Build, frequency range, dynamics, realistic imaging, warmth and speeed.

Wow, going through some of these reviews, there are some Merlin owners with pretty impressive credentials! Well, I can't say that I have any claim to fame or have a job related in any way to the music industry- I'm just your average Joe that enjoys his Merlins. I recently purchased a pair of used Merlin VSM-SE's. I first discovered Merlin speakers back in the 80's- one of my early "high end" speakers were a pair of Merlin 1b's that I still have in my house. While the VSM's are considerably better than the 1b's, at $650, the 1b's were my favorite sub $1000 speakers back in those days. It's tough to add anything that hasn't already been said about the VSM's- after all, it was this forum that convinced me that I should look at Merlin again after 15 years or so. All the comments about great imaging, nice bass, great mids, great dynamics, etc., etc,. are true about these speakers. There are quite a few decent speakers out there these days- companies like Scan Speak, Dynaudio, and Vifa put out some pretty decent drivers and sound quite nice when implemented correctly. So when I got my VSM's, I was expecting it to be good sounding, but probably not a whole lot better than what I had heard in the past. But I was very pleasantly surprised and the VSM's were far better than anything else that I've ever owned or even auditioned! I felt like I could hear not only additional details, but notes were full bodied and different than what I've heard from any speaker. There was nothing unnatural about the sound produced- none of the over-exaggeration at certain frequencies like I've heard from some speakers. Just a speaker that was detailed, accurate, and dynamic. One other thing I wanted to mention was the ease of placement. Because my room is fairly narrow, I’ve limited myself to decent front ported monitors in the past. Adequate bass was usually a problem for me because of the characteristics of the room. Also, many speakers in this price range are very fussy about placement. So when I got my Merlins, I figured I’d get some boomy bass and not a whole lot of depth in imaging because of my room configuration. But no such problem- there’s plenty of nice controlled bass (I do use the BAM) and I had a nice deep soundstage. I never even used the alignment tool provided because it sounded so good to me I wasn’t going to move them even 1 inch! I couldn’t be happier with my purchase. I liked them so much I end up buying a pair of TSM’s as well! Unless Bobby works some more of his magic on a new line of speakers, these will be my last speakers for a long, long time!

Similar Products Used:

Sonus Faber, Theil, Revels, Epos, RBH, Westlakes, System Audio, Dynaudio, Vandersteen

Transparancy Dimensionality (real instruments and sound in 3D) Imaging Distortionless Clean Cable binding posts

None

Rather than write another review that extols the many virtues of the Merlin VSM-M, e.g., the transparancy, imaging, etc. , I call your attention the visceral emotional response they are capable of invoking. If you want a speaker that can give you a rush without the drugs, these are the speakers for you. These speakers give you the truth in what's been recorded. If it's an edgy, flat, dog recording, there's no hiding the fact. But when the recording is good, wow, and when the recording is great, oh what the joy! In the pre-BAM days I anxiously looked forward to Bobby creating sub-woofers to go with the VSMs. With the VSM-M and battery BAM, I am beginning to reconsider. I think all of the bass above 30Hz, if it's in the recording, is there. The remaining question, then, is whether subwoofers are justified for the rare sub-30Hz notes. Note: I am not a home theater person, so I have no knowledge of what this means for movie sound effects. I've been a well-satisfied Merlin customer since 1987, even before there was a VSM. I started with Merlin 3s, then the VSM, VSM-SE with the AC BAM, and now the VSM-M with the battery BAM. By well satisfied I mean the ability to talk directly to the owner of the business and find a passionate music lover whose sole goal is your total satisfaction with his product. Bobby Palkovic. Merlin's owner, will go way beyond the call of duty to help you get the most out his speakers and your system.

Imaging Detail Build quality

Certainly not the last word in deep bass but who cares? Everything else is there to the point of driving a grown man to tears.

I also bought these speakers used and sight unseen off audiogon based on the reviews here and other places. I am usually not this trusting but I could not ignore the consistant praise these speakers have received and made me think them worth a shot. Having owned these now for a year and a half, all I want to say is I'm glad I did! I never tire of listening to then. If these are within your pricepoint, you need look no further. You could spend twice as much and only get a speaker half as good. A devoted electrostatic speaker fan I know heard these and they completely changed his opinion of cone speakers. He retired his beloved Dayton-Wrights and has since purchased the Alon Phalanx/Poseidon system. (A very amazing speaker system in it's own right although prohibitively expensive.-$30000+) To change his mind was quite a feat, none-the-less! Bravo Merlin!

Similar Products Used:

Mission 710s, Paradigm Studio 60s

I am not the type of audiophile consumer that often makes changes to my system. I have had my current system in place for over ten years. This year, finally, the upgrade bug hit me, and what better place to start then with speakers? So I started investigating. I don’t have the largest listening room environment and have always been partial to monitor speakers. I’ve always appreciated the detail and intimacy afforded by them. So I started investigating the usual suspects, Spendor, B&W silver signature…Then, I saw a pair of used Merlin’s for sale on audiogon. I read about them and found they had quite a devoted following. I e-mailed the seller on audiogon who in the meantime had sold them. He was upgrading to VSM-M’s. I had rarely conversed with someone more enthusiastic about a speaker company in general and what he indicated he valued in reproduced sound struck a resonant note. I knew I definitely had to check these speakers out. And am I glad I did. Today, I am the happy owner of a pair of new Merlin VSM-M’s with battery bam. You’ve read about the sound many times here so I won’t recite that litany of accolades. But, I would like to emphasize that, in terms of audio, there is nothing more enjoyable then to relax in the late evening, put on a record, un-plug the bam so it is in battery mode, and just relax. And I think relax is the operative term here, for in this mode the music just comes through in its full detail, power and splendor, but with a special relaxed analog like character to it. Those individuals who characterize this speaker as being bright and lacking in bass impact, well my experience just doesn’t correspond. Within the context of my system and listening environment, all of this is reproduced in ample quantity. Yet the very quality of this reproduction carries the hour, day, evening….One has to wonder about the balance of their systems. And this brings me to another attribute of the Merlin system. Literally the sky seems to be the limit. As long as you have a reasonably synergistic, yet affordable components, the Merlin’s will reward you. But given the resources, careful component selection, and set-up this speaker system is capable of producing as honest yet enjoyable a level of sound reproduction as is imaginable. No wonder Bobby has enjoyed so much success at shows. OK, admittedly, I’m not quite there yet, but with these speakers the light is at the end of the tunnel, and I really can tell, they can take me there. And isn’t that what this hobby is all about. Getting there and then basking in the enjoyment of well reproduced music. Finally, not least, I have truly appreciated the support I have received from Merlin Music Systems in helping me to maximize my enjoyment of these very special speakers. Any questions I have had have been always courteously and thoroughly responded to. This level of support will undoubtedly, not only assist me in maximizing the performance of these speakers within the context of my own system, but, it makes me feel like a valued member of the Merlin family. These speakers are truly special, the company is special and all the accolades Merlin speakers have received are indeed well deserved.

The Merlins are true to the recording. The naturalness of the instruments and voices is accurately conveyed, as is the space from which each emerges. They are worth every penny.

It's entirely too easy to forget that there is a real world outside of your listening room.

I have been a happy member of the Merlin family for over a year now. I feel that by this time I have had more than enough satisfying listening sessions under my belt to add a few words. I don't know if this has been said before, but this is the best way I can define these speakers. Merlin VSM-M speakers: Lenses through which you "look", to "see", and "experience" every detail of a recording, as it happened. Instruments sound natural, as they do in real life. Notes and chords emerge out of darkness with speed and pin point accuracy. It does need to be said again that the Merlins do indeed "draw you into the music". Boy, do they ever! It is a very special experience,(never fatiguing, and clearly addicting)that almost always finds me completely losing track of time. The Merlins have the ability to place instuments literally all over your room, and "yes", they really do disappear! For me, this ability to recreate such a real stage is quite impressive, to say the least. I have had my Merlins in a large room, and now a smaller room. (Both dedicated listening rooms.) Even in my small room, a drum set is frequently heard coming from 10-15 feet north beyond the front wall of my room, as well as other instruments well beyond the east and west boundaries of my side walls. Instruments, and vocals each occupy their own distinct space. The details of each recording, and even each seperate track of a recording, emerge as they occured, and do not sound colored (similar), as with some other speakers. A stand up bass sounds like a stand up bass, a trombone sounds like a trombone, etc. This can not be stressed enough. Frequently, I have found myself describing music to friends as "floating", so musically, accurately, and effortlessly from all over the room where the Merlins stand.... I must address this topic. I have read that some people feel that the Merlins can be bass shy. I must admit that I did have this thought early on as well. At that time I had my Merlins in a large room. I did some talking to Rich Brkich (Merlin expert)at Signature Sound and than himself, Bobby P at Merlin. Both recommended some "Eighth Nerve" corner seam room treatments. Once I had them in place, it was ALL there! A HUGE difference! So, to all of you who may read or feel that the Merlins are bass shy, I would offer that you either: check your equiptment, fine tune your listening room, or check the recording- it may not be there to begin with. This became very obvious on Keb Mo's "Just Like You" cd. This is one of my favorite blues recordings. On track #3 "More Than One Way Home", I was getting hit with air at 10-12 feet from my Merlins! -Some serious slammin' bass! As it has been said before, if it aint there on the recording, you aint gonna hear it, no matter what equiptment you have. I have experimented with the battery BAM a lot. I can say that the bass is very enjoyable and tasty on all three settings. You can't go wrong. I tend to use the 50/50 setting most often, but do enjoy the full battery mode once in a while. Vocals are always a real treat. The Merlins allow you to hear it all, from the singers distance from the mic to the intricate subtleties of the parting of the singers lips. Even through screaming guitars or a full orchestra, vocals emerge crystal clear and detailed in their own space. I think you can all get the idea that I love my Merlins. I may decide to upgrade some of my other equiptment at some point, but my Merlins are permanent fixtures in my room. I hope I have been able to add a little bit to what everyone else here has already said. You know, you can't say enough good things about these speakers! I would recommend that anyone looking to put together a world class system, start with the Merlin VSM-M's. They ARE the foundation to build on. I could not rightfully end my review without taking a bow before the creator, Bobby "The Man" Palkovic. This guy has been instrumental in helping me build my system, and getting it to sing in my room. Never selfish and completely outgoing, he is always there (like a spouse) for you to lean on- answering your questions and addressing your concerns. (I just hope I haven't leaned too hard or too often.) This guy deserves an award for his continuing way "beyond the call of duty" service. These days when you are lucky to have a contractor show up to do a job, it is comforting to know that there is an "old school" craftsman who not only builds a top notch product, but would do anything short of driving across county, to get 'em to excel in your room! Hey Bobby...Like great sex, or great pizza, your Merlins are completely satisfying- EVERY TIME!! Thanks for bringing a bit of heaven here to earth....."You da MAN, brother!!"

Similar Products Used:

Unless you have 20K in your pocket, don't waste your time with any other brands!

detailed in above

Maybe someone can find something--I can't.

I have banged around this hobby for over thirty years. Finally, I have ended my search for speakers! The VSM Millenniums w/battery BAM are a best buy in speakers. The Merlins are simply outstanding in every facet one may consider. In a nutshell they are simply so musical. The typical audiophile descriptions fit this speakers like a velvet glove--detail, tonality, harmonic truth, soundstage width and depth, balanced. Perhaps it is the balance of the music produced by this real-world sized speakers I admire most. With some speakers one may enjoy the wonderful treble or the full-bodied bass or some other part of the music spectrum (we've all been seduced by these). Only after lengthier listening does one recognize something is lacking. Listeners of the Merlins will never come to that conclusion--that something is missing In fact, after over two years with these speakers, I'm still amazed at the the music they convey. Listeners are drawn into the music--the emotional bond that makes music so gratifying envelopes the listener. It is expecially pleasing to owners of these speakers. Instruments are life-like with the requisite air around each; voices are so life-like (listen to Joni, Neil, Muddy, Sade, Lou, Johnny on and on); the speed of these speakers is mind boggling (how can a box speaker do this?). Sitting with broad smiles on our faces, Merlin owners know that this is as good as it gets (Jack would love them!). These speakers sounded absolutely great from the first. However, like many other Merlin owners, I too found that the better the signal, the better the sound. That's really no secret--as Linn has reiminded us all these years. So one can get even better sound with upstream components. Does this mean that these speakers cannot sound great with lesser components? I don't think so. It is simply another of the speakers' stengths that they give the listener what he/she has given them. I may be alone pairing my Merlins with my accompanying equipment: Atma-sphere MA1s (12 tube w/upgrades) amps, a Hagerman Trumpet phono pre (anyone out there looking for a terrific phono pre should check this out--it's fantastic), a Placette RVC passive pre, and a RPM 2 tt/w a Graham 1.5t arm w/a Clearaudio Sigma Wood cartridge. This system is about as simple as I can get it. And the Merlins seem to appreciate that. Another part of my love for the Merlins is their size. These aren't the bohemoth size of many high-end speakers, nor are they tricky in room set-up (although one really should experiment; first try Bobby's measurements for room placing). Having owned Dunlavy IVs, I certainly appreciate the unassuming persona of the Merlins. In my room, 13 x 18 x 7.5 dedicated to listening, these speakers look terrific. I bought the studio black, which I find very appealing. I'd love to have a room so I could try the corner set-up I have seen from electronic shows--that seems very interesting. But my set-up is visually appealing, and of course, the sound is gorgeous. Another aspect one may consider is manufacturer support. While I haven't had the need to call Bobby very often, I am confident he will help me to get the best from my system. Every piece of advice he has given me has been rewarding. He is more than a businessman. When one purchases his speakers, he/she enters the Merlin family. This is extremely reassuring. Anyone thinking about a future speaker purchase should give Bobby a call, audition the Merlins, or just go ahead and buy a pair. I bet you will find yourself like me--no longer wondering what speaker to buy to satisfy that audiophool neurosis--component upgrade. You might do something with your system, but it won't be changing the Merlins. I still remember hearing the first speaker that knocked me out--the Dalquist DQ 10s. I bought those and loved them for years. The Merlins have that same aura--that this is it. After over two years with these I can affirm that--these are it!

Similar Products Used:

Dunlavy IVs, Dahlquist DQ10s, Theil CS3, Merlin 4bs

A wide and deep soundstage and a mid-range to die for. A top to bottom coherence that I have not heard with any other speaker. Extremely affordagle on the used market. You get your money's worth and then some.

None that I have expereinced. They do not, in my room, quite create the same illusion of a live performance with orchestral works as they do with jazz and chamber music.

Well, I bought a pair of Merlin's without the Bam. I plan, maybe, to add it later. Have a small Victorian with my listening room under my tenant's bedroom. I wish to limit the bass response since rental income finances this hobby. My experience with speakers include old AR's, Rodgers Ls3/5A's, Quad 63's, and Triangle Antal's. I have driven them Dynaco's,db's[for the ancient], ARC's, and C-j's. I now use Music Reference RM-200 and A DeHavilland pre-amp. I was happy with each speaker until I bought the next one[still own the Quad's and Rodger's]. In each successive speakerI seemed to want more depth and greater transparency. For years, the wonderful mid-range of the Rodger's and Quad's was enough. I did not miss the lack of deep bass or the extreme top end. For jazz and chamber music they filled the bill, but with orchestral works, I always felt there was something missing. I found what I was missing with the Merlin's. They have the wonderful mid-range that I loved with the Rodger's and Quad's and then some. The Antal's had the transparency, but lacked the "body" or "heft" I wanted. The Merlin's give me "body" and a coherence from top to bottom that I had not, until I set them up, experienced. Although I do not get the very bottom organ note, I do not miss it. With jazz and chamber music, the Merlin's create an almost "you are there" illusion of a live performance in my listening room. They can not quite do this with orchestral music. They are not that large. However, they create a soundstage that is both deep and wide. For ochestral works, I can play them louder than the Rodger's or Quad's. I highly recommend these speakers. Since I bought them, I find myself listening to more music. Peace.

Dynamic up and down the frequency spectrum, Honest, Engaging, Immediate, Alive

I don't know if this is the speaker or my room or partnering equipment, but I've heard other systems that provide a more lucid image around individual players and instruments within the recording space

I've owned a pair of VSM-M speakers for less than a year. They are driven by a Berning ZH270 amp. I prefer analog as a format. And I will listen to anything that sounds good -- as Duke Ellington said, if it sounds good it is good. But if you had to push me into a corner, I'd say Beethoven, The Stooges, Funkadelic, James Brown, John Coltrane, Bob Dylan and hill country blues are my favorites. Sonically speaking, I'm an adrenaline junkie, as that guy over at sixmoons.com likes to describe himself. I love dynamics, immediacy and the leading edges of transients. I love being able to hear the room, the air in front of the amps, the concussions around drum whacks, etc. But really what holds it all together for me is, for lack of anything better to describe it, the feeling of energy in the music. Like most people, trial, error and too much money has been spent learning what I like from my system. Let me say I can only imagine that it would take stupid-money to make a quantum leap from what I've got right now with the Merlin-Berning combo. And furthermore, all thanks go to Bobby at Merlin. One, for making a remarkable speaker. A second for knowing how to make them sound the best. I'm actually considering going mono with the Berning amps because I want more of what I've got. I have a friend who has an all Kondo system with custom made high efficiency speakers. It is truly a beautiful thing. The music it makes is magical. It really brings you right into the space. After a listening session at his place, I'm always a bit ambivalent about turning on my system because I assume I'm going to be dissapointed. The fact is that after about 2 minutes into the first song, I have no disappoint whatsoever. In thinking more critically about the differences, I'm persuaded by my own ears to believe that that feeling of energy (and I just don't mean bass) seems more immediate and tactile in my system versus my friend's $200,000 system. The truth is really that they are just different, and I can appreciate both. But the fact that I can talk about them in the same league is quite a testament to Bobby and the VSM-M.

Articulated many times here.

You will want to experiment a lot with various tweaks and upstream component changes.

The Merlins have received many well deserved accolades on this site, which I strongly endorse, but will not repeat. Rather I thought it might be helpful to explain my purchase decision, and why I feel it is the most intelligent audio purchase I have made over the past 25 years. Like many others, I am an ardent hobbyist, constantly looking for the sound that comes closest to the various live performances that I have attended. Realizing the importance of the speakers in that experience, I have owned Aerial 8s, revel gems and studios, totem mani 2, b&w n805 and n803 and thiel 2.3s amongst others. While I enjoyed all of them, I found them lacking to some degree or the other in detail, or dynamics or placement or soundstage, well you get the idea. I bought the Merlins without having listened to them but having read all the reviews and after talking to Bobby on the phone a few times. (This guy is a genuine class act in a world where there are not many left.) I decided to make the purchase simply because they sounded like everything I was seeking, with none of the drawbacks I had experienced. I have only owned them a month, and I am sure I will be doing much more tweaking and experimenting, but I sense that my long speaker quest is over. The best analogy that I can come up with is my Merlins were to my other speakers like HDTV is to regular tv. The sound is much more spacious, detailed, the soundstage is excellent, in short, just like a concert with center seats five rows back. I do feel a need to comment on system matching as everyone mentions it, and I think some less ardent music lovers may be scared by the concept. Yes, the speakers definetly sound better when matched with certain components-I use the belles hot rod 150a, and a cd changer leading into a chord 64 dac with cardas reference wiring-but i have also tried a lot of other equipment with them as I like to experiment. The results vary a lot, but are always pretty good. Also, because Bobby has used this design, you can get a world class system with a relatively low price tag. (I tried a dac from bel canto and a yba int amp as well with very good results.) So, in a consumer electronics world filled with hype, the merlins are the real deal, and they are sponsored by a craftsman who cares as much about his customers and the music as anything else. In fact when I told him that my bad cds were improved more than my good cds, he was genuinely happy for me. For anyone looking for the final word in sound reproduction, without having to mortgage your home, the Merlins should be at the top of your list. I have them placed 16feet apart in a short room-only 8 feet deep and they serve as the lf on a ht system as well as music. The use is 2/3 stereo and most of the listening is jazz, r & b and rock.

Similar Products Used:

Thiel 2.3, Totem mani 2, Revel studio, Aerial 8, B&W N803

Noticed an error in my prior post. The total cost which consists of the purchase price of the VSM-SE with AC BAM and the upgrade done by Bobby to the VSM-M with BBAM, 6th toe, puck, jumpers, level, new Z-feet is actually $4000 US, not $3000 US. Regards, David