Where to start? Everything that has been mentioned below

They are too revealing. They make me want to upgrade everything else in my system that is not up to par.

I hate to add to the pile of praise that these speakers are receiving but I can't help it. They sound fantastic. I have the original VSM without any upgrades and they sing. I can't wait ti I can afford the Millenium upgrade.

One downside - I have been seeing flwas in my system that were masked before. Just ordered a new preamp (Rouge 99) and am now looking for a suitable amp. These things are going to break me but at least I'll have a smile on my face.

Similar Products Used:

Infinity Kappa 8, Polk (various)

They do many things close to perfect and nothing wrong or in other words: Neutrality, speed, resolution, coherence, soundstage, joy factor (...)

Can't find any, which is their greatest strength.

About:
This review is about the VSM-M with battery BAM module, I have upgraded the speakers myself from the VSM-SE and will provide some information on the upgrade process and the differences between the VSM-M and SE from my own experience.

Summary:
Well, not everyone will want to read this whole write up, so let it be said again: The Merlins are in my opininon among the very best speakers in the market today and at a comparatively attractive price point. I recommend them without any hesitation to anyone that can match them to a high-end system. There you have it. Read on to find out why...

Overall impression:
I think what I appreciate most about the Merlins is that they are really transparent and uncoloured. While I found that lesser speakers tend to have a typical sound on their own that they 'stamp' to all recordings, the Merlins don't do that. Subtle nuances of the recordings or system changes are revealed with ease. The soundstage adapts from cavernous to intimate, from one record to the next, if you play a sampler from song to song. As reavealing as the Merlins are, they always play music and not hifi. Details and dynamics are presented with ease but never thrown in your face. This is important to me as I usually listen seriously a few hours per day and have the system running as soon as I am at home for background music. Fatigue is not an issue with the Merlins if the rest of the system matches well. The Merlins play any style of music graciously, as long as the recording is up to the exceeding quality standard of the speakers. Lousy recordings are not disguised, garbage in garbage out. But put in a half way decent recording and the Merlins produce thoroughly enjoyable music. Put in an audiophile quality recording and the Merlins enitrely disappear and leave magically only you and the music in the room. They can do that with large orchestra works, chamber music, rock, pop, jazz, folk, new age - If your music appetite includes all those the Merlins are a great choice, I am always amazed at their chamelon like ability to change with the demands of a different genre or recording venue! If I had to pick what they do best, I would say that they do excell in the natural reproduction of voices, ambience and anything acoustic.

The Upgrade:
Living in Hong Kong ruled out shipping my Merlin VSM-SEs back to the US for the Millennium upgrade, instead I ordered the parts from Merlin and tried to remember the days when I built a couple of simple speakers as a hobby. The upgrade requires that you have some tools handy and let's say some talent for handy work. It took me a couple of hours to go through the process, I could probably do it in half the time now that I have done it once. Having said that, I suggest you reserve plenty of time and take your time doing it carefully. Best is to do it before a weekend, you will want to cancel all dates for the days after the upgrade, as you will be glued to the listening chair. I had the basic tools including a quality soldering iron, but had to buy a hot glue pistol and also the torque wrench required to fasten the bolts precisely. The upgrade involves replacing the wiring harness, adding some damping material, the new Z-feet and putting everything together with the right torque settings. The results are immediately noticeable and unexpected in their magnitude. The Merlin-M has all the strenght of the SE, but improves significantly in the joy factor due to a more tuneful and agile bass. Further the Millennium version is even more delicate in resolution of subtle details and depth. Overall I find the M version even more balanced, it loses nothing of its monitor charachter but seems more at ease to simply dish out the rythm and boogie along. As good as the SE already is, I think the Millennium upgrade is a must for every owner.

System Matching:
I took a long time after the upgrade of the VSM-SE to the M version before writing this review, for the reason that I had the impression the M version had so much potential but the rest of my system was not really up to that level. The Merlins always sounded very good, but to really find out how excellent they are you have to listen to them with the best equipment you can get your hands on. I belive the Merlins can make you hear the 'grass grow' in terms of what is going on in your system. I never found them to be the limiting factor in my system, which is why they have been in it for years since I bought my first VSM-SE, while the other gear went through a couple of upgrades. To me the Merlins are a long term decision, there is no need to keep looking for other speakers (unless it's an upgrade from Merlin!), but you will be seeking out and trying to eliminate any week point in the rest of your system. The Merlins reward any small improvement instantly!

The Company:
Bobby of Merlin and his staff are as excellent as their product. I have phoned and emailed Merlin many times and they have always responded with meaningful and helpful advise. When I was working on the upgrade they were there to help me through at anytime. Bobby is even more enthusiastic about his products than the people who buy them, read all the glowing reviews and you know that means a lot.

Outlook:
I love that the Merlins are almost understated compared to other larger or more imposing speakers of similar quality. While they do not produce the heft in the deep bass notes like speakers with larger bass drivers, the Merlins continue to shock everybody that listens to them with an incredible deep and well defined bass that simply is amazing for the small bass driver and footprint. Smaller listening rooms will never need more. For the future I am curious about Merlin's subwoofer for the VSM, it might just take care of the last few frequencies the VSM is missing at the moment. The 'little Merlin' could then make even bigger giants tremble...

My current system for reference:
Audiomeca Mephisto 2 CD Transport, Audiomeca Enkianthus DAC, ASR Emitter 2 HD amplifier with akku, Merlin VSM-M with battery BAM, based on copulare and solidsteel racks. Cables from Cardas, Kimber, van den Hul, FastAudio and Domino Design.

Similar Products Used:

Martin Logan Aerius-i, Scanspeak 2 way diy kit

Merlin Milleniums Speakers with Battery Bam

I hope that my fellow music listeners find my observations of interest. I personally have had the pleasure of hearing both the latest version of the Merlin VSM/SE's with Bam and the newly released VSM Millennium's with Bam in my own music room. This actually came about quite by accident. My own VSM's were the most updated version in the original black textured finish. Although I was totally satisfied with these speakers, I have longed for the new painted black metalic speakers. When I arranged for the changeover, I expected all of the contents from the textured boxes to be transferred over to the new painted boxes. I was pleasantly surprised to find that I received the newly released Merlin Milleniums. I have owned virtually every version of the VSM's since their introduction in 1994.
I have been amazed with the improvements over the years and felt that my most recent VSM/SE's were the ultimate limits obtainable. After listening in earnest to the new Millenium's which are nearly broken in, I have to admit that I was wrong. They already surpass the VSM/SE's in so many ways. The changes made were improvements which significantly
enhanced the sonics. The Milleniums's difference in output and dynamics is a real shocker. Bass energy is up substantially, more deliniated, fuller, punchier and extended sounding. This gives the impression that you are hearing a fuller and juicier sound. Clarity and smoothness are also way up. There is less distortion and absolutely no brightness in the sound. When playing music loud very loud, the sound holds together without exhibiting brightness or thinness. The sound stage is much wider and bigger, giving the impression that the speakers are quite a bit larger than the actually are. They actually sound bolder, bigger, vibrant and ultimately more realistic if that be possible.
Without doubt I believe the new Milleniums's are the finest VSM's by far and I salute Bobby the magician for his crowning achievement. Any Central New Yorker who would like to become a Merlin believer like I have become is invited to be my listening guest. In the meantime you should be as lucky as I am to enjoy music at its best. (1-800-878-3208)
Gerry Goldberg
which are nearly broken in, I most admit that I was wrong

Can I make a long story short? Can we talk?
From about 40 Hz up, these speakers are perfect. Easy to place in a room, easy to drive with 20+ watts, and, most importantly, completely true to the music. There is a piano in my listening room, and when playing recorded piano music, the VSM-SEs sound like a real piano. Folks, it don't get any better than that!

System: Well-Tempered Reference/Koetsu Urushi, AHT-DM phono stage, Sony XA7ES CD, passive preamp, Atma-sphere M60 mk. 2 amps, the Merlins, REL Stadium 2 sub, JPS cables. WOW!

As one reviewer said, these speakers will provide the audiophile with a listening experience of the highest order. Hear, Hear!

I'll beg your indulgence, and start off with a disclaimer or two. I am not a professional reviewer, and do not pretend to have heard an overwhelmingly large percentage of speakers...I have heard a fair number over the years, and many have been fine products, but there is a much greater number that I have not had opportunity to hear. So I will not base this commentary on the premise that the speaker in question is the 'best' there is, both because I have not heard all there are to hear, and because the evaluation of audio gear remains a subjective endeavor. While a professional reviewer would have a much vaster level of experience, he or she might also be questioned by some regarding his or her agenda. My agenda is simple: I am very enthusiastic about this speaker, and want to bring it to the attention of folks who may not have seen mention of the company name, or heard word of this specific model.
Merlin Music Systems is not a Big Fish in the audio pond. They receive mention at a number of sites on the web, and in a number of the smaller audio publications. Nonetheless, they manage to design and build excellent speakers, and they provide exceptional customer service. A past highlight for me was the opportunity to talk with Bobby Palkovic, prior to my first purchase of a Merlin product (a pair of TSMs, reviewed at this site in October, 1997). He is very enthusiastic about his work, and is glad to talk with callers. My initial conversations with him, as well as many that took place after I purchased Merlin speakers, helped form the high regard I have for smaller companies producing cutting edge products. For those who are interested, the phone number is available at the website (www.merlinmusic.com), as are a number of reviews, show reports, white papers, and specs.

The two product lines produced by the company are the TSM minimonitor and the VSM floorstanding two-way speaker. The latter is subdivided in to the VSM (Basic, or Standard) and the VSM-SE. A Bass Alignment Module (BAM) is sold as part of the VSM-SE, and can be purchased separately for the VSM. Of note, for those who frequent the used market, Generation I, II, III, and III with RC networks can all be upgraded to VSM Standard status, but because of a number of physical reasons, other models cannot be upgraded to VSM-SE.

I had previously owned TSMs, which are among the best minimonitors I have personally had a chance to hear. An opportunity to purchase a pair of CES show demo VSM-SEs at a greatly reduced price (the list price for the VSM-SE is ~$6000) tempted me to trade in my TSMs, and I have no regrets having done so.

My thoughts on the speakers? Let me first say that I have a strong dislike for reviews that build one product up by bringing others down. Besides being distasteful, such reviews are often more about personal tastes than they are about merits of various products, and they many times fail to account for significant variables such as equipment synergy and set-up, room acoustics, etc. It is not my goal to compare minutia, or even to mention broader contrasts. I will leave comparisons to those who have an chance to evaluate the speakers themselves. I will honestly say that the VSM-SEs are among the best speakers I have heard at any price, given my own particular preferences. And I will mention characteristics which I view as great strengths. One word that comes to mind is SPEED. The VSM-SEs appear to run at the same pace the music runs...not too fast, not too slow. I don't get the impression of passages moving artificially swift, and I don't get the impression of the music being held back in some fashion. TONALLY ACCURATE. In the context of my exposure to live music, I do not find myself listening to the VSM-SEs and frequently saying to myself "that doesn't sound like a human voice," " is that supposed to be a cello," or the like. While by no means perfect, the tonal character of the speakers is remarkably good. DYNAMIC. I have been quite pleased and very impressed by the VSM-SEs ability to handle both macrodynamics and microdynamics. IMAGE PLACEMENT. Another quality I have grown to respect. I do not get the impression of objects being overly inflated, or more sharply placed than I would expect. While not the most adept speaker at soundstaging that I have heard, the VSM-SE remains very strong in that regard.

Any honest assessment will give mention of the potential downside of a product in addition to positive impressions. The only potential downside to the VSM-SEs that I have seen, is a relative one, and will be dependent upon a consumers goals and expectations...the speaker, due to the physics of its construction, will not have the full range extension that other products in its price range might have. I will qualify that statement after a fashion: first, given that I am using the speaker in a relatively small room, the potential downside is not a downside for me. Second, while there is not the ultimate in low frequency response, that which IS present is excellently portrayed...an issue of quality not quantity. The BAM unit helps to extend the low end, and also serves to improve the depth of field and front to back layering, while managing to flesh things out a touch more, so to speak. Although I personally do not have experience with the use of subwoofers with this product, I have heard from others that the overall design of the VSMs makes subwoofer integration relatively straightforward. And, as I understand it, for folks who want to have their cake and eat it too, there is a specifically designed subwoofer in the works at Merlin.

Two ways to judge the merit of a speaker come to mind: as a technological achievement, and as a means to transport the listener closer to the music. In my opinion, the VSM-SEs succeeds remarkably well at both. The speaker for everyone? No. But, for someone looking in the general price range (or higher), it certainly is a worthy addition to the list.

Buy these speakers! I am unique in having had several iterations of VSM's during the past three years. When I switched from Thiel CS2.2 several years ago to the original Gen. 1 VSM's I was astounded by the improvement over a well regarded. Better tonal balance, imaging and transient response. At that time I had a completely solid-state system (Klyne preamp/BEL amp) and even then the VSM's were far smoother than the Thiel's.I felt that there was no way these speakers could be improved upon.
I later upgraded to the Gen 3 VSM with the RC network and found them better than the original version almost as much as the Gen. 1 was better than the Thiel. The sound of the Gen.3 was richer, better depth and whatever small bit of hardness the original Gen. 1 had was gone.

Much to my dismay (because I knew I would have to upgrade), last year a VSM-SE model was introduced by Merlin.Bobby Palkovic, the heart and soul of Merlin who had been correct in the past, assured me that the SE's were a further refinement of the same direction taken by the Gen.3 I sold my Gen 3 and bought a set of SE's with the associated BAM bass module. Once again (now with an all tube Joule-Electra system) the naturalness of the sound, richness of tone and image and overall smoothness are superb. For those who have heard the VSM's in their original Gen 1 or even Gen 3 status and were impressed, the SE's are a quantum leap forward. Though not inexpensive, the VSM/SE/BAM combo is possibly as good as you can get if the associated equipment is up to the task. Plus you get the opportunity to talk with Bobby who supports his products with knowledge and enthusiasm second to none.

Natural reproduction of recorded information.

They tend to make you a little snobbish in some listening situatinons.

As a former professional musician, (orchestra, jazz, pop), and now music critic for our state's largest newspaper, I am in the enviable position of having heard music from both ends of the horse. Going in and coming out.
Then as now I have always relied on recorded music to help me investigate the fullest potential of the composer's intent and the orchestral delivery.
Just to stay on top of my listening game I travel several times a year to hear the very best on their home turf. The Pittsburgh Symphony in Heinz Hall, The National Symphony in Washington and the creme de la creme, The Cleveland Symphony at Severance Hall.
These listening trips help me calibrate my personal listening devices, ears, mind and heart and allow me to make better judgments as to what my needs are for a home recorded musical reproduction systems.
I tell you all of that just to tell you this. My marriage to Merlin speakers has been one of the most musically satisfying that I have ever had.
I owned a pair of the first generation, floor to ceiling, alledgedly constructed of ground corn cobs and resin, pair of speakers for a lot of years. They worked their magic for a long time. Little did I know that the best was yet to come.
My VSM-SE's with battery BAM have been further upgraded to Millennium status and are without a doubt the most musically revealing instruments that I have yet to come across.
Their designer seems to have successfully addressed all of the quagmire issuse, analytical revelation without sacrificing the tone, precise instrument presentation without hindering the contiguous mass sound field, and still producing a speaker that can sing with the heart of the music.
Even the spoken word.
A river full of adjectives could not further embellish upon what has already been written here as well as in some of the most prestigious printed resouurces available, and I might cloud the water with my desperate attempts to express the absolute musical integrity of these speakers so I won't even try.
Instead I'll just be content to continue listening to a pair of the finest musical transducers that money can buy.

Similar Products Used:

Other components used in my system are Sony SACD 777ES disc player, Joule Electra pre amp, VAC Vintage High Power mono blocks in the triode mode with Cardes Neutral Reference interconnects and Annalysi Plus speaker cables

By itself, none, but when paired with lesser electronics, can reveal flaws of the electronics. That is why you will hear about criticism of it being too bright by some. But not in my system.

This is a follow-up to my previous review, now that I have had the new cones and the battery BAM for a couple of months. The VSM-Millennium is the third VSM generation I have owned, starting with the Gen. 3, then the SE. But the Millennium is a BIG step up!!!. My previous review was when I upgraded my SE model to the Millennium model. Since then, I got the new cones and the battery BAM, both of which made a huge difference.
I must admit I was skeptical about the concept of the BAM. I understood the idea, outlined on the Merlin site (www.merlinmusic.com), but did not think I'd need it as I have a smallish room (15x12) and was satisfied with the bass. But then Bobby convinced me to try the BAM out, and I am glad I did.
I would summarize the effects of the BAM in three aspects: speed, weight, and depth.
The first thing I noticed was speed. The notes have faster attack, the instruments cleaner, and there is a sense of ease in the music. I find that I get the same impact and clarity at lower volume, which I think probably is due to a darker background.
This has a positive side effect, as I listen at night when the family is in bed and I cannot play it too loud. This way, I get the full dose of music at lower level.
The second is weight. Of course, the bass is deeper and more. In fact, in my small room, it is actually too much at loud level. Good thing I get the first benefit, as I get the full impact of the bass at lower level.
The third is depth. I set the system along the long wall (15ft) and sit in a near field position, about 5-6 feet from the speakers. The VSM are positioned in the room based on Bobby's recommended method, but I can only have it 1/4 way from the back wall (which is OK as I don't need bass reinforcement). There was depth before but now I hear sounds from BEHIND the back wall. This is AMAZING. The speakers also just completely disappear.
The theory behind the BAM is that, besides increasing the bass at around 35Hz, it also cuts off any signals under 28 Hz, eliminating the need to the amp to put out energy unusable by the Scanspeak woofers. The end effect is a cleaner sound against a darker background in the mids and highs. I think the darker background probably plays a big role, as I hear sound I did not before.
With the BAM, I liken it to drinking tab water before and Perrier now. The feel is airier, cleaner, more crystaline, especially piano sounds.
My audiophile friends, who are familiar to my system prior to the BAM, also noticed the same effects.
The VSM has been the cornerstone of my audio system for 5 years and I continue to feel that I own one of the best speakers out there at any price. That is very unusual, as I have changed out every other component in those 5 years. Call me a very satisfied Merlin customer. Bravo, Bobby!!!!

Similar Products Used:

Vandersteen, Totem, Snell, ProAc, Definitive Technology

Detail, sounstage, accuracy and sheer listening enjoyment

None

Count me as one of the converted. I have been the proud and happy owner of a pair of Milleniums with the battery bam for a number of months. I was tempted to write a review within a number of days of receiving them but, decided to wait because I wanted to get them broken in and because I couldn't pull myself away.
About one year ago I set out on a mission to rework my system. I listened to a number of speakers most of which have been compared in postsw below. While a number were very good, I just didn't find any that I thought were worth spending my dollars on to replace a pair of Proac Response 2s. I read the posts here and every review I could get my hands on wriiten on the Merlins as well as a whole host of other speakers. I kept coming back to all the press on these.
Well, there are no dealers in my area so I wrote to Merlin. In short order I received a response from Bobby Palkovic and we began what was one of the most enjoyable dialouges I have had about speakers I have had with anyone. For all of you who know this will not come as any surprise but I believe it is worth mentioning- Bobby's enthusiasm and straight forward approach was a refreshing and enlightning experience. I join in all the wonderful things that have already been written about him and find them to be right on the number.
One of the things that impressed me was Bobby's efforts in the continual refinement of his product. I liken it to the finer auto manufacturers like Mercedes and BMW who already have wonderful products but are striving to make what is greater even better. I know that anumber of cynics think that Manufacturers are marketing "new and improved" products to hook consumers into additional products but, I never got the feeling that that is Bobby's way.
Now to the speakers. I took a chance and made the decision to buy the speakers without having heard them in my space. No regrets whatsoever. I feel that I reached the grail I was looking for when I started my search. Since hooking these up I have had nothing but absolute enjoyment. I am now just listening to the music no longer looking or longing precisely why I started my search. I cannot recommend these enough. Thanks Bobby!!!! These speakers do everything IMHO correctly. Everything said below about soundstaging, transparency, detail, and harmonic correctness I have experienced in spades. Try em you"ll love them.

where to start? the neutrality? the clarity? the coherence? the integration? it does them all with the best made.

review concerns model VSM-M

i must have listened to 30+ pairs of speakers ranging in price from $1500 to $20k. here's a brief rundown on the more popular models as point of reference:
martin logan aerius i, SL3, logos: 2 stars (but could justify 5 stars IF: you listen in a fixed seat at a moderate volume to only acoustic, folk, or spanish guitar)
maggies (various models): 4 stars and a terrific value, but you'll be hard pressed to find an owner who's had them for 3 years & NOT had them serviced
B&W Nautilus 803, 804, 805: 3 stars for performance, 2 for value. (sorry, but 804s are absolutely awful!)
B&W Nautilus 801: 5 stars--very nice speakers, bone rattling bass but very large & not as detailed as the merlins.
UNOs: 4 stars; nice, but my living room wasn't decorated by salvatore dali
PMC monitor: 3 stars--sorely lacking in bass
Hales Transendence 1,3: 3 stars. hooty & colored
NHT (various models): 2.5 stars: very colored
Sonus Faber Concerto & Grand Piano: 3 stars--they made do things properly (i.e. not right!) but in a word, BORING!
Ruark (various models): 2 stars
Aerius 8s, 10s: 3.5 stars
Wilson CUBs: 3 stars--colored (very lush sound) & overpriced
Wilson WATT Puppy 6s: 5 stars, very overpriced, but very nice
Dynaudio 1.3s, 1.8s: 4 stars--nice all around speakers, but current hungry (bass is light on the 1.3s)
Thiel 2.3 & 3.6s: 4stars--nice, and a runner up. but too current hungry to control (not drive, but control, as in bass) and imparted a false metallic edge to all material.
(i wish i could have heard the Dunlavys Alethas & SCIVs, but then again i'd need my ceiling raised!)

so i bought the merlin vsm-m's unheard, based on the following:
1) reviews in soundstage, bound for sound, audioreview, and anyone else who heard them (invariably, 5 stars)
2) bobby palkovic--without question, among the nicest & most reputable men you'll ever have the pleasure of doing business with

and i must say that these speakers are easily comparable to the best i ever heard (the WATT Puppys & the 801s).

they're nice right out of the box, but they need a few things to really shine: break in time (@ 100hrs), great cables (JPS Supers are a great match, as per bobby palkovic), and quality upstream components/material.

i find it funny listening to sinatra's catalog: i find some records (like "i didn't know what time it was") to have a poor studio arrangement, while the remastered "my funny valentine" puts sinatra about 10 feet from me, and showing me for the first time just how talented he was. --in a nutshell, this is what the merlins are all about: they'll tell you everything about the music, just as it was recorded. (when was the last time a speaker told you about the recording studio arrangement?) --you'll be hard pressed to get a more realistic representation of music.

yes the nautilus 801s have more bone rattling power (thanks to a 12 inch driver), but they dont have the detail, the coherence, or the where-are-the-speakers?-small footprint that the merlins do (and that small footprint is awesome!). oh, and the 801s are $5k more too.
the WATTs do it all, but my corvette cost less. the merlins give 95% of the WATTs (and the WATTs cost 2x as much!) at a semi-affordable price. but even if cost were no object, the merlins would ALWAYS be in contention (admittedly, the merlins couldn't keep up with the WATTs on room size)

you may have some buyer's regret (as i do); not about the merlins, but about the rest of your system. if you skimped, or bought a colored component, you'll know. the merlins are the sort of component that will never be your limiting factor in terms of how close you'll get to the music. (incidentally, i changed all my wires to JPS w/in 2 weeks--big difference!)

fwiw: i've seen it discussed that a 6in driver cannot reproduce full bass (a knock against the merlins). this is pure BS. put in steely dan's "almost gothic" or some symphonic arrangements and you'll hear bass that you never knew existed in the piece. the BAM helps it hit 30hz, and it does it with a tautness & tunefulness that few other speakers can match (and if they can, expect to shell out 5 figures).

these are audiophile speakers if ever there were one. give them quality upstream and they'll put you 1st row, center stage.

needless to say, 5 stars. but don't just take my word for it, just look at the reviews below (or anywhere on the web!). if you plan on buying speakers (regardless of price), check them out. if you're budgeted for less than $10k, this is where to start & finish.

system:
Pre: C-J PF2L
Amp: C-J MF 2100
CD: Denon 560
tuner: macintosh MR 67
interconnects: JPS Ultraconductors
speaker cables: JPS Superconductor bi-wire