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Merlin TSM-MXs...First Impressions

I just received my MERLIN TSM-MXs about two weeks ago, and I can't stop raving about them!

First off, the customer service provided by Bobby P. is outstanding. I don't think I've ever had this level of service from any business, so this is truly appreciated.

Packaging was great. It took me about an hour just to get everything unpacked. And everything arrived unscathed.

The finish...a work of art! I wasn't sure how piano black would look since I had never seen this finish on a speaker. Well, I am truly impressed by the finish. It looks like the finish on a freshly waxed Bentley.

As for the speakers, the music coming out of them is magical. Prior to this I had been using Aerial Model 7s, and I think my TSMs sound better even though much smaller. The soundstage coming out of these little speakers is amazingly wide. The clarity and crispness is remarkable. I'm noticing details in songs I've never heard.

Anyone looking for bookshelf speakers or good quality speakers in general should look at Merlin.

My equipment includes:
the Merlins
Proceed AMP5
Marantz AV600 (soon to be replaced by Anthem's AVM30)
California Audio Labs Icon Mk II
Cables are MIT 2 bi-wire and MIT ICs
all powered by a Richard Gray's 600S
pranxxxster
thedautch
329 posts
 
No, Anthem gear is solid state...or at least they sell solid state gear. I mean, I can't say for sure whether they've ever sold any tube gear, but certainly their current lineup in solid state.
tomryan
794 posts
 
Now I remember. They are hybrids: tube input, S/S output. Thought they were out of business?
thedautch
329 posts
 
They've got a whole new line of "Statement" products, actually...very well reviewed, and I'm sure I'm going to wind up with their stuff once finances allow later in the year.
bobbyapalkovic
729 posts
 
just remember that all of my speakers have a higher q and are damped to rid the speakers of distortion and resonance in all aspects or their design. they are very uniform and have a spot on tonal balance if used the way they were designed to be used. this means that to get the most out of them you would want to use a more relaxed and less damped sounding set of wires and electonics. i will use the word neutral here to describe the ancillaries.
b
bobbyapalkovic
729 posts
 
pranxxxter,
take the biwire off and use my jumpers with one rc. i'll bet they sound alot better.
let me knwo.
b
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