well, - I should hope so. I would go way beyond that about the Merlin VSM-MX. Fit and finish far exceeded
my expectations!! The cabinet, with its bracing, its gold “tuning” rods,
the Z feet, the Cardas connectors, all add up to an incredibly beautiful,
and beautiful sounding product that goes beyond its price point. It’s
possible to dampen a cabinet to extremes, and I must say that the testing and years of R&D at Merlin have resulted in a cabinet that works with the drivers and electronics, the tuning rods, the “Z” feet, and yes, the gloss finish, that achieves the “right” intonation, - one that is NOT completely dampened or over dampened like some manufacturers whose speakers SOUND over-dampened. Of course positioning, feet installation and cable connections are critical, - all this was explained quite well in the manual.


The music:

I started to say that I don’t like audiophile music, but lately, there are some audiophile darlings that have grown on me, Patricia Barber, Hugh Masekela to name a couple. Mostly, I'm a world music, Brit-rock, post punk, and downtempo fan. That’s why I own Merlins. Why?; speed, coherency, nimbleness, true, musical bass, makes for a FLEXIBLE speaker that allows all kinds of music to sound great. Diana Krall? To me, not a good test of speakers, or a system. Producing upright acoustic bass that doesn’t go very low, doesn’t really test the system. Topper Headon of the Clash’s kick drum is a better test. Orbital’s driving synth bass kick drum, or Talvin Singh’s combination of drum kit and
sequenced low bass synthesizers, can really show one when they have a bloated speaker that can’t control super fast, low, bass notes. Tony Levin's Chapman Stick, goes super low, and if those notes linger too long or take too much time to dissipate; they get in the way of the next notes to follow and make the music sound like mud.


The discs and tests:

Talvin Singh, “Aroka, Sounds from the Asian Underground.”

Kevin Johansen, “Sur O No Sur.”

Ojos De Brujo, - Bari

Orient Expressions, "Divan"

“Sur o No Sur is an excellent recording with super clear vocals, well located and delineated instruments, very simple and separated points of focus, where individual instruments step up in focus in the mix. The players on the CD are technically brilliant, but the music is fun, light-hearted, irreverent and perverse. KJ is from Alaska. His father is from the US and his mother is an Argentine. His music is full of humor and comedic play with Spanish, English, and each culture: it’s silly. What’s wonderful about the Merlin system, - is that the vocals are so crisp, clear, and defined, - that one hears all of both the detail, and body, and strength that pushes through in the voice and instruments.

Track number 6 on Talvin Singh’s CD is a mixture of synthesizer produced strings with cellos, upright acoustic basses, violas and violins. Over top of the mix is a very small bell. This high pitched little bell, sounds very delicate, light, nimble and fast. As the string section builds, there is a very deep toned and heavy synthesized “bass wash” that pushes through the mix. This “bass wash” is huge, loud, and expansive. The dynamics are incredible as the volume level changes are dramatic. The speaker never craps out and distorts, the bass is smooth, fast, there is no “break-up” or crackling. I remember first hearing this on the Talon Khorus. The bell was too heavy sounding, not delicate, and when the bass wash pushed through, it was too boomy, lingered too long, wasn't as defined and clear.

Ojos de Brujo is a flamenco/hip-hop/DJ scratch/mix CD. The recording quality here is also incredibly good. Traditional Flamenco clapping, blazingly fast finger strummed acoustic guitars, aggressive and strong female vocals mixed with DJ’s scratching, - also very fun. And, - also a wonderful exercise in dynamic volume changes and instrument location. What’s amazing is that one can often discern with VSM-MX, (due location and tonal refinement), that there are people with different size hands, clapping at a fast tempo at the same time. Amazing, and on lesser, less nimble, less detailed, speakers, one would not hear these differences. Flamenco, especially this Nuevo Flamenco, is fast music. If you have too big a speaker, or your speaker is too slow, or your amp is too slow, - the bass is going to muddy up and those bass notes are going to run together in a most non-pleasing manner. This just doesn’t happen with the VSM-MX.

Finally Orient Expressions are DJs from Turkey who again offer up traditional Turkish sounds and riffs with more modern drumming techniques, DJ techniques, and modern studio affect machines over top of traditional instruments. The plated reverb affected guitar intro at the beginning of the record is huge with its full-bodied and upfront piercing clarity, - yet it’s clearly located slightly stage right and at the back of the stage. It’s a wonderfully full and organic sound that you feel deep in your chest. Amazing.

Conclusion:

I know that I’ve been writing much about the Merlin magic. Yes, - I think that this speaker is amazing, this is clear not just from this review and from what me and many others have had to say. To a certain degree, most of what I’ve said above has already been talked about. The three main points that I’d like to make from my perspective, is the fact that these speakers are incredibly fast, nimble, and neutral. This means that they are very FLEXIBLE and able to be used and DO sound amazing with all kinds of music, different components, and in different rooms. It really is difficult for me to think of any audio application where the VSM-MX would not be a great match for any room or musical genre.

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Product Weakness:	WARNING TYPICAL RESPONSE: None. I guess that it is possible that the VSM-MX might not sound "right" in a giant room or broom closet. It's also possible to diminish it's wonderful sound by using components that are dramatically inferior: but these aren't weaknesses of the speakers themselves.
Product Strengths:	Nimble flexibility, neutrality, dead spot on realistic instrument weight, easy to install and use. Effortlessly beautiful sound

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Associated Equipment for this Review:
Amplifier:	Blue Circle BC 204 Hybrid power amp
Preamplifier (or None if Integrated):	None
Sources (CDP/Turntable):	APL re-designed Denon 3910 Universal CDP
Speakers:	Merlin VSM-MX (high gloss black)
Cables/Interconnects:	Cardas GR speaker cable/Blue Circle XLR
Music Used (Genre/Selections):	See review
Room Size (LxWxH):	25 x 16 x 20
Room Comments/Treatments:	Foam
Time Period/Length of Audition:	Owner 8 months
Type of Audition/Review:	Product Owner

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