Merlin Room at 2004 HE Show in NY


If anyone is going to the 2004 Home Entertainement Expo in NY this weekend (5/21~23), could you please report on how the Merlin room sounds with its new VSM-MX speakers? I understand they will be showing with Joule-Electra and JPS Labs cables.

I have the MXs on order and want to get some comparative feedback from the show goers since I can't attend. Comparisons with VSM-Ms, Kharmas, or any other top-class speakers (or room comparisons) would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.
henry_la
Bobby
What speaker cables did you use this time around?
howard from Sacramento.
After a couple of Guinesses at my house, he'll pony up for a new pair!
Cheers, Spencer
Thanks Spencer, do your best!
Howard, I used the JPS Aluminata prototypes which sounded as good as any wire I have ever used. Distortion free, relaxed, highly resolved and tonally very accurate. Call Joe and ask him about them. Any reservations I had about JPS with tubes is gone!!!
Bobby
O.K., for the first time in 6 years, I'm considering getting new speakers. The Merlins have always looked good and gotten good reviews from everyone, I now have to check them out. Anyone know if they (the floor standers or stand mounted ones) can be driven well by an AirTight 300B 8wt amp in an 11 x 13.5 x 8 hgt room? What's the efficiency, impedance, and phase angle difficulty of the VSM-M?

By the way, my ProAc 2.5s work great with this amp as it has those great Tamura trannies.
Hi Tom,
The Merlin will be 5 dB more efficient and offer a more uniform impedance curve with a low of 6.5 ohms while running at 8 to 9 ohms thoughout. The VSM MM would be a much better choice for you (than the VSM M) because they are more room filling and seem more sensitive. They will also sound more even and quite a bit more lifelike in the end. They also will be easier to match with ancillary gear. You will also find the amplitude more uniform and because of that the phase line will be more linear than the 2.5. IMHO, the 2.5 is a great speaker but not really competition for the VSM. The two use very different parts, technology and one costs considerably more than the other because of this.
Regards,
Bobby@merlin