Follow-up on Merlin TSM

By Martin DeWulf

Follow-up on Merlin TSM. Not often is one able to

compare the past with the present. But, in this caseI can.
When I did mu original review of the Merlin TSM in April of
1996, I purchased the review pair from Merlin. An you may
have noticed that when I sold much of the wire and
equipment that had accumulated over the years here, the
TSM was not on the list. They may be ten years old, but
they still sound good and I use them. About four months
ago Bobby at Merlin contacted me regarding an audition of
his newest TSM. It seems that he had read in these pages
something about me not being able to compare his
speaker to one of our latest review samples from another
company because my purchased pair were getting along
in years. Having read that, Bobby wanted to make sure
that the situation was remedied and I was fully up to speed
on the latest from Merlin.

From the outside the new speakers look exactly like the
old ones. The changes have taken place internally, and
some pretty substantial changes they are. Having said
that, the old TSM, in spite of a graying hairline, still sounds
contemporary and musical. Put in a position of having to
use the old TSM exclusively in the Big Rig, I could do it
and not complain. Progress moves on, however, and the
old TSM is now the TSM mme.

The drivers are the same in both speakers. But how could
that be, the old Morel tweeter used in the original TSM has been discontinued? Not entirely. The old
MDT 30 tweeter, with a few upgrades, is now being made for Bobby by Renaissance Audio, and is
reportedly better than ever (see below). The woofer has also seen some small but significant
upgrades (also see below). The crossover is still second order, and now incorporates an impedance
correct "Q" circuit, which in effect acts to lower noise. Caps are cryo'd Hovelands, and all resistors are
non-inductive types by Caddock. Crossfield Litz wire by Cardas is used inside, and the solder is a low
lead, copper/tin combination. Lastly, the cabinet is now made of a new kind of MDF, a material that
uses much less solvent based adhesives as part of the mixture and a lot more fiber.

This speaker is the first example of the "Lead Free" products now made by Merlin in compliance with
European lead standards recently instituted. Okay, there looks to be a smidge of lead in the solder,
but by the newly incorporated standards, it's okay. One change in the drivers not mentioned above
are the new production techniques used to create lead free drivers -woofers and tweeters.
Throughout the speaker, wherever possible, lead content has been eliminated, or, substantially
reduced.

The result of all these changes is an uncommonly coherent loudspeaker, one that is utterly seamless
from top to bottom. More so than with my original TSM, the mme is critical of speaker placement. Not
so much of placement in the room, but toe-in. Yes, toe-in. Bobby now describes the speaker in terms
of its “Power Axis Mode". My old TSMs came with a wooden placement guide designed to assist the
toe-in setting. I used it before, and the results were positive, though not dramatic. It's dramatic now,
and 50% of the speakers imaging qualities will be lost if the toe-in guide isn't used as directed. Once
set-up pursuant to Bobby's instructions, the speaker end of your listening room will come alive. It's
pretty crazy actually. Depth and dimension become much more present, just short of becoming
exaggerated. Don't tell Bobby, but at first I thought the soundstage was too wide, too dimensional and
too deep ... exaggerated. It didn't image like the speakers that I'm acquainted with, including the old
TSM. Now that I've completed my audition of the mme, I think it one superb imager, and here's why.
I've heard a number of speakers that through phase shifting throw an image that at first blush seemed
too good to be true. I emphasize, at first blush, because the imaging impact of those speakers is at
first astounding. It's only after an extended audition (sometimes lasting weeks) that the rotting head of
the design begins to stink the place up. What stinks? Image density. Those big and dimensional
images projected by phased screwed up speakers are, for the most part, transparent and ghostly. In
other words, they seriously lack density. And the larger and more spaced out those images are, the
less dense they are.

So, when I first heard the panoramic soundfield thrown by the mme, I just knew that the images had
to lack density. Bobby, you surprised me. Not only did the soundstage have a real tactile quality about
it, I wasn't listening through the lead singer's head to the back of the listening room. There was focus
and mass, not blur. All of which lead to the "uncommonly coherent" designation placed on the
speakers in my listening notes. Note: If, in my listening position I pointed the speakers directly at me,
there seemed to be an extremely small increase in punch and contrast, though space recognition fell
off as images fell forward to the front of the stage. Getting the toe-in as recommended, restored the
presentation though some dynamic edge was lost.

The mme uses a sealed box of modest dimensions. With a 6.5" woofer, the bass goes decently low;
and because the box is sealed and properly tuned, it will go perceptively deeper in the bass than an
equally sized vented box. The result is a fuller sound considering the size of the enclosure, its the old
acoustic suspension physics. On the other hand, efficiency is lowered with a sealed enclosure, and
the "slam factor" for rock recordings is somewhat lessened. The mme still has considerable action
down in the bass, but this speaker conveys a feeling of controlled excesses before it will lose control.

Which in this case benefits the midrange. Not only does this speaker do "space" the way it should be
done, it has a tonal palette that subtly mixes warmth with detail, musicality with precision. And
importantly, the lower midrange is a part of the upper bass, and vice versa. It is music cut from the
same cloth. As a result there is a coherence that even single diver designs should envy.

The new mme outshines my old TSM in a number of ways, though in some ways they are very much
alike. The "lead free" mme makes the older unit sound heavier and a little less responsive to an active
 transient. Overall slam with both speakers is about the same, though 0-60 times with the mme are
quicker. The relationships between direct and reflected sounds are a little clearer with the new mme.
It's a little easier to pick out just exactly what's going on at the back of the stage with the mme, though
I wouldn't say it was all that difficult with my old TSMs. Bass is about the same with both, though I
would say that true black is a little blacker with the mme.

The Merlin TSM was a great speaker, and the TSM mme is an even better speaker now. Considering
that the standard black finish speaker costs $2,800/pr, it's an obvious value too. If you are into heavy
metal and head banging there are better choices. However, for jazz, blues, classical and standard
rock this is a wonderful speaker that is capable of bringing out the finer, rather than the more raucous
aspects of a recording And it works great with solid state as well as tube amplifiers.

   
 July 2007

Merlin TSM-MME
The sound of thought.
Review By Todd Warnke
Click here to e-mail reviewer

W ay back in 1967 a Cosworth DFV engine won

the very first Formula One race it entered, with the
legendary Jim Clark behind the wheel of a Lotus 49.
Fifteen years later the same basic engine powered
Keke Rosberg in a Williams to the Formula One
World Championship against a field of largely
turbocharged competitors. And on United States soil
the sister engine made for the United States open
wheel series, the Cosworth DFX, continued to win
Indy titles with Bobby Rahal all the way through the
1987 season. Why mention this in an audio review?
Because a great audio design, like a great engine
design – or for that matter, any great design – is a
thing that can and should have a long life when it is
looked after with thought, care and a constant eye to
improvement. In audio there are a few examples of
great designs that have stood the test of time even as
they have continually evolved to meet new demands
– Cardas wire and the Williamson tube circuit are two that make my case. Another just may be the Merlin
two-way speaker design, which in one form or another has been around for over a decade.

Now I don't want to get into a genealogy lesson here or a ritual recitation of begats, but the basic topology
of the TSM-MME dates back to the original VSM design of 1994 with the TSM debuting in 1996 (by the
way, rumor has it that VSM stand for Very Scary Monitor and TSM stands for The Small Merlin). The
basic design is damped, uses a second order crossover, employs only the highest quality parts and has
an extremely rigid cabinet. The larger VSMs have been ported and floor standing, while the TSM has
been sealed and stand-mounted. Another significant feature of the Merlin loudspeakers has been that
they are easy to drive and have smooth impedance curves and so have been employed in traditional
solid-state and tubed systems as well as in many low-powered tubed setups. I have used my reference
Merlin VSM-Ms with singled-ended triodes as well as with 300-watt solid-state beasts with equally great
results.

As for the current iteration of the TSM, the TSM-MME, its genesis was sparked largely by the European
Union regulation concerning lead-free content in electronic components (the "RoHS" standard has
affected many other companies as well, for example Nikon recently dropped many of their older lenses
and are replacing them over the next several months with RoHS compliant versions). Since many of the
components Merlin uses are sourced from Europe and were already subject to this regulation, the bulk of
the redesign centered on the crossover components and the wiring and solder. Bobby Palkovich, the
head magician at Merlin, points out that this is was no easy thing to accomplish as each and every part in
the TSM design had already been examined for its individual sound as well as its additive effect in the
overall design. Hence, a tweak here always means a change way over there. With a newish design that
could lead to a lot of tail-chasing, trying to account for all the subtle changes, but since Mr. Palkovich has
been working with the TSM for more than decade the re-design was able to focus on far more than
compliance with the RoHS standard and, according to the folks at Merlin, remarkably improved the sound
across the board.

The Details
Enough talking around the TSM-MME, let's get to the details. First, the price of the new TSM, at $2800,
has stayed the same as the old version, as have the general specifications. Each loudspeaker is 16
inches high, 8 inches wide and 10.5 inches deep and each weighs a rather hefty 26 pounds. The tweeter
is a hand-made 1-inch soft-dome is a version of the Morel MDT30 that has been customized by
Renaissance Audio exclusively for Merlin, while the woofer is a pulp, 6.25-inch MW164-08 from Morel.
The sensitivity as reported by Merlin is 87dB/W/m, and the impedance is 8 Ohms nominal with a 6.5
Ohms minimal rating. The two-way design uses a second order crossover, wired in phase. On the rear of
the unit are two pairs of Cardas binding posts to facilitate bi-wiring (Merlin supplies a pair of hand-made
Cardas jumpers for the single-wirers among us). Also, besides using lead-free drivers, Merlin has gone to
great lengths to remove all residual lead in just about every component and solder joint in the entire
loudspeaker. In addition, many of the key components are cryogenically treated, both in the loudspeaker
itself and in the RC filter which attaches to the Cardas binding post (the RC filter uses parts from Cardas,
Caddock and Hovland and is designed to Q align the frequency response and filter out high frequency
hash as well as to provide unterminated amplifiers with a 10 Ohm load at 100kHz – I consider it essential
to getting the most from the TSM-MME).

The power response of the loudspeaker, like most other VSM/TSM designs, has been optimized for 10
degrees off axis listening, and Merlin supplies a slick and simple little protractor to ensure that anyone
can set up the loudspeaker with the proper degree of offset. The sealed, damped design means you can
place the TSM-MME closer to rear walls than you can with a ported design, but my experience says you
shouldn't as they are very linear and appreciate the room to prove that. In my room I used the same
placement setting as I use with the Merlin VSM's and other full-range loudspeakers that come in for
review – namely a Cardas "Golden Ratio" setup (see the Cardas website, Insights section, for full details).

Plays Well With Others

In reviewing the Merlin loudspeakers it saw time with every significant piece of my review setup, though it
spent most of the time with the higher quality bits as it quickly demonstrated that only the highest test stuff
would reveal its limits. So while it spent time with the recently reviewed Conrad-Johnson CA200 it spent
more time seeing my reference First Sound Presence Statement preamplifier and Blue Circle BC6 power
amplifier. It also saw the in for review Superphon Revelation III preamplifier as well the ModWright SWL
9.0 preamplifier – both with the Blue Circle as well as with an Art Audio Carissa. Comparison
loudspeakers were my reference Merlin VSM-Ms and a pair of Devore Fidelity Gibbon Super 8s. Source
digital components were a Cary CD-303/200, a Berendsen CD1, a CEC CD-3300, a Blue Circle BC501
DAC and my extremely customized Assemblage DAC1. Cabling was from Cardas (primarily), Acoustic
Zen, Audio Magic, Stereovox and Shunyata Research – the last of which also supplied power
conditioning.

Sounds
As with any two-way using a 6.25-inch mid-woofer, the first thing most folks wonder about is the bass
response. Me too. So let's start this out at the bottom by dropping Tab Benoit's Nice and Warm [Justice
JR 1201-2] in the CD player to see if the opening Hammond B-3 on the title track can conjure up some
Louisiana ooze in the listening room.

Well....?

Sorry, I can't talk (or write) with Dirty Rice in my mouth. Just a second...

Ok, first off, the bass of the TSM-MME is remarkably dense, but not in the lumpy, thick or slow manner of
many ported two-ways. Rather it is rich with tonal shading, nuance and power, and, coupled with
wonderful and natural quickness, right up to the 50Hz or so lower limit, the bass of the small Merlin is
absolute world class. On the Benoit track this results in a powerful opening section that filled my mid-
sized listening room with thoroughly believable music. And the lack of a port means that the perceived
extension is greater than the actual extension, such that I did not feel a loss of power or impact.

Moving up the scale, I spun the classic Blue Train by John Coltrane [Blue Note CDP 7243 8 53428 0 6]
and turned to "Lazy Bird." The opening, with Kenny Drew skittering across the top of the piano is followed
by the rest of band jumping in. There is a lot of musical space in this track and through the TSM-MME
each player had their own aura, tonal palette and reach. This is something quite special as it allows the
feel of musical interaction to flow unimpeded. Or at least it does for me as the Merlin allowed me to find
and follow individual lines just easily as I do in a jazz club (actually, easier since most clubs tend to have
crappy sonics). Better still, the way the midrange stacks on top if the bass is seamless – that is it has the
same tonal density, matched with impeccable dynamic speed and punch.

Moving to the top of the scale I turned to my favorite recording of Arvo Pärt works, Fratres, by the Flemish
orchestra I Fiamminghi [Telarc CD-80387]. With seven variations of the title work, each recorded in the
same, lively Basilica of Bonne Esperance, there is plenty of opportunity to listen for tonal shading as well
as to the reverb from the massive church walls. The variations – which run from just past 8 minutes to just
over 12 and include various combinations of percussion, strings, woodwinds and piano – depict a group
of monks approaching the listener, drawing equal and then passing on. In other words, the piece moves
in a stately manner from crescendo to diminuendo. While listening with the TSM-MMEs the shape and
size of the recording location was laid bare as never before, with the procession of religious brothers an
almost physical thing. This was due to two factors. First, the high frequency response of the Merlins is
extremely flat so that no particular tonal region exerts undue power on the listener, and that allows one to
peer deeply into a recording and see only truth. And second, just as with the midrange, the treble aligns
perfectly on top of the rest of the sound coming from the loudspeaker. This creates the feel of a frequency
response curve (at least at the 10 degree off axis position that Merlin has designed into the loudspeaker)
that responds with linearity at any point along its extension. This is an exceedingly rare skill and is
something Bobby Palkovich calls "continuousness," and that I would call tonal continuity. But whatever
you call it, the way it sounds and feels is like the mythical linear point source that is the holy grail of
loudspeaker design.

As for the rest of the TSM-MMEs characteristics, most have already been mentioned in passing.
Dynamically, the little Merlin, when used within its limits, is superb. It breathes gentle life into folk music
with swift and subtle micro-dynamics, and can turn right around and give you a solid thump between the
eyes when playing some driving rock (though it does punch more like a welterweight than a heavyweight).
And the TSM-MME images, as you would expect, in an expansive and yet natural manner. The stage is
wide, deep, layered and stable. And images upon the stage are solid and three-dimensional. Lastly, the
build quality of the TSM-MME is first rate, though some may find the standard black finish a bit plain.
Fortunately, for those who do, Merlin offers several stunning painted finishes.
What About The Other Guys?
Ok, with a review like this, is there any competition? Good question, and the answer is, "of course". But I
will say this right now, from my perspective there is no real competition at the same price point as the
TSM-MME. While I have not heard everything there is in the circa 3k range, I have heard a lot and
nothing in my experience combines the range (upper 40s through 20k cycles), evenness, dynamics and
tonal purity of the Merlin. Some, like the Magnepans, have many of the subtle virtues of the Merlin, but
lack its dynamics. Others, like several British mini-monitors, have certain of the Merlin's dynamics, but
lack the smooth, even response. So stepping up in price I compared the TSM-MME to the Devore Gibbon
Super 8, a small floorstanding two-way priced at $4000 that I reviewed last year.

In that review I commented on the "organic," "natural" and "involving" sound of the Devore loudspeaker
as well as how easy it was to drive and its deep and tuneful bass. A year later all those comments still
apply and the Gibbon Super 8 remains one of my long-term favorites. Up against the TSM-MME the
Devore clearly adds about an octave of bass reach. It is also an easier to drive loudspeaker and with
those two virtues remains my first choice for ultra-low powered SET amplifier set as well as for folks who
want a musical and relaxing loudspeaker with deep bass on a realistic budget.

That said, to my ears and with my tastes the TSM-MME is a better loudspeaker in just about every other
way. The two most significant ways are linked and directly address the two largest failings of the Gibbon
Super 8. First, the TSM-MME has a more even frequency response, most especially through the bass
where the port of the Devore adds depth but at the cost of tonal continuity. When playing a disk like the
Material album Hallucination Engine [Axiom 314-518 351-2] with massive bass lines laid down by Bill
Laswell, "Space Bass" by Bootsy Collins and Hammond B-3 courtesy of Bernie Worrell the greater
extension of the Devore is obvious. But when switching to the TSM-MME, its considerably more even
bass adds up to an enhanced sense of musicians jamming together in real time. Ultimately I found that
the latter sonic viewpoint was the more enjoyable one as well.

Second, my largest concern with the Devore was that it gave up a bit inner detail when compared to my
reference Merlin VSM-M loudspeakers. Well, considering that I find that the new TSM-MME out resolves
my old VSM-Ms, it quite logically follows that the small Merlin takes a real and significant lead over the
Devore in this area as well. A quick example can be found when listening to "A Secret Silken World," the
opening track of the David Baerwald disk Triage [A&M 75021 5392 2]. The song is a highly creepy,
deeply atmospheric political commentary using the metaphor of power, sex and sin and features a
beautiful trumpet solo by Herb Alpert(!). Though the TSM-MME the production was both laid bare and
made more involving while the trumpet had more bite and greater tone. Keep in mind, through the Gibbon
Super 8 this track was excellent, but with the Merlin it was unforgettable.

Merlin's Thoughts On Sound

Though brought into existence by a change in EU regulations, the TSM-MME is clearly not a quick, one-
off response to changing law. Rather it is the sound of Bobby Palkovich's thinking over time. Over the life
of a well-conceived original design that has been cared for, explored, and tweaked until it has evolved
into a remarkable pure result. Even better, rather than just showing the results of Palkovich's thinking, the
evenness and resolving capability of the Merlins allows you to hear the sound of musicians thinking and
playing in as natural a manner as I have ever encountered.

With all the listening I did with the TSM-MME, perhaps no single piece demonstrates what it can do better
than the Bach Cello Suites as performed by Mistlav Rostropovich [EMI D 273269-1]. While I play this
album with regularity, Rostropovich's death in April led to several complete listening of it. Though rated to
50 cycles in the bass, through the TSM-MMEs, there was tight, controlled but dense and tonally joyful
bass. The mids were fast, life-like, lush and accurate – while the highs were blessedly free of grain, open,
vivid and complete. So much so that a listening session that started out in an elegiac mood turned into a
delightful opening of my soul by a still living and breathing master.

Comments like that aside, no audio component is or can be perfect, and the TSM-MME has flaws, though
they are more a result of physics and market issues. The bass cannot reach 20Hz (physics) and though
the VSM gets down to the low 30s through use of a larger and more expensive cabinet as well as the
Bass Augmentation Module (BAM), those advances come at a literal price. Also, while the TSM-MME can
fill a mid-sized room, it does not belong in a large one. But those things aside, the Merlin TSM-MME is flat
from its lower limit on up past where I can hear. It creates a startling clear audio window through which
pours out pure music (or impure depending on your musical selection) and does so with all combinations
of equipment. At this point, if you have the correct room, I know of no better way to spend $3000.

Tonality

Sub-bass (10Hz - 60Hz)

Mid-bass (80Hz - 200Hz)

Midrange (200Hz - 3,000Hz)

High-frequencies (3,000Hz on up)

Attack

Decay

Inner Resolution

Soundscape width front

Soundscape width rear

Soundscape depth behind speakers

Soundscape extension into the room

Imaging

Fit and Finish

Self Noise

Value for the Money

Specifications
Type: Two-way monitor loudspeaker

Drivers: 1-inch soft-dome customized Morel MDT30 tweeter and Morel MW 164 6.25- inch damped pulp
cone midrange/woofer.

Frequency Response: 55 to 20kHz (+/- 2dB), 1 meter on axis. 10dB down at 35 Hz

Acoustic Phase Shift: Less than 10 degrees

Impedance: 8 Ohms nominal, 6.5 Ohms minimum, and 14 Ohms at crossover point

Sensitivity: 87dB/W/1m

Power Handling: 30 watts minimum with 120 watts maximum

Crossover: Optimized 12dB per octave with crossover point at 2150Hz. Parts include the use of Hovland
Aluminum foil and polypropylene capacitors
Caddock Micronix Film resistors (impedance corrected), and hand-wound/potted inductors.

Bi-wireable via Cardas "no-stress" binding posts

Dimensions: 8 x 10.5 x 16 (WxDxH in inches)

Weight: 23 lbs. each

Warranty: 5 years parts and labor

Price: $2800 on up depending on options

Home Audio
Equipment Review

October 2005

Merlin Music Systems TSM-MM Loudspeakers

by Marc Mickelson
In today's audio world, where new
products replace old with clockwork
regularity, Bobby Palkovic's The
Small Merlin, better known as the
TSM, has a peculiar history. Back in
December 1997, while we at
SoundStage! were marking our two-
year anniversary of publishing
monthly on the Internet, we first
wrote about the TSM. Between then
and now, we've reviewed hundreds
of different speakers, and revisited
the TSM in a follow-up review
published in late 1998 and
"Standout Systems" column
published in 1999. Between 1997
and now, Bobby Palkovic hasn't
stopped refining and improving the TSM, first as the Special Edition (1997 to 2000), then as
the Millennium (2000 to 2004) and now as the MM and MX (2004 to present). I won't
recount all of the modifications that Bobby and company have developed for the TSM over
the last eight years, but I will say that I owned and heard TSMs during that time, and each
incremental improvement was sonically meaningful.

The "MM" in the TSM-MM's moniker stands for "Magic Mod" and involves three important
changes to the speaker. First, the crossovers and RC networks, the latter of which attach to
the speakers' binding posts, are subjected to cryogenic treatment, which involves using liquid
nitrogen or helium to lower the temperatures of treated items to several hundred degrees
below zero. This changes their molecular nature, and in Bobby's opinion improves the sound
of caps and resistors especially. Second, the TSM-MM's high-frequency circuit has a
different Q value, which removed 0.75dB of noise -- never a bad thing where audio signals
are concerned. Finally, the torque settings for the drivers -- the amount of force applied to the
screws that affix them to the cabinet -- have also changed. The TSM-MM still uses Morel
drivers -- a 1" tweeter and 6 1/2" woofer -- and a second-order crossover set at 2150Hz. The
speakers I reviewed were my personal pair upgraded from TSM-Ms (and TSM-SEs before
that). The cost of upgrading varies based on the age of the speakers, but should run between
$400 and $500 USD. Contact Merlin for details.

The TSM-MX is a different speaker based on the same platform. It includes one extra cryo'ed
part in the crossover and a cabinet that's slightly more damped, due to a six-coat glossy finish
(the TSM-MM always comes in Merlin's standard "studio black" finish). The difference in
price is $1000 -- $2800 per pair for TSM-MMs and $3800 for TSM-MXes. Merlin considers
the MX iterations of both the TSM and VSM to be the company's flagship products, a
perception that the finish upholds. Because the vast majority of TSMs and VSMs sold are in
studio black, a nearly flat textured black paint, seeing either speaker in one of Merlin's glossy
finishes, which have intriguing names like "ruby heart red" and "black ice blue," is a treat.

I used the TSM-MMs just as I always have -- atop 24" Osiris Audionics Osiris speaker stands
that were filled with sand many moons ago. Though discontinued several years back, these
stands are still prized on the secondhand market, often for use with Merlin TSMs, with which
they work beautifully, looking like they go together. I drove the speakers with Lamm M1.2
Reference mono amps or a Blue Circle BC204 stereo amp; although both are far more
expensive than the TSM-MMs and not likely mates for the speakers, they were wonderful
sonic matches, especially the Lamm monoblocks, which gave the TSM-MMs some real
authority. I've used the TSMs in the past with more modest equipment, including Audio
Analogue and Unison Research integrated amps. Bobby Palkovic touts the Spanish-made
Ars-Sonum Filharmonia SE 30Wpc tube integrated amp ($3500) that he's importing as ideal
for use with all of his speakers.

My new listening room is immense -- 20' wide by 29' long, with a 10' ceiling -- which gives
many options for setting up speakers. Couple this with the TSM-MM's modest stature, even
on stands, and it's easy for the speakers to look lost in my listening space. However, the
TSM-MMs responded in resounding fashion, sounding bigger than any earlier iteration and
as large as some of the floorstanding speakers I've reviewed in this same room. This
surprised me. Like the various Merlin VSMs I've heard at shows, the TSMs have always
disappeared with ease, but they were never particularly room-filling. The TSM-MMs are
different. They cast a soundstage that belies their size -- one that's big and vibrant, the
antithesis of the petite, dainty sonic picture that so many other minimonitors conjure. Close
your eyes and you'll swear that the TSM-MM's cabinet extends to the floor.

This isn't so much a product of bass depth and weight -- both of which are satisfying -- but
rather the way the sound spreads throughout the room. Bobby Palkovic attributes it to the
TSM-MM's "power response," which is another name for what we call the "listening
window" in our measurements: five frequency-response measurements (on-axis, 15 degrees
left and right off-axis, 15 degrees up and down off-axis) that are averaged. Our take: "This
measurement is especially useful because it allows for small variations in the listening
position and ear height and can be a more useful determinant of real-world listening than the
standard on-axis measurement." No matter the explanation, the TSM-MMs are capable of
portraying a very wide scale of music convincingly -- from the extreme intimacy of R.L.
Burnside's First Recordings [Mobile Fidelity UDSACD 2026] to the bombast of my favorite
recording of Carmina Burana by Robert Shaw and the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra [Telarc
CD-80056]. The big Wilson Audio speakers do it, and it's an especially noteworthy feat for a
small two-way like the TSM-MM.

Merlin speakers have always been high-resolution designs that unravel music with ease. With
earlier versions of the TSM, this could lead to crisp high frequencies that were unforgiving
with the wrong ancillary equipment (often any components that didn't use tubes). I don't
know if the 0.75dB reduction in the high-frequency circuit's noise is responsible, but the
TSM-MM's treble is a little more relaxed and in better alignment with the midrange and bass.
Because of this, resolution seems greater, as musical elements have more true-to-life
contrast. Play some music with lots of high-frequency energy, like Buddy Guy's Blues Singer
[Silvertone 01241], and be ready to hear it portrayed with unexaggerated speed and presence.
This quality aids ambience-rich recordings, too, such as any of Mobile Fidelity's Patricia
Barber SACDs. The TSM-MMs are SACD ready; they easily communicate the unique high-
frequency elegance of very good SACDs.

The sound of past versions of the TSM has always displayed a high level of precision --
rather like that of the studio monitors on which the speakers were initially modeled.
However, the TSM-MM sounds to my ears like a significant step forward for this speaker --
toward greater completeness and balance. Doug Schneider has reviewed more minimonitors
than all SoundStage! writers combined, so he's the person who could determine where the
TSM-MM fits in the current hierarchy. As for me, I can say that the TSM-MM is a superb
speaker no matter its size, and it makes me wonder what heights the latest Merlin VSM
reaches.

...Marc Mickelson
marc@soundstage.com

Merlin Music Systems TSM-MM Loudspeakers

Price: $2800 USD per pair.
Warranty: Ten years parts and labor.

Merlin Music Systems, Inc.

4705 Main Street, P.O. Box 146
Hemlock, New York 14466
Phone: (585) 367-2390
Fax: (585) 367-2685

E-mail: info@merlinmusic.com
Website: www.merlinmusic.com

All Contents
Copyright © 2005 SoundStage!
All Rights Reserved
 Merlin Music TSM-
MM
Isn't she lovely

Perhaps the brand Merlin Music

Systems Inc. says almost nothing
to newbies but seasoned and
expert audiophiles know Merlin
loudspeakers pretty well. The TSM
and the VSM models have earned
a very high reputation among fine
audiophiles and audio critics worldwide. Personally, I've been a VSM floorstander lover
since day one.
Unlike many other HiFi Companies, Merlin Music Systems manufacture two models of
loudspeakers only. Yes, just TWO models, nothing else. Instead of offering dozens of
useless different models, they prefer to concentrate all of their efforts and expertise on
designing and manufacturing a floorstander and a standmounting speaker (plus some
different "edition" of these). Few things, done right. Damn right.

Description and tech specs

The TSM-MM monitor under test is, for several reasons, a pretty unusual and unique
design. First of all, it is a closed and sealed box, no reflex ports, no transmission lines,
no vents, just a rock-solid compact cabinet built like a tank. The already bomb-proof
enclosure has been made even more rigid by means of brass reinforcement bars on
front of cabinet.
The front baffle, 1 ½" thick, is heavily braced to prevent resonancies while the whole
enclosure is internally and externally damped. Rounded edges and corners allow to
keep sound diffractions low.
The woofer used on the TSM-MM is the Morel MW 164, a 6.25 inch damped pulp cone
unit with cast aluminum basket, low diffraction neoprene rubber surround, 3" voice coil
and rear vented motor. The tweeter, still from Morel, is the well known and highly
praised MDT 30 (1 inch soft dome, liquid cooled). The two-ways crossover has a 12
dB/octave slope, centered at 2150 Hz. It makes use of very good passive components
such as Hovland aluminum foil and polypropylene caps, Caddock Micronix film resistors
while internal wiring is made by means of Cardas Crossfield cables. The circuit is
impedance corrected and offers a so-called "electronic damping". Binding posts are still
from Cardas, of the "no-stress" kind (a single nut locks the binding posts
simultaneously, see pic above).
These are the main claimed tech specs.

• Frequency response: 55-20kHz ± 2 dB, 1 meter on axis. -10dB at 35 Hz

 • Acoustic phase shift: < 10º
• Impedance: 8 ohms nominal, 6.5 ohms minimum, 14 ohms at crossover point
• Sensitivity: 87 dB, 1W/1m (2.83V)
• Power handling: 80 watts (program)
• Maximum output: 104 dB (program)
• Dimensions and weight: 20.3 cm (8") W x 26.6 cm (10-1/2") D x 40.6 cm (16") H.
12 kgs (26 lbs) each

I've had the chance to evaluate the Merlin TSM-MM's over an extended period of time,
thanks to the patience of the UK dealer, Mr. Paul Letteri. I've tested them with many
different amplifiers (at least 4 integrateds and two pre-power combos) and two different
speaker stands: Acoustical (62 cm, aluminium, from Italy) and Atacama Nexus (72 cm,
steel, from UK). Actually these are the stand heights recommended by Merlin,
depending on listening height. The ears should be in axis with the midpoint between
woofer and tweeter.

Isn't she lovely

Merlin Music Inc. defines the TSM-MM's as "mini-monitors". We Europeans may have a
different idea on what a mini-monitor should look like, size-wise. ProAC Tablettes,
Rogers LS 3/5As, Linn Kans, Diapason Micras, Sonus Faber Minimas...these are
"mini"-monitors, according to our "Old World" habits. I'd rather classify the TSM-MM's as
"monitors" or "bookshelf" loudspeakers. Hence, though not exactly "mini", these
speakers are "monitors" without any reasonable doubt. Indeed, what a "monitor" should
do? Monitor, of course! As my Oxford dictionary reports... to monitor: observe and
check over a period of time; maintain regular surveillance over; listen to and report on.
Right! A "monitor" speaker should tell you exactly what's happening "behind" it. It
should reveal every nuance, any tiny-weenie detail, every fault (or virtue) of its
ancillaries (sources, amplification and cables).
If this is what you're looking for your listening pleasure....STOP! And look no further.
These units are among the most accurate and revealing loudspeakers I've ever come
across. They can reveal virtually anything that reaches their binding posts (the good, the
bad and the ugly). It is not a surprise these speakers have been chosen by many HiFi
reviewers worldwide. They can make reviewing other components extremely EASY. A
snap.

Tonally neutral, a bit dry in the bass, perhaps, the Merlin TSM-MM's are high precision
(musical) instruments. It is IMPOSSIBLE not to fall in love with them...unless you are in
search for a coloured, highly "subjective" and personal musical reproduction. Actually,
many audiophiles don't want something close to reality, they simply need an artificial
and deformed picture of the real event. Silky strings (though they are made out of steel),
wooly drums (though they are made out of stiff leather) and so on.
The TSM-MM's simply tell the truth. And truth isn't always pleasant, you may object.
Here I tend to disagree: the way these speakers deliver Music is so natural that it never
hurts the ears. You can detect every fault in your system (or recording) but the way
these faults are "exposed" is seldom irritating. Part of this "magic" is probably due to an
extremely refined crossover design and implementation or to the intrinsic high quality of
the drivers and cabinet. I don't know. The point is that these speakers are better than
the simple algebraic sum of their parts. The Morel MDT 30 tweeter is well known to me
but NEVER - I say never - I've heard it sounding so good, so natural, so unbelievably
real.
Voices and acoustical instruments possess that touch of finesse that makes every
listening session a pure pleasure. And even when pushed hard with electrified Music
these speakers stay in control, sounding precise, mature and convincing.
Being a rather small sealed enclosure one can't expect either extremely deep nor
powerful bass. 55 Hz are down at -2dB so bass freaks are warned. These speakers
won't shake the walls and the floor. BUT! They know well how to let you follow a bass
line with ease: just "click in" and listen. While pipe organ lowest fundamentals are
missing (35 Hz are at -10 dB) the whole performance in the bass can still be considered
adequate, especially in small rooms.
The UK dealer recommends using them paired with a subwoofer...I'd prefer to have a
pair of VSM floorstanders instead :-)
If asked for a preferences list, I'd rate the mid and the mid-high ranges very high, in
absolute terms: electrostatic purity matched to extreme dynamic coherence and
precision. Bass and mid-bass simply can't reach - for obvious reasons - the same level
of quality, accuracy and realism.
Transparency is perhaps their best quality overall, in the sense they remain
"transparent" to every signal variation. Just perform a negligible change "behind" them
and they'll reveal it, effortlessly, be it a new mains cable, a new set of damping feet or
even, hear hear!, the different position of the speaker cables on their binding posts! Let
me tell you a little bit more about this.
Merlin recommend using their own RC network between amplifier and speakers. It is,
actually, a Zobel network that should help amplifiers in staying "stable" under load
and/or be more cables-indipendent. Merlin claim most amplifiers don't have a built-in
Zobel network and this is the reason why one should use an external one. In my
experience, most amplifiers DO have a Zobel network, only few ones don't (Naim, for
example). Anyway, you can refer to the complete owner's manual for details about
connecting the Merlin Zobel network to your system. This network (a wire with a cap
and a resistor) should be connected to the TSM-MM's binding posts (eventually to the
amp's binding posts). You can connect the speakers cable to the binding posts and
THEN connect the Zobel network or viceversa (before the network and THEN the
speaker cables). Electrically, there shouldn't be any difference. Theory notwithstanding,
the Merlins are so transparent and revealing that I was able to hear the difference
between one way of connection and the other!!! I couldn't believe to my ears. Simply
stunning.
Oh, before you ask, with the amplifiers I used, the Merlins sounded better WITHOUT
the Merlin Zobel network: more precise, detailed and natural. With the network in place,
the sound became a bit shut-in and confused. Anyway, not a night/day difference. Your
mileage may vary, as usual.

Summarizing, the Merlin TSM-MM's are stunningly transparent, precise and

communicative. They hide NOTHING but still can sound very natural. If this isn't magic,
please tell me what it is. Not the ultimate in bass response and drive, but considering
the size and type of the enclosure, the performance in this area is still very good.

Dynamics

As any seasoned audiophile worth his weight in gold plated connectors would tell
you...if you want fast bass, search for an acoustic suspension enclosure. Vented
cabinets are often referred as boomy and slow in the bass. Though this isn't 100% true
(and perhaps not even 50%) the Merlin TSM-MM's are actually very fast, tight and
rythmic. Bass isn't explosive but dynamically accurate: variations are delivered with "in
scale" accuracy and correct timing. No goose-bumps and wall shaking dynamics,
though: all you get is a correct, mature and self-controlled dynamic performance.
Rockers and headbangers may find this attitude a bit too "shy" but, dudes, these are
high precision monitors, not "fight for your rights to party" speakers.
After all, claimed max SPL is just 104 dB (at 1 meter, I assume) so, though they can
sound loud enough to easily upset your neighbours, they are not your best weapon for
house parties. Anyway, do not forget 104 dB of sound pressure is something you can
barely tolerate in the long run. Above 100 dB level, talking with a friend seated next to
you can become difficult, just to give you an idea.
Microdynamics performance is astounding, instead. If it's there, they'll tell you. No lies.

3D soundstage

Welcome to the pleasuredome, guys. 3D imaging from these babies is something an

audiophile should experience at least once in a lifetime. The image these monitors can
create is stunning even after a "casual" positioning but it really becomes something
"magic" when you find the perfect height and orientation. Once found this "sweet spot"
the speakers simply disappear. You can stand up and walk close to or around them and
find it hard to believe the sound is coming from those small boxes. Move to the left or to
the right, things don't change: it is the air surrounding them that sounds, NOT the
speakers.
I've had a similar experience with just another bookshelf loudspeaker, the Aliante One
Zeta. You can detect the speaker is connected to your system only when the distance
approaches 1 meter or so, then the sound from the drivers becomes self-evident.
Otherwise...nothing! If you wish to impress your friends, place a second pair of speakers
behind the Merlins, leaving it unconnected. Then ask your friends to determine which
pair is playing. I'm pretty sure everyone - regardless of the listening seat - will choose
the pair behind the Merlins. And don't get me wrong: I'm not simply saying the sound or
the stage is placed "behind" the speakers. This is easy to get with many other products.
No, I'm saying it is the air surrounding them to vibrate while the speakers remain silent. I
know it is hard to believe until you experience it by yourself. So, ask for a (serious)
audition and...smile.

This is the most fascinating aspect of these monitors: a huge, extremely detailed, pin-
point focused. holographic soundstage which extends above and beyond the space
between the speakers. Stable as a marble slab, so unmistakably real to seem unreal.
After all, high fidelity is all about mystification!
If you want to monitor the work of a recording engineer, these are the speakers to use:
you can detect - with extreme precision - the position of every instrument or singer, left
to right, top to bottom, back to forth.

Some advice

Read the owner's manual from cover to cover. An alignment tool is supplied to properly
toe-in the speakers in your listening room (best angle: 100 degrees). AVOID bookshelf
installation like the plague and choose the speakers stands carefully: the ear should be
aligned with the midpoint between woofer and tweeter. In my listening room I've
achieved this result with the Atacama Nexus stands (height: 72 cm). Your mileage may
vary.
Choose rigid stands with spikes, if you have a carpeted floor. Perform your own
experiments with and without Merlin Zobel networks as your findings may differ from
mine. Thanks to the extreme transparency of these speakers, finding your favourite
option will be extremely easy. Remember: they unveil everything. Choose the best
ancillaries and partners you can afford, the performance gets better at each upgrade
you can make, regardless of price.
The manufacturer claims these are a "friendly" load for the amplifier. I'm not 100% sure.
First of all the 87 dB sensitivity requires quite powerful amplifiers, unless you listen at
moderate levels and/or in a small room. Secondly, despite the electrical claimed data I
have the feeling these TSM-MM's aren't so "easy" with the amplifiers. Anyway, quality
first, then power.
Finally, plan some serious break-in, I'd recommend at least 100 hours. The woofers
definitely need some time to perform at their best. Right out of the box, the bass range
is extremely dry and lightweight.

Complaints

Manufacturing and finish. Hard to find something wrong here, these speakers are a
work of art. Beautifully and sturdly crafted, the TSM-MM's may not suit everyone's taste
but many different finishes are available (check the Merlin website for details). There's
one thing I somehow disliked: the Cardas binding posts and their "locking" system. Only
bare wire or forks are accepted and that locking nut isn't the most user-friendly device
one can think of.
The owner's manual is really "cheap" looking. Several Xerox copy A4 pages hold
together with a snail. Something better should be supplied, considering the tag price.
The warranty on these speakers is a reassuring 5 years on parts and labour.
Are they pricey? Not exactly inexpensive, I admit, but considering the quality of the
components and of the whole design, I find it adequate. And once you listen to them,
you tend to forget their price, quite easily.
Sound. Any reviewer's dream: a speaker that makes finding differences between HiFi
components extremely easy. Just connect and listen. Some will find these speakers a
bit on the dry side, with lean bass and limited frequency response. Some others would
find the TSM-MM's too revealing and unforgiving, especially if familiar with sluggish and
woolly speakers. Me? Just give me more bass (depth and slam) and I'll love these
babies forever.

Conclusions

Perhaps not everyone's cup of tea, these Merlin TSM-MM's are a true acoustic
masterpiece. Their performance in certain areas - precision, transparency, tonal
accuracy and soundstaging - is simply outstanding and WAY ABOVE their price range.
If you want to (really) know what's been recorded on your discs...ask a Merlin dealer for
an audition test. The truth can be shocking, but once you discover it, you will find it hard
to look back.

© Copyright 2005 Lucio Cadeddu - www.tnt-audio.com

Manufacturer's comment

Dear editor,
this review was a very pleasant surprise because I did not know that the review was
being compiled. It is obvious that you spent a great deal of time with the speaker system
and that that you are an expert in your field. But better yet, IMHO you have done an
exceedingly good job of conveying the essence of the speaker to your readership. My
sincere thanks to you for this commentary and you considerable efforts. If I may, there
are a few points that I would like to clear up in the form of a manufacturer's comment.
The TSM Millennium was taken out of production in February of 2004. It was replaced
by the TSM MX (pictured at the beginning of the review) and the TSM MM (pictured in
the later on).
The TSM speaker system is a sophisticated/modern, high Q design. We have spent 8
years refining it to a point where all of the resonance and distortion have been damped
out of the system. So, when you turn up the volume, you are amplifying the music and
not the customary noise, distortion and color. These damped designs will sound better
with tube amps with a higher output impedance or solid state amps with a lower
damping factor and mosfets in particular.
It is also a good practice to listen to them farther away as the farther you get from them
the fuller they sound (9 1/2 feet is optimum). When placing this type of design on a
stand, do not decouple the speaker from the stand. Place it right on the pedestal so that
energy can pass easily from the enclosure to the stand. If you are concerned about
safety, a little blue tack/poster putty on the bottom of the speaker will hold it securely in
place.
The bottom end of the TSM is really quite remarkable IMHO. It is -2db at 55hz, -3db at
50 and -4db at 45. It is still producing usable bass down to 35hz. Although it does not
produce the lowest octave, it does accomplish exactly what it was designed to do.
Smaller rooms can not support deep bass anyway. Deep bass has a very long bass
wavelength that needs to be propagated and this cannot be accomplished in smaller
rooms.
In North America, most amplifiers do not come terminated with a Zobel network. It is for
that reason that we offer an outboard rc network. The RC will provide an unterminated
amp with a 100 ohm load at 100 khz. It also acts as an ultrasonic filter of rfi and emi at
1.6 mhz. If your amp is terminated with a Zobel network and you use our RC also, the
sound will suffer because you have created a tank circuit by using 2 filters in the same
circuit with inductance between them. You will not hurt the amp by trying this. But if the
amp is not terminated you will notice a very large improvement in the sound.
The presentation will become more uniform, clearer, smoother and show more spacial
cues. A sense of false brightness will disappear and the sound will be more relaxed and
fleshed out.
I was extremely pleased by the comments you made about the Morel tweeter sounding
so real. This by the way is the Morel USA version. The new cryogenically treated
crossover networks have improved the sound so much that the TSM MM/Morel MDT-30
combination actually sounds better than the VSM M/Esotar. This is quite a bold
statement to make but it has been said by many and not just me.
Of course, the the new VSM MM and MX are better again. The point I am making is that
the drivers are very important but the way they are implemented is even more so. And
last of all the terminals. These terminals are a brilliantly designed piece because they rid
the connector of two serious problems, those being metal stress from over tightening
and the threads.
Threads cause skin effect and a general smearing of the HF and metal stress causes a
pinching or stressing of the sound.
IMO, this is evident in almost every other conventional binding post. Bananas do not
sound good and you can clearly hear their resonance through our speaker designs. The
issue of their user friendly nature, well, after you get used to them and use them for a
while you'll find a way of accomplishing what you need that is far easier than
conventional posts. Plus, you can tighten them as hard as you can without deforming
anything which is a must for heavy/awkward cables.
I agree with your description of what a monitor is and what it should do. Because of the
nature of the design, bass energy and extension will never rival larger floor standing
models. But this increased energy cannot be used in small rooms anyway because it
will just beat on the room resonant frequency. However, the mid and high frequencies
can be as good as products costing many times more so these properly executed
monitor designs can provide some of the best value in sound reproduction.
Many thanks again Lucio for you consideration and kindness.
Bobby A. Palkovich - President of Merlin Music Systems Inc.

   
 POSITIVE FEEDBACK ONLINE - ISSUE 13

merlin music systems

TSM-MM loudspeakers

as reviewed by Gary Beard

The Evolution of the TSM: The Merlin TSM-MM Loudspeakers with Magic
Mod

I have owned Merlin TSM speakers for several years, first the SE versions,
then the Ms. Because I love what they do—or rather don’t do—with music,
they have been the cornerstones of my system. They do not call attention to
LOUDSPEAKERS themselves either sonically or visually (unless you are fortunate enough to
Merlin TSM-M monitors have one of the premium finishes), but do their job at the highest level and
on 24" Osiris stands with look handsome doing it.
an REL Strata III
subwoofer.
Of course, the TSMs have a sound of their own. It is not a "listen to me" sound,
ELECTRONICS
but one focused on reproducing the musical signals they are fed. I like
First Sound Presence components that don’t impose too much of their own character onto the music.
Deluxe Mark II I like a natural sound, in which timbre and tonality are as correct as possible,
preamplifier with Amperex
7308 PQ tubes, George
but with just enough warmth to make a jazz quartet sound cozy. I want some
Wright WPP100C phono- "jump factor" too, as my musical tastes include serious rock and roll. I also like
preamplifier with Amperex detail, resolution, and high frequency extension, but not so much that musical
6ER5, and RCA 12AU7
tubes. David Berning
coherence is lost, or that hot recordings make the tweeters sound like mutant
ZH270 amplifier with air horns. The Merlins give me all of this and more, including subtle tonality,
Brimar 12AT7 black plate, solid soundstaging, and incredible imaging. I love great bass too, and while the
GE 5 Star 12AV7, and
cryo'ed Sylvania 6JN6
TSMs are no slouches in this respect, Merlin obviously decided to do the best
power tubes. job it could with the lower octaves, cutting them off when it just ain’t gonna
happen anymore. The result is taut and tuneful bass down to 55 Hz (down 10
SOURCES
dB at 35 Hz). While I could easily have lived with the bass that the TSMs dealt
Cary 303/200, Marantz me, I added a REL Strata III subwoofer that integrates nicely into my room. I
CC-65-SE, Sony DVP- think the Merlins and the REL are a match made in audio heaven.
7700, and a Technics
SL1600 Direct Drive
Turntable. A little history

CABLES Bobby Palkovic, the sorcerer responsible for the Merlin magic, and cabinet
Cardas Neutral Reference builder/designer Bill Hooper, developed a successful audio business by putting
bi-wire speaker cables,
Acoustic Zen Matrix all of their design efforts into two basic product lines—the TSM series mini-
Reference, Kimber Silver monitors, and the flagship VSM floorstanders—that have been undergoing
Streak, Kimber and Hero, constant refinement since their inception. The TSM-SE was introduced in
MIT 3 interconnects.
Acoustic Zen MC2 digital 1996, and Merlin’s passion for improving its designs can be seen in the TSM-
cable. Shunyata M Millennium series, which debuted in 2000.
Sidewinder and
homebrew
Belden/Hubbell/Marinco While it has been some time since I listened to a pair of TSM-SEs, I remember
powercords. how much truer to the music they were than my B&W CDM-1SEs (which, in
my opinion, still sound very good). The Merlins’ silky treble extension and
ACCESSORIES uncanny imaging were simply astonishing to me. When the Millennium
Richard Gray Power versions became available, it wasn’t long before they were sitting on my fine
Station 400 power 24-inch Osiris speaker stands. (Osiris is sadly now out of business, but I
conditioner, Final Labs
Daruma 3II isolation, believe new pairs can still be had.) I still recall my jaw dropping to the floor
Vibrapods, DIY "Flexy" when I first heard them. The differences might not have seemed that great to
equipment rack, DIY some people, but to me they were substantial. The redesigned Ms, while they
points, ceramic cable
supports, and various never wavered from the natural sonic flavor of the original TSMs, had a more
isolation tweaks. relaxed and effortless presentation.

Feeling that the TSM-Ms were very special, I made every effort to ensure that
they would sound their best, including finding components and cables that
would give them every opportunity to shine. Cables have run the gamut from
homemade cat 5, Kimber, and MIT to the current combination of Cardas
Neutral Reference bi-wire speaker cable and Acoustic Zen Matrix Reference
and Final Labs Speed interconnects. I have partnered the TSM-Ms with
amplifiers by McCormack, Audible Illusions, VAC, Final Labs. The current
configuration includes the fantastic Berning ZH270 amp, the First Sound
Presence Deluxe Mark II preamp, and the Cary 303-200 CD player. This
configuration gives me by far the finest sound I have heard in my listening
room.

I should make a few observations. First, the TSMs have sounded at least really
good with every piece of gear I’ve tried, except one. The only amp that
struggled with the TSMs’ 87dB sensitivity was a very well known 15-watt 300B
SET that just didn’t have the juice to drive them properly. Secondly, every time
I have added a more refined component, the little Merlins have given me even
more refined sound. While we all know that there is a point of diminishing
returns, the TSMs seemingly unlimited capacity for better sound makes them
very attractive for audiophiles with the endless upgrade bug. Lastly, like all
audio equipment, the TSMs—in the SE or the M version—sound their very
best with only a few partners. Cardas speaker cables certainly made a
substantial difference, and while the McCormack amp’s warmish take on solid
state sounded very, very, good, tubes really bring the TSMs to life.

In my opinion, only two things about the TSM-Ms have ever needed even the
least bit of improvement. One is the limited bass extension (though what can
you expect with a 16 x 8 x 10.5-inch stand- mounted monitor with a 6-inch
woofer?). The other is a slight tendency toward midrange leanness, especially
with more neutral electronics and cables like mine. However, when I partnered
them with a warmly-lit amp like the VAC Renaissance 30/30, I never noticed
any leanness at all. Weeks prior to sending me the TSM-MMs with the Magic
Mod, Bobby Palkovic told me that one of the improvements I could expect was
a fuller sound. That sounded like a perfect fix for the lean mids. I wondered if
he had added a bigger woofer, but decided that while he may have worked a
little Merlin magic, only a sorcerer’s apprentice would muck with a great design
just to add boomy bass.

The original TSM-M is now a thing of the past, and all TSMs in the standard
finish now come with the Magic Mod (MM). There is also a new model, the
TSM-MX, which includes a premium finish and the Magic Mod improvements,
plus even more internal refinements that put the MXs at the top of the TSM
food chain. I’m jealous. Now that the TSM has added the opposable thumb
and started walking erect, it’s time to unveil the latest stage of Merlin speaker
evolution.

POOF! The TSM with Magic Mod!

Another wet-your-whistle comment by Bobby Palkovic regarding the TSM-MM

was his claim of a 30% improvement over its predecessor. Okay, that is the
designer talking, so a grain of salt was taken, but how did the MM fare in my
system? I can’t do percentages (I missed that day in school), but it is clearly
better than the M. The TSM-MMs are not exactly cheap at 2800 Georges per
pair, but even factoring in the cost of a great sub like the REL, I find their
sound so captivating that they almost seem like a bargain. If I ever hit it big in
Vegas, I’ll step up to the plate and order a pair of VSM-MXs, but until then, this
latest version of the TSM is right where it belongs—in my room, crankin’ out
the tunes.

After setting up the MMs in the same location as the Ms, I sat down to give a
preliminary listen. My immediate response was that the sonic attributes that
made the TSMs so special had not changed, yet the MMs clearly sounded
better. As I continued to listen during the next few days, I found that the new
speakers had significantly more resolution than the Ms. During the past few
months, a number of upgrades have increased my system’s ability to resolve
inner detail, and the TSM-MMs extend that ability. What makes them better?
One reason is that they are quieter. There is very little noise without a signal
present. Lyrics are easier to follow, complex passages unravel, and the
recording venue becomes more obvious. This additional resolution is a double-
edged sword. At its worst, it clearly shows a recording’s weaknesses, but at its
best it buries me deeply into the soul of the
music. That, my audio friends, is what we are
all about, isn’t it?

Bobby Palkovic has also addressed the TSM-

MMs’ slight thinness in the upper midrange in
the MMs, which have a slightly richer, denser
take on the upper mids. I noticed it first with
the vocals and guitars of John Mellencamp’s
Cuttin’ Heads CD, which were more fleshed
out than with the previous models. The new
Merlins give the midrange more body and
substance, and an even more realistic tonality. But it wasn’t just guitars and
Mellencamp’s raspy voice that got the star treatment, cymbals had less zing,
more sheen and sparkle, and again, more realism. All iterations of the TSMs
have been soundstaging champs. That has not changed in the MMs, and while
I haven’t noticed an increase in width, I have noticed slightly more depth. More
impressive is the additional image density. The TSMs have always had
pinpoint imaging when correctly placed, but the MMs offer an even more 3D
quality.

While loving the music on Sarah McLachlan’s Fumbling Toward Ecstasy CD,
I’ve never been a big fan of its overproduced electronica. The Merlins allow me
to hear the music though the purposeful haziness. McLachlan’s voice is front
and center, more clearly delineated than before, as the backing
instrumentation and vocals ebb and flow around her. The additional resolution
serves to give the murky sound new life.

On (my interpretation of) a well recorded CD,

such as Lyle Lovett’s Joshua Judges Ruth,
the TSM-MM’s are truly in their element. The
clean production is only overshadowed by the
fab performance of Lyle and the supremely
talented band recruited to back him. Eerily
quiet in places, beautifully passionate in
others, yet with high energy cuts like Church
keeping the dynamic bursts of Lovett-ness
alive. I have heard enough live saxophones in
my own home to die a happy wind instrument
lover, and I can assert without hesitation, that
Plas Johnsons’ great sax work on All my love
is Gone has the lovely burnished signature of the tenor written all over it—no
guessing necessary.

I want to reiterate something that I stated earlier. Every time I have made a
positive improvement to my system, the TSMs have given an ever-higher level
of performance. As with any gear, matching is the key to getting the most out
of them, and there must be good partners at all price levels. Do your
homework and ye shall be rewarded! There is no question that the TSMs love
top notch gear and accessories, but the older versions worked wonderfully with
my older, more modest components, and I have every reason to believe that
this is still the case.

The TSM line of speakers has been on an evolutionary track for some time.
With the TSM-MMs, Merlin has managed to push the envelope forward once
again. Will the wizard of Hemlock, New York continue to wave his magic wand
and improve his design? Probably, but if you are interested in the Merlin
TSMs, I wouldn’t wait for a proclamation by the king. I’d order a pair now and
be happy.

I don’t find myself listening to my equipment anymore. I just listen to music. In

my system, the Merlin TSM-MMs provide a more convincing reproduction of
music than ever before. Are they perfect? Perhaps, but I can’t say they’re for
everybody. While they will play wonderfully with a variety of gear, they require
careful partnering with a great source, excellent electronics, and the right
cables to sound their best. When those criteria are met, they can sound
 stunningly real and connected to the very soul of the music. The rest of the
time, they’re merely wonderful. I guess you could say that is a five-out-of-five-
star rating. Gary L. Beard

   
fully, I could nevertheless remain focussed on the tam-
tams decaying deep in the right center of the stage. Flat-
picked guitars on “Chelsea Morning” or on Lyle Lovett
[Joshua Judges Ruth, MCA/Curb 10475] demonstrated
transient and microdynamic performance on a par with
anything in this price range. The ability to hear the tini-
est delay between the percussive impact of the player’s
flatpick upon the strings and the outward radiation
from the guitar’s soundboard was fascinating.
The ATCs also accomplished something that
was a first in my experience of speakers of this size.
Before I was fully aware of their dynamic abilities, I
played Clark Terry’s “Moten Swing” [Reference
Recordings RR-905 HDCD], setting the levels con-
servatively in order to accommodate the killer trum-
pet mid-way into the track. When the blast arrived,
the transient attack and subsequent bloom from the
trumpet’s bell pinned my ears and plucked my eye-
brows with uncompressed energy.
Interestingly, soundstage width and depth did
not seem exceptional. That is, I’ve gotten better
results from other setups, including the Merlin TSM-
SE, which is exemplary in this regard. Music cues
seemed to reach the center of the baffle on the ATCs
and no further, whereas the TSM-SE allowed the
music to widen edge to edge. Music does feel as if it’s
being directed toward you, rather than just expressing
itself ethereally into the room. Also the lack of deep
bass gives the speaker a cooler character. It would take
an exceedingly fine subwoofer to match this speaker’s
speed and coherence.
The ATC’s low sensitivity requires a high-cur-
rent, reasonably powerful amplifier. The Plinius 8150
was quite satisfying. Otherwise it just won’t come
alive. The same with low-level listening. Here the
speaker sounds a bit anemic, a bit compressed, lack-
ing in the harmonic richness that so defines its char-
acter at (not even so much) higher volume levels.
And it ain’t cheap in absolute terms. But ultra-
high performance in small packages has never come
cheap, as the owners of Ferraris, Lamborghinis, and
Porsches will tell you. For some, though, exacting
that last ounce of performance from any device brings
ever-diminishing returns. But just as I don’t measure
an automobile in cubic inches, I don’t count the num-
ber of drivers when I’m considering a loudspeaker. I
fire it up and wring it out.
Be good to yourself. Give these a hard test drive.
The further you go with them, the greater the bargain
they appear to be. But I’ll warn you now. You’re not
going to want to return them. Take it from someone
who isn’t returning his.
NEIL GADER
Merlin Music Systems TSM-SE Loudspeaker
T his is a serious loudspeaker. One chat with its
affable chief designer Bobby Palkovic will tell
you that. Unlike an haute cuisine chef who would
rather fall on his boning knife than part with his
secret recipes, Palkovic, with 23 years of experience
in the field, happily provides full disclosure about
Manufacturer’s Response
. . .In the review, Gader refers to the front baffle of the SCM
20SL, when exposed: “extruding far forward of the rest of the
cabinet in an almost contemptuous disregard for competing
designs that flush-mount, round, and radius every edge that
might reflect and uninvited frequency.” In fact, the drive units
are flush-mounted, into the baffle, and this speaker, as with all
ATC models, is designed to be used with the grill, which
includes a rounded quadrant to avoid diffraction at the cabi-
net edge. ATC always attends to this sort of engineering detail.
It is our aim to produce loudspeakers of a neutral fidelity,
with no particular signature, and capable of wide dynamic
range when driven by a suitable amplifier. We try to produce the
best loudspeakers in the world, not by breaking new ground, but
by the application of better engineering to established principles.
The prize for any ATC owner is the music, not the equipment…
Billy Woodman
President, ATC
Robert E. Greene Comments:
I had a relatively brief listen to the ATCs; they made a pos-
itive initial impression on me. In general, I am not an enthu-
siast of small speakers, which typically exhibit little bass,
even upper bass, and a treble-oriented balance. Certainly, you
would have to care far more for the musically peripheral
epiphenomenon of soundstage than for the sound of music itself
to prefer the lightly balanced, treble-emphasized Merlin
miniature reviewed in this issue to, say, the nearly full-range,
evenly balanced, neutral Spendor SP1/2s at the same price.
But the ATCs are another story entirely.
Admittedly there is still no serious deep bass, so the sound
is light for orchestral music, and one would want a subwoofer.
But the ATCs’ midrange is so clean and detailed, and the top
so smooth and extended without being etched, and the transi-
tion between the drivers so superbly done that they offer a great
deal even at their substantial price. As NAG says, they let
you know a lot about how recordings are made, though not by
burning your ears with excessive and irregular highs. Pro
monitors the ATCs surely are in their dynamic capability,
but their balance is definitely domestically compatible.
Combining these speakers with a subwoofer would produce a
system competitive with better speakers in the $6,000 price
range (which the combo would run). I did not really have
enough experience with them to offer a comparison with other
speakers of low coloration and low distortion with which I am
familiar, say, the Gradient Revolutions (same price range,
more bass) or my own Harbeth Monitor 40s (much more
extended bass but also more expensive by far). Over the fre-
quency range they cover, however, the ATCs seem to be com-
peting at the top level. My first listen generated respect and
some considerable affection.
virtually every ingredient in the complex stew that
is his loudspeaker design. While the crossover is a
second-order design, he explains, both drivers are
wired in phase. Hovland aluminum foil and
polypropylene capacitors are used, as are Caddock
film resistors (that is, High End, expensive parts).
THE SOUND • 85
MANUFACTURER INFORMATION Cardas wiring is used that thrives on detailing orchestral nuances.
Merlin Music Systems, Inc. throughout and Music The Merlin Music Systems TSM-SE is a 2-way
P.O. Box 146 Post Bi-wire terminals dynamic driver loudspeaker of air suspension
Hemlock, New York 14466 add a classy, professional design.2 Enclosure construction is heavily braced
Phone: 716-367-2390
touch.1 The grill cloth MDF with a massive one-and-a-half-inch thick front
Fax: 716- 367-2685
has a rather deep frame baffle. Internal and external resonance damping is
e-mail: info@merlinmusic.com
Website: www.merlinmusic.com
and is clearly intended – considerable, including the three brass rods that
with Merlin’s blessing – adorn the front baffle, also said by Merlin to further
SPECS for removal during seri- control cabinet resonances. Drivers are by Morel.
Frequency Response: 55-20kHz +/- 2dB, 1 meter on ous listening. And by The MW-164, this 6-inch damped pulp cone mid-
axis. 10dB down @ 35 Hz “serious” I mean that, bass driver uses a 3-inch voice coil, a rear-vented
Sensitivity: 87 dB, 1 watt (2.83V) within the limitations of motor, and an aluminum basket. The tweeter is
Crossover: 12dB per octave @2150Hz its small size, the TSM- Morel’s MDT 30, a silk, latex-impregnated, 1-inch
Dimensions: 8” w x 10 _” D x 16” H SE is an extremely re- liquid-cooled soft dome. Like I said, serious.
Weight: 26 pounds each
vealing loudspeaker. The Palkovic considers the TSM a mini-monitor
Price: $2,300/pair, standard polyurethane finish.
sound isn’t warm or dark design. And he doesn’t use that term “monitor”
Optional clear-coat finishes in Ruby Heart, Black
Sapphire, Hunter Green, Oyster White, and Black Piano,
or euphonic in character. lightly. An expression once reserved for professional
add $600 There is no bloat at any equipment in both audio and video domains, the
Warranty: 5 years parts and labor frequencies. Its tonal sobriquet is now employed in such a fast and loose
balance is cool and dry. manner it has degraded into showroom blather or is
ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT Stripped bare of all but commonly used as a pretense to erudition. Palkovic
(see ATC review) the essentials. It’s the believes that a loudspeaker must meet certain speci-
signature of a speaker fied criteria in order to deserve the “monitor” desig-
nation. Among them flat frequency response within
1 Also supplied with each pair are a set of 4 RC networks consisting of a Caddock resistor and a
Hovland capacitor wired in series to bridge the speaker terminals. These act much like an amplifi- the limitations of size, and their amplifier “friendli-
er’s Zobel network to eliminate ultra-high treble frequencies. Palkovic suggests checking with your ness,” having uniform impedance, phase, and ampli-
amp manufacturer regarding the presence of a Zobel in its circuitry. Otherwise let your ears decide.
tude characteristics. They should have near-field
2 Merlin has been a manufacturer of loudspeakers since 1983. The company secretary and
cabinetmaker is Bill Hooper, who has designed sound reinforcement systems for mixing, produc- capability, a strong suit of smaller speakers, in theo-
tion, and management of live performances, and played horns and guitars in blues and rock ry if not always in practice. They should have the
bands. Palkovic himself consulted for recording studios, not only during recording sessions, but in
construction of recording venues. He used to play percussion and electric bass in blues and jazz
ability to handle a broad band of dynamics and to
groups. play loudly without distortion. Components should

abundant in low-level detail and midrange

CARDAS NEUTRAL REFERENCE dynamics. On the ATC SCM-20 SL loudspeak-
CABLE
AUDIO er, I attained the sweetest string sound and
most natural soundstage perspective during
..
the Chadwick “Noel” on the Reference

I
’ve always been reluctant to brave the roil-
NUT.COM ing waters of cable reviewing. It increases
the number of sonic variables geometrical-
ly and it makes maintaining anything resem-
bling a reference system all the more difficult.
So cable substitution happens less frequently
than perhaps it should. But because of the
synergistic possibilities presenting themselves
with the Merlin TSM-SE and their close rela-
tionship with Cardas Audio, I felt that some-
thing should be said. George Cardas
explained that the Neutral Reference was cre-
ated as a mid-priced line that sacrifices little to
his top-rung Golden Cross. It was designed to
sound the same at any length and has
extremely low inductance and resistance and
no directional characteristics. The construction
is a low constant impedance that uses a com-
bination of Teflon and air dielectric. In keeping
with the neutral theme, they come in a light
taupe color.
Cardas supplied me with Golden Cross as
well as the Neutral Reference. I found the
Golden Cross to be a little more forward, per-
haps a bit crisper, extended, and dynamic on
top with the Merlin – a speaker that has a
slightly forward upper mid- to lower treble
emphasis to begin with. The Neutral
Reference, on the other hand, slid the Merlin
into the pocket of a more, well, neutral orien-
tation in this area - a less forward, smoother
yet highly resolved presentation that was
Recording Sampler Volume 2 [RR-905
HDCD]. And on one of my often referenced
low-level tests, Joni Mitchell’s “The Circle
Game” [Hits; Reprise 9-46326-2 HDCD], the
choir was as well defined and articulate as I’ve
heard. Vocalists like Mitchell or Lyle Lovett
sounded a little more open, as if the immedi-
ate space around them suddenly expanded
with more air. These cables seem to retrieve
great detail with such a smooth, velvety touch
that it’s almost eerie. Usually a hardness
creeps in or an etchiness in an upper
midrange frequency that subjectively height-
ens sonic details. There are more glories to be
gleaned from these, but the units I am using
have to be returned at the close of the Merlin
TSM-SE review. Perhaps I might implore the
good folks at Cardas for an extension. Hmm,
suddenly that water doesn’t seem so danger-
ous after all. NG
Cardas Audio, Ltd.
480 11th Street SE
Bandon, Oregon 97411
Phone: 541-347-2484
Fax: 541-347-2301
cardas@cardas.com
Prices: Neutral Reference Cable
Interconnect 1.5 meters $600
Speaker Cable:1.5 meters $600 with
terminations; add $130 for bi-wire

86 • THE ABSOLUTE SOUND • ISSUE 117

also be user-replaceable in the field. He states that tweeter was designed to
the drivers and the crossover in the TSM would take provide good overall
just a few minutes to replace, given that remote power response – which is
eventuality. And the speaker would have to be the sum of the transduc-
rugged, which is why his basic finish is black er’s direct and reverberant
polyurethane. behavior – and that fur-
Not only is the TSM wired with Cardas, ther angling of the TSM
Palkovic uses Cardas throughout his reference sys- might be needed for some
tem for evaluation purposes. While other cables per- tastes. I found an immedi-
form well with the TSM (Palkovic admits he hasn’t ate improvement by using
heard them all), the speakers were fine-tuned with a tried and true British
Cardas wire in mind.3 Because Palkovic takes this alignment technique; I
synergistic approach to optimizing his speakers (not crossed the axis of the dri-
unlike Rick Fryer of Spectral developing amplifica- vers until they were no
tion products with MIT as a cable reference) it’s fair longer firing at my ears
to report that for my tastes with this speaker I found but at the point just for-
the Cardas Neutral Reference a pleasant match. ward of my nose. This not
With a slightly laid back perspective and buttery only smoothed the re-
smooth textures, this cable further expanded the sponse but added depth to
already cavern-like soundstage the TSMs were the soundstage. It also
achieving. The Golden Cross and Wireworld narrows it slightly. Alter-
Equinox III were slightly more forward by compari- natively you might toe the
son, perhaps a shade more dynamic. All deserve fur- speakers out enough that
ther discussion in the context of a comprehensive the axis crosses just be-
cable review down the road. hind your head; not as
While the Merlin setup manual provides much depth but a very
detailed placement information as well as a wooden wide stage can indeed result. It’s a quandary, and
alignment tool to set a 10-degree offset angle, I while I understand in principle the reasons for the
found that there was a bit too much lower treble
3 I had no Cardas, so at Palkovic’s behest, George Cardas sent his top-flight Golden Cross
energy – between 4 and 8KHz – for my tastes in that and his most recent design Neutral Reference, a medium priced effort. All the cables were
position. At my inquiry, Merlin pointed out that the configured for bi-wiring.

ALPHA SOUND

THE SOUND • 87
on-axis voicing of the lower treble, my preference
would be to trade some claimed power response for
overall greater neutrality in this octave.
The character of the TSM is quick, with a neu-
tral overall presentation, perhaps a smidgen lean in
the upper bass and very smooth extended treble that
seems to relish reproducing string sections. The
bottom octave is, not surpisingly, unavailable, but
there is solid reinforcement in the mid-bass but
without any bumpily-hump shenanigans that even-
tually grow wearisome. In fact the pitch and texture
of bass into the 50 Hz range were captivating in
their natural unboxy presentation. When the organ
bursts forth during the third movement of Vaughn
Williams Sinfonia Antartica [Bakels/Bournemouth;
Naxos 8.550737], it brings with it the sense of air
filling the hall and a fairly weighty approximation
of the seismic thunder that I witnessed with the full
Melos Pipe Dreams system at HP’s. Subjectively,
the drivers and cabinet are terrifically clean and free
from distortion. Dynamics are very, very good. The
speaker plays larger than its size portends and pro-
vides the listener with the secure impression that
these transducers will take any signal they’re fed.
Everything about this loudspeaker seems to
have been designed with the soundstage and the
image foremost in mind. It’s that stunning when
you fire it up for the first time. The TSMs find the
walls and boundaries of an orchestral venue like a
bloodhound tracking an escaped convict. The side-
wall reverberations from the tympani and bass drum
in Oue’s reading of Mussorgsky’s Pictures At An
Exhibition [Reference Recordings, RR-906 HDCD]
were thrilling, as well as instructive of the hall’s
size. So was the spacious, articulate presentation of
female voices in Rutter’s “Lux Aeterna” and the
classic “chonk, chonk” of a Gibson F-hole jazz
acoustic guitar in “Moten Swing,” both from the
Reference Recordings Sampler Volume 2 [RR905-
HDCD]. Every instrument assumes a defined posi-
tion, from the outside edges of the right and left
channels to the farthest point behind the speakers.
It’s a little eerie how complete this illusion is on
some material. Even when I assumed I knew the
limits of the depth of the soundstage of certain
recordings, this effect grew slightly more defined. I
think the reasons for this are complicated, but
microdynamics and a no-nonsense transient attack
certainly play a pivotal role.
Did I hear dynamics? Roy Gaines I’ve Got the T-
Bone Walker Blues [Producer: Joe Harley, Groove
Note; GRV-2002-2] is an explosively musical illus-
tration of how the TSMs perform when they’re put
through their paces. On “Stormy Monday,” there is
a muted trumpet playing out wide on the right,
with an acoustic piano getting hammered with six-
teenth notes on the far left. A tenor sax is on the
inside edge of the right channel but positioned far-
ther behind the trumpet. Gaines and his electric
guitar are in a pocket in the center (the guitar is
slightly to the listener’s right), with snare, drums,
and acoustic bass slightly behind. Gaines alternates
between lead lines and thick, pad chords on his mel-
low Gibson 175. And throughout you can hear the
vibrating metal snares beneath the lower drumhead,
both after being struck and rattling in sympathy
with the music. I can be that specific because the
TSMs are that specific!
Again, the Merlins show their mettle in the
low-level resolution department with the back-
ground chorus in Joni Mitchell’s “The Circle Game”
[Hits; Reprise 9-46326-2 HDCD]. When you can
begin to count the number of chorus members and
delineate the harmonic parts, you know the speak-
er’s onto something. Hint: Listen for the soprano
singing above Joni. The same high level of back-
ground retrieval is evident when Rickie Lee Jones
harmonizes with Lyle Lovett on “North Dakota”
[Joshua Judges Ruth, MCA/Curb 10475]. A terrific
halo of ambient air is realized, courtesy of the
Merlins.
I do have a couple of quibbles where ameliora-
tion would only add to an already pleasurable expe-
rience. The tendency toward leanness in the upper
bass takes a little of the full-bodied roundness off
the end of the trumpet during Roy Gaines “Stormy
Weather.” And some of the chestiness leaves
Sinatra’s voice when he sings the smoky title track
“In The Wee Small Hours of the Morning” [Capitol
72434-94755-2-6]. Positioning the speakers closer
to the back wall provides some reinforcement in
this range, but I’m such a sucker for soundstage
integrity that I left them out the full 44 inches,
and put up with the loss of that little bit of beef in
the bass.
Merlin the magician was teacher and mentor to
King Arthur at Camelot and before. Merlin knew
the future, although he was destined to live facing
backward into the past. Some say there is no magic
in the world any longer. A pity, if you believe that.
If your conclusions mirror mine, though, I bet there
might just be a Merlin in your future.
NEIL GADER
Manufacturer’s Response:
I would like to thank Neil Gader and TAS for review-
ing the TSM SE. Gader did a terrific job of relating the
essence of the TSM, but there is one point I would like to dis-
cuss: “a smidgen lean in the upper bass.” We believe that
although the increased toe-in [in Gader’s setup] relaxes the
lower treble, it also softens the upper bass. Both Gader and I
agree that pulling the speakers out into the room another eight
inches (a thirds placement) would have taken advantage of
increased boundary reinforcement, since the speaker would be
in a reinforcing mode. A fuller spectral balance would result.
This would have enabled him to enjoy the standard toe-in,
because the lower treble would have relaxed against a more
full upper bass. Further enhancement of the upper bass would
have been possible with tube amplification (which Gader did
not have on hand). Implementing these changes, would have
resulted in an even more natural and expansive presentation.
Bobby A. Palkovic
President, Merlin Music System, Inc.
THE SOUND • 89