Vintage Wizardry From Merlin Music Systems

A Brief History of Merlin Music Systems And Its Products

Note: In writing the following, I’ve mixed my own firsthand experiences as owner of three sets of Merlin speakers, with insights gathered from browsing through various forum posts, comments, and reviews of Merlin speakers. I’d like to credit Rich Brkich of Signature Sound for providing the most up-to-date and factual content on the past and present status of Merlin Music Speakers, via his website here: Signature Sound and I invite any factual corrections or additional comments to be submitted via the comments section at the end.

Merlin Music Systems was a fairly well-known manufacturer in audiophile circles, a company specializing in the production of quality floor-standing and bookshelf loudspeakers. Established in the late 1980s by Bobby Palkovic, the company gained a positive reputation for its small but well-positioned product line, a reputation acquired from a strong commitment by Palkovic to craftsmanship, innovative design, and uncompromising sound quality.

Merlin Music Products – VSM and TSM

The flagship product line of Merlin Music Systems was known as the VSM (Virtual Stage Monitor) series, a full-range floor-standing model that received consistent acclaim for its sonic performance. These speakers were meticulously engineered by Palkovic and went through several iterations before the final production model hit the marketplace a short time before the owner’s passing in 2015. These later models included the VSM MMM/MXM and Black Magic Edition (BME).

In addition to the VSM series, Merlin Music Systems also produced a stand-mounted model, the TSM, which is the speaker I presently own and the one I will talk about in more detail later.

End Of Merlin Music Systems

Despite its reputation and loyal customer base, Merlin Music Systems ceased production when owner Palkovic passed in 2015. Any service and support vacuum created by the owner’s passing quickly disappeared when Rich Brkich from Signature Sound in Liverpool, NY, picked up the baton and assumed the ongoing role of service and support to the brand.

The Merlin House-Sound

Merlin Music VSM –

The VSM MXE speakers were designed to offer exceptional clarity, detail, and dynamics across the full frequency spectrum, with bass frequencies being extended by the addition of the external ‘Bass Augmentation Module’ or BAM*.

Their advanced acoustic technologies and innovative design contributed to a spacious soundstage with realistic imaging, immersing listeners in the true-to-recording essence of the performance.

The Merlin Music Systems VSM Loudspeaker System last sold new in 2015 at prices ranging from $9,000 to $13,180 USD, depending on the model and selected options. With a production history spanning over 15 years, the model underwent continuous refinement and enhancement. The VSM speakers garnered recognition from enthusiasts, industry professionals, and critics, and earned accolades such as Stereophile magazine’s Class A rating.

The VSM is fundamentally a sophisticated two-way floor-standing speaker system. It incorporates a 2nd order crossover, utilizing premium components to harness the acclaimed Esotar soft dome tweeter from Dynaudio and a bespoke version of the Scan-Speaker 8545 carbon fiber-impregnated paper cone woofer, housed within a ported enclosure.

Palkovc’s engineering precision extended to the enclosure, meticulously crafted, damped and tuned for optimal acoustic performance. Features such as bracing, mass-loading, and rigid high Q cabinet construction, contribute to its acoustically inert cabinet.

*Complementing the VSM lineup is the BAM (Bass Augmentation Module), included as a Super BAM specification with VSM-MMi and VSM-MXr models.

Merlin Music TSM –

Likewise, the stand-mounted TSM MMM speaker retained the designer’s commitment to handling the signal with minimal manipulation of that which was intended by the recording engineers. While not as extended in the lower frequencies, the TSM proved just as capable in areas of soundstage and imaging and fully captured and reproduced the accurate timbre and tonality of the recording.

The TSM MMM model is a two-way shelf or stand-mounted sealed box speaker system, featuring a 2nd order crossover design and utilizing high-quality XO components, seamlessly integrating a Morel-treated paper cone woofer with a custom-made soft dome tweeter (based on a Morel design). Both, the woofer and tweeter were selected for their superior self-damping characteristics allowing steep filters to be avoided in the crossover design. This element of the design went a long way in helping to avoid excessive phase anomalies, coloration, and dynamic compression.

Components are housed within a highly tuned and rigid (high Q) sealed enclosure, ensuring optimal acoustic performance. Unlike the VSM Merlin speaker systems, the Merlin BAM is not utilized with the TSM Speaker System.

As for the TSM MMM BME (Black Magic Edition) of the TSM series, information is somewhat limited as to the true variation on standard specifications but features commonly associated with the BME include upgraded crossover components, wiring, and external RC components. Various sets of RC Networks were included when I bought my first pair of TSM MMM BME speakers, one for bi-wire and one for single-wire use. They did not include the Master RC networks, a $495 addition, so I went ahead and purchased the Master RC from Rick at Signature Sound in NYC. The Master RC takes these speakers up yet another notch, but I can’t honestly say I heard a $495 improvement.
Two sets of jumpers came with my BME, one a hefty silver Cardas pair which appeared to have been specially made by Bobby Palkovic for my pair.

The TSM MMM BMEs are an incredible-sounding sealed box 2-way speaker, 87dB efficient, and a very amplifier-friendly 8 ohm (6.5 ohm min) load.

My Story With Merlin Speakers….

….began around a decade ago when I wandered into my local hifi store (at that time), HiFi Heaven, located in Green Bay, WI. I always had a problem with the name of that store. There’s a fine line between heaven and hell, as explored by the pen of many a talented writer, including Dante Alighieri, who was perhaps the first to vividly depict this dichotomy in his epic poem, “The Divine Comedy,” where he navigates through the depths of hell before ascending to the heavenly spheres. But let’s not forget that in the realm of everyday life, that fine line can sometimes be as thin as a tightrope walker’s wire – one misstep, and you might find yourself spending four thousand dollars that you never knew you had.

It’s been some time and these are the best photos I could find from that particular epoch:

The above speakers are the Merlin Music Systems VSM-Mxe with Master BAM, and the standmount TSM Black Magic Edition that I acquired some years later.

I was quite fortunate at the time of owning the VSMs to be renting a fairly large home in Sturgeon Bay WI, a home that just happened to have a large basement room that had been sound-treated by the homeowner for use by a band! A raised platform had been installed with sound-absorbent materials and the whole room was essentially an excellent environment for a sound system.

Below is a rather rough video that I took with my phone, to give you a better idea of the listening room.

You can see in the above video that I had several subs in the room, two lay dormant while the front pair provided a solid foundation and helped pressurize the large room (45′ long and 18′ wide). To the left is an Aerial Acoustics SW-12 and to the right, a Dayton Audio Model Godknowswhat that the unfortunate original owner assembled from a kit. [Equipment in use in the system in the video includes Krell HRC preamp, Jadis JA30 monoblocks, Krell FPB 700 power amp, McCormick Universal Disc player, Aerial Acoustics SW-12 sub, Dayton Audio Sub.]

This was a really nice-sounding room! Probably the best I’ve occupied in all my years in the hobby. The soundstage width and depth were pretty incredible, it just goes to show what a good room acoustic can contribute – or not take away, as the case may be.

Merlin VSM Mxe Sound

I’ve read nothing but good opinions of the later versions of the VSM and I think the praise is largely justified. They do sound very good and really get themselves out of the way of the music, doing a good disappearing act when set up properly. Setting them up is a process, and it’s covered at length in the owner’s manual. There is also a wood wedge/tool to help with toe-in alignment- basically, any efforts placed into setting them up properly will be duly rewarded.

I found them initially to sound very musically engaging though perhaps a little on the leaner side of neutral. I used them with a few different amps, including briefly with Jadis tubes – they really benefited from a touch more flesh on the bone delivered courtesy of the Jadis amps. I’ll get more into the sound of tubes with Merlin speakers more in a moment when I talk about the TSM.

The Merlins lack very little, but you’ll need the Master BAM unit if you want to actually ‘feel’ the bass, as it pulls the lower frequency down a half octave or so and adds a touch more oomph in the nether regions. I don’t think you’ll ever get these speakers to overwhelm a room with bass, even a smaller room, they’re just not built that way. I much preferred them without the Bass Augmentation Module (BAM), as I felt it wasn’t entirely transparent, so I slightly preferred the hassle of trying to integrate a subwoofer with the Merlins, which is easier to do with the TSM than the floorstanding VSM.

I believe my speakers retailed for around $12K-$13K factory direct when they were last sold around 20 years ago. I see these turn up every couple of months or so, not generally the Mxe model, but often some of the slightly older iterations. They seem to fetch between $2k and $3K and my thought is that anything up to $3,500 for a upper-spec version is a bargain.

Let’s Skip On To The TSM MMM BME

I bought my first pair of the smaller stand-mounted TSM ‘Black Magic Edition’ (BME) about 6 years ago when I was running a pair of Tyler Acoustics D20 speakers in the main system. The Tyler’s were big speakers and I could never get them to fully disappear, so I was itching for something less imposing and more transparent.

I believe I paid around $2000 for the TSM MMM BME. I’ve never bought a used pair of speakers that so closely resembled something that was brand new –  they were a literal time capsule, in mint condition with all of the accessories, and the Master series RC Networks with Cardas wiring and no lead.

Placed atop my #100+ per side Target R3 stands they worked very well in an 18’x18’x9.5′ room, but as with the bigger VSMs, responded well to a pair of Aerial SW-12 subs.

The TSMs are another speaker that can offer a transparent window into the music, just like their bigger brother, sounding similar in some ways to the Quad 57s I picked up during my time with the Merlins. (Just to have another flavor on hand:

Quad ESL 57 speakers, and Max.

Highs with the TSM MMM BME are nice and extended and airy, mids are true to the source without any added chestiness or midrange artifact, and bass is present – but not very extended.

Here’s a few pics to savor – click the image to expand:

The photos above are a little misleading as there are two different pairs of TSM BME shown. The first pair I foolishly sold without ever getting to try them with the designer’s amp of choice, the Ars Sonum Filarmonia.

Ars Sonum Filarmonia Integrated Tube Amp

I was sans Merlin when the Ars Sonum Filarmonia hit my radar but I bought the amp anyway. Those familiar with the Merlin speaker brand will know that the owner/designer Bobby Palkovic (RIP) was particularly fond of running his speakers with Ars Sonum amps, claiming a special synergy existed in the pairing.

I’d been aware of this whilst owning my Merlins but an opportunity to acquire an Ars Sonum amp had never presented itself. So when a local fellow with whom I’d transacted previously popped up with a nicely presented Ars Sonum Filarmonia for sale, I decided I had to have it.

Ars Sonum Filarmonia Integrated Tube Amp

The Filarmonia is indeed a cute little bugger, reminiscent of a baby Jadis with its gold and chrome livery and quad of EL34 tubes. (Actually, the output tubes are E34L, and seem to be offered exclusively by JJ).

The Filarmonia hung around my second system for six months or more, making only an occasional appearance. I used it sparingly on a pair of Emerald Physics CS2P, and it sounded sweet. I used it sparingly on my ProAc D40R, where the modest 20 watts or so just didn’t cut it.

So I was quite excited when a fellow contacted me out of the blue offering up his nice pair of Merlin TSM BME at a sensible price. And so winding forward, I was finally able to pair up the Merlin TSM BME with the designer’s amp of choice – the Ars Sonum Filarmonia.

So after getting a few miles on the clock with the Merlin/Filarmonia combo, I can confirm the partnership is worthy of note. There’s a sweetness to the sound and a fluidity. Musical notes emerge with a certain richness and fullness that can only come from tubes. The top end is clear and unrestrained but never forward or bright. While there’s sufficient detail in the high frequency it isn’t forced on you in the way of a solid-state amp, or one of the more neutral-sounding tube amps of the current era.

The bass from the Merlin speakers, when powered by the Ars Sonum integrated amp, has a delightful touch of flubbiness. Imagine the bass as those charming love handles – not the rigid, chiseled abs you might dream of, but something far more relatable and endearing. It’s the kind of bass that wraps around you warmly, offering a cozy embrace rather than a sharp jab. This attractive flubbiness gives the low-end frequencies a comforting presence, adding a touch of human imperfection that feels wonderfully real and inviting.

While the Ars Sonum is very good with the Merlins, and I’m happy to be able to check another box, there are better amps out there to drive Merlin speakers. Enter the Audio Mirror SET45 monoblocks with the fabled Russian 6C33C power tubes.

I won’t dwell too much but I really like Vlad’s SET45 monoblocks, so much so in fact that I’m considering the idea of picking up his latest version of the amps that he sells with a healthy discount from the $20K MSRP.

The 45 watts from the Audio Mirror amps, versus the 20 or so from the Filarmonia, makes a big difference to the dynamic ability of the Merlins. I do tend to play music quite loud, so having an amp that’s cruising along well within its rated power, versus one that’s perhaps operating a little outside of its comfort zone, makes a big difference in dynamic swings and dynamic contrast.

While the Audio Mirror amps don’t have the Ars Sonum Filarmonia’s cuddliness and cuteness, they kick their Ars(e) when it comes to playing rock and roll.

Wrapping Up

As usual, I’ve prattled on long enough. And, despite lots of words, I’m sure I’ve failed to mention things that are important to some of you, at the expense of indulging myself in nostalgia. For example, I’ve run the Merlins with a LOT of different gear throughout two ownerships, and I’ve failed to mention any of it other than the amps. (Yes, I had Cardas cabling on the first pair, as recommended by Bobby P).

I suppose if you look closely at some of the photos above, and squint hard enough, you may be able to see some of the partnering equipment that’s come and gone from my system(s) during stints with the three sets of Merlins.

Regardless, the Merlins are fantastic speakers if you want to get close to the truth. They reveal nuances without ever being ruthless, presenting every detail with finesse. If critical analysis is your thing, they’ve got you covered. Pair them with a good tube amp, and they become beautifully musical in the best sense of the cliché, delivering a sound that’s both accurate and enchantingly engaging.

CAH July 2024