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Merlin VSM-mm's a good value at $3000 used?

Hi,

Quick question. I am looking to spend about 3K used, and several people seem to be very happy with the Merlin floorstanding monitor VSM-mm. These are going used for about $3000. Would you say this is a good value at the used price? Preferred music is jazz, classical, and some modern, electronic jazz mixes (I love THE NECKS, for example). Room is about 11x18x10 (with some spillover into a larger room at the end). I would also have the option of a 14x24 room. Electronics TBD-whatever works best, as I have no issues swapping out my current gear with something more suited to the task. I guess the only thing that I am worried about is the lack of low-end: I would like to get a true full-range sound (although I don't listen to organ music, but would hate to partially lose the bass lines so prominent in jazz, which has happened with past monitors I have owned). Most of the speakers in this price range are 3 to 5 ways, so it seems hard to believe that a simple 2-way can reproduce the full-range of the larger speakers. Darn, I wish I had an audition, but there is nobody within a few hours of me here! Obviously there are lots of options for $3K used (Legacy Focus, Tyler Sig System, Audio Physic Virgo III) but it seems difficult to find a bad word about the Merlin's, with several people going through mulitple upgrades over time, as new models come out. Thanks for your help!
dawgcatching
2chnlben
595 posts
 
Wow.

Fire you PR person for not being there for you. Hire me for professional advice on dealing with the public (i.e. potential buyers). Ooops! Don't mean to self-promote!
9rw's avatar
9rw
278 posts
 
Bobby: I worked with one of your most trusted dealers in setting up my VSM-SEs and in choosing ancillary equipment. So, no, I wasn't using the speakers with retreads. Not even close. With your speakers, it seems to make the most sense to start from scratch -- unless you own Joule, Cardas and whatever else you're using now.
dawgcatching OP
139 posts
 
Sorry for my dissapearance-I have been following the thread, and appreciate the ideas that people have given me. The Merlin sounds like a great speaker, in the right room.

I spoke with Bobby, and it sounded like my room would be on the "large" side for that speaker. It might work, it might not. After speaking personally with a couple of owners and a dealer, it is a good bet I need a bit larger, room-filling speaker. I may build a divider wall and make two rooms, but I have to wait for a friend to finish his project (I need his drywall tools). Until then, I am stuck with the overly large room.

Sorry if I offended anyone by not re-posting. I guess I should have said "thanks for the help, but...this probably won't work in my room". Too bad the thread started to veer off in a tangent of Bobby vs. other posters.
boa2's avatar
boa2
1,550 posts
 
Sorry if I offended anyone by not re-posting.
Not at all. Only a bit of sarcasm on my part. It sounds like you're on your way to finding the right speaker for you.
bobbyapalkovic
729 posts
 
9rw,
the mme and mxe versions are the easiest to match to all sorts of gear whether it be ss or tube. they also like many wires too, cardas, audience, vandenhull and jps etc. i remember you but not the situation exactly but there was something about it. either the room was too large or small but too heavily damped because you were using a lesser damped speaker in a smaller room. i think it was the latter.
the vsm se was considerably less full sounding than even the m. and the m less than the mm or mx and the mm or mx less than the mme or mxe. that was a long time ago and the se was desgned to be used with se tubes expressly. i have worked hard to get the speakers working really well with a much wider variety of products.
but and this is the big but, thay are still not going to be 100% right for everyone's taste.
regards,
bobby
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