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 oldMDT 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 impedancecorrect "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 lowlead, copper/tin combination. Lastly, the cabinet is now made of a new kind of MDF, a material thatuses 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 withEuropean 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 aboveare 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 seamlessfrom top to bottom. More so than with my original TSM, the mme is critical of speaker placement. Notso 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 thetoe-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'spretty crazy actually. Depth and dimension become much more present, just short of becomingexaggerated. Don't tell Bobby, but at first I thought the soundstage was too wide, too dimensional andtoo 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 ofthe 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, theless dense they are.

So, when I first heard the panoramic soundfield thrown by the mme, I just knew that the images hadto lack density. Bobby, you surprised me. Not only did the soundstage have a real tactile quality aboutit, 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 thespeakers 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 felloff 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 anequally 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, andthe "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 bedone, 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 thesame 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 muchalike. 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, thoughI wouldn't say it was all that difficult with my old TSMs. Bass is about the same with both, though Iwould 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. Consideringthat 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 standardrock 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

Way 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 LoudspeakersPrice: $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

m e r l i n m u s i c s y s t e m s

T S M - M M l o u d s p e a k e r s

a s r e v i e w e d b y G a r y B e a r d

LOUDSPEAKERS Merlin TSM-M monitors on 24" Osiris stands with an REL Strata III subwoofer.

ELECTRONICS First Sound Presence Deluxe Mark II preamplifier with Amperex 7308 PQ tubes, George Wright WPP100C phono-preamplifier with Amperex 6ER5, and RCA 12AU7 tubes. David Berning ZH270 amplifier with Brimar 12AT7 black plate, GE 5 Star 12AV7, and cryo'ed Sylvania 6JN6 power tubes.

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 themselves either sonically or visually (unless you are fortunate enough to have one of the premium finishes), but do their job at the highest level and look handsome doing it.

Of course, the TSMs have a sound of their own. It is not a "listen to me" sound, but one focused on reproducing the musical signals they are fed. I like components that don’t impose too much of their own character onto the music. I like a natural sound, in which timbre and tonality are as correct as possible, but with just enough warmth to make a jazz quartet sound cozy. I want some "jump factor" too, as my musical tastes include serious rock and roll. I also like detail, resolution, and high frequency extension, but not so much that musical coherence is lost, or that hot recordings make the tweeters sound like mutant air horns. The Merlins give me all of this and more, including subtle tonality, solid soundstaging, and incredible imaging. I love great bass too, and while the TSMs are no slouches in this respect, Merlin obviously decided to do the best 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 Cary 303/200, Marantz CC-65-SE, Sony DVP-7700, and a Technics SL1600 Direct Drive Turntable.

CABLES Cardas Neutral Reference bi-wire speaker cables, Acoustic Zen Matrix Reference, Kimber Silver Streak, Kimber and Hero, MIT 3 interconnects. Acoustic Zen MC2 digital cable. Shunyata Sidewinder and homebrew Belden/Hubbell/Marinco powercords.

ACCESSORIES Richard Gray Power Station 400 power conditioner, Final Labs Daruma 3II isolation, Vibrapods, DIY "Flexy" equipment rack, DIY points, ceramic cable supports, and various isolation tweaks.

dB at 35 Hz). While I could easily have lived with the bass that the TSMs dealt me, I added a REL Strata III subwoofer that integrates nicely into my room. I think the Merlins and the REL are a match made in audio heaven.

A little history

Bobby Palkovic, the sorcerer responsible for the Merlin magic, and cabinet builder/designer Bill Hooper, developed a successful audio business by putting all of their design efforts into two basic product lines—the TSM series mini-monitors, and the flagship VSM floorstanders—that have been undergoing constant refinement since their inception. The TSM-SE was introduced in 1996, and Merlin’s passion for improving its designs can be seen in the TSM-M Millennium series, which debuted in 2000.

While it has been some time since I listened to a pair of TSM-SEs, I remember 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 uncanny imaging were simply astonishing to me. When the Millennium versions became available, it wasn’t long before they were sitting on my fine 24-inch Osiris speaker stands. (Osiris is sadly now out of business, but I believe new pairs can still be had.) I still recall my jaw dropping to the floor when I first heard them. The differences might not have seemed that great to some people, but to me they were substantial. The redesigned Ms, while they never wavered from the natural sonic flavor of the original TSMs, had a more 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] demonstratedtransient and microdynamic performance on a par withanything in this price range. The ability to hear the tini-est delay between the percussive impact of the player’sflatpick upon the strings and the outward radiationfrom the guitar’s soundboard was fascinating.

The ATCs also accomplished something thatwas a first in my experience of speakers of this size.Before I was fully aware of their dynamic abilities, Iplayed Clark Terry’s “Moten Swing” [ReferenceRecordings 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 thetrumpet’s bell pinned my ears and plucked my eye-brows with uncompressed energy.

Interestingly, soundstage width and depth didnot seem exceptional. That is, I’ve gotten betterresults from other setups, including the Merlin TSM-SE, which is exemplary in this regard. Music cuesseemed to reach the center of the baffle on the ATCsand no further, whereas the TSM-SE allowed themusic to widen edge to edge. Music does feel as if it’sbeing directed toward you, rather than just expressingitself ethereally into the room. Also the lack of deepbass gives the speaker a cooler character. It would takean exceedingly fine subwoofer to match this speaker’sspeed and coherence.

The ATC’s low sensitivity requires a high-cur-rent, reasonably powerful amplifier. The Plinius 8150was quite satisfying. Otherwise it just won’t comealive. The same with low-level listening. Here thespeaker 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 comecheap, as the owners of Ferraris, Lamborghinis, andPorsches will tell you. For some, though, exactingthat last ounce of performance from any device bringsever-diminishing returns. But just as I don’t measurean automobile in cubic inches, I don’t count the num-ber of drivers when I’m considering a loudspeaker. Ifire 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 bargainthey appear to be. But I’ll warn you now. You’re notgoing to want to return them. Take it from someonewho isn’t returning his.

NEIL GADER

Manufacturer’s Response. . .In the review, Gader refers to the front baffle of the SCM20SL, when exposed: “extruding far forward of the rest of thecabinet in an almost contemptuous disregard for competingdesigns that flush-mount, round, and radius every edge thatmight reflect and uninvited frequency.” In fact, the drive unitsare flush-mounted, into the baffle, and this speaker, as with allATC models, is designed to be used with the grill, whichincludes 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 dynamicrange when driven by a suitable amplifier. We try to produce thebest loudspeakers in the world, not by breaking new ground, butby the application of better engineering to established principles.The prize for any ATC owner is the music, not the equipment…

Billy WoodmanPresident, 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, youwould have to care far more for the musically peripheralepiphenomenon of soundstage than for the sound of music itselfto prefer the lightly balanced, treble-emphasized Merlinminiature 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 soundis light for orchestral music, and one would want a subwoofer.But the ATCs’ midrange is so clean and detailed, and the topso smooth and extended without being etched, and the transi-tion between the drivers so superbly done that they offer a greatdeal even at their substantial price. As NAG says, they letyou know a lot about how recordings are made, though not byburning your ears with excessive and irregular highs. Promonitors the ATCs surely are in their dynamic capability,but their balance is definitely domestically compatible.Combining these speakers with a subwoofer would produce asystem competitive with better speakers in the $6,000 pricerange (which the combo would run). I did not really haveenough experience with them to offer a comparison with otherspeakers of low coloration and low distortion with which I amfamiliar, say, the Gradient Revolutions (same price range,more bass) or my own Harbeth Monitor 40s (much moreextended 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 andsome considerable affection.

THE SOUND • 85

Merlin Music Systems TSM-SE Loudspeaker

This is a serious loudspeaker. One chat with itsaffable chief designer Bobby Palkovic will tell

you that. Unlike an haute cuisine chef who wouldrather fall on his boning knife than part with hissecret recipes, Palkovic, with 23 years of experiencein the field, happily provides full disclosure about

virtually every ingredient in the complex stew thatis his loudspeaker design. While the crossover is asecond-order design, he explains, both drivers arewired in phase. Hovland aluminum foil andpolypropylene capacitors are used, as are Caddockfilm resistors (that is, High End, expensive parts).

Cardas wiring is usedthroughout and MusicPost Bi-wire terminalsadd a classy, professionaltouch.1 The grill clothhas a rather deep frameand is clearly intended –with Merlin’s blessing –for removal during seri-ous listening. And by“serious” I mean that,within the limitations ofits small size, the TSM-SE is an extremely re-vealing loudspeaker. Thesound isn’t warm or darkor euphonic in character.There is no bloat at anyfrequencies. Its tonalbalance is cool and dry.Stripped bare of all butthe essentials. It’s thesignature of a speaker

that thrives on detailing orchestral nuances.The Merlin Music Systems TSM-SE is a 2-way

dynamic driver loudspeaker of air suspensiondesign.2 Enclosure construction is heavily bracedMDF with a massive one-and-a-half-inch thick frontbaffle. Internal and external resonance damping isconsiderable, including the three brass rods thatadorn the front baffle, also said by Merlin to furthercontrol cabinet resonances. Drivers are by Morel.The MW-164, this 6-inch damped pulp cone mid-bass driver uses a 3-inch voice coil, a rear-ventedmotor, and an aluminum basket. The tweeter isMorel’s MDT 30, a silk, latex-impregnated, 1-inchliquid-cooled soft dome. Like I said, serious.

Palkovic considers the TSM a mini-monitordesign. And he doesn’t use that term “monitor”lightly. An expression once reserved for professionalequipment in both audio and video domains, thesobriquet is now employed in such a fast and loosemanner it has degraded into showroom blather or iscommonly used as a pretense to erudition. Palkovicbelieves that a loudspeaker must meet certain speci-fied criteria in order to deserve the “monitor” desig-nation. Among them flat frequency response withinthe limitations of size, and their amplifier “friendli-ness,” having uniform impedance, phase, and ampli-tude characteristics. They should have near-fieldcapability, a strong suit of smaller speakers, in theo-ry if not always in practice. They should have theability to handle a broad band of dynamics and toplay loudly without distortion. Components should

86 • THE ABSOLUTE SOUND • ISSUE 117

AUDIONUT.COM

MANUFACTURER INFORMATIONMerlin Music Systems, Inc.P.O. Box 146Hemlock, New York 14466Phone: 716-367-2390Fax: 716- 367-2685 e-mail: info@merlinmusic.comWebsite: www.merlinmusic.com

SPECSFrequency Response: 55-20kHz +/- 2dB, 1 meter onaxis. 10dB down @ 35 HzSensitivity: 87 dB, 1 watt (2.83V)Crossover: 12dB per octave @2150Hz Dimensions: 8” w x 10 _” D x 16” HWeight: 26 pounds eachPrice: $2,300/pair, standard polyurethane finish.Optional clear-coat finishes in Ruby Heart, BlackSapphire, Hunter Green, Oyster White, and Black Piano,add $600Warranty: 5 years parts and labor

ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT(see ATC review)

CARDAS NEUTRAL REFERENCECABLE

I’ve always been reluctant to brave the roil-ing waters of cable reviewing. It increasesthe 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 frequentlythan perhaps it should. But because of thesynergistic possibilities presenting themselveswith the Merlin TSM-SE and their close rela-tionship with Cardas Audio, I felt that some-thing should be said. George Cardasexplained that the Neutral Reference was cre-ated as a mid-priced line that sacrifices little tohis top-rung Golden Cross. It was designed tosound the same at any length and hasextremely low inductance and resistance andno directional characteristics. The constructionis a low constant impedance that uses a com-bination of Teflon and air dielectric. In keepingwith the neutral theme, they come in a lighttaupe color.

Cardas supplied me with Golden Cross aswell as the Neutral Reference. I found theGolden Cross to be a little more forward, per-haps a bit crisper, extended, and dynamic ontop with the Merlin – a speaker that has aslightly forward upper mid- to lower trebleemphasis to begin with. The NeutralReference, on the other hand, slid the Merlininto the pocket of a more, well, neutral orien-tation in this area - a less forward, smootheryet highly resolved presentation that was

abundant in low-level detail and midrangedynamics. On the ATC SCM-20 SL loudspeak-er, I attained the sweetest string sound andmost natural soundstage perspective duringthe Chadwick “Noel” on the ReferenceRecording Sampler Volume 2 [RR-905HDCD]. And on one of my often referencedlow-level tests, Joni Mitchell’s “The CircleGame” [Hits; Reprise 9-46326-2 HDCD], thechoir was as well defined and articulate as I’veheard. Vocalists like Mitchell or Lyle Lovettsounded a little more open, as if the immedi-ate space around them suddenly expandedwith more air. These cables seem to retrievegreat detail with such a smooth, velvety touchthat it’s almost eerie. Usually a hardnesscreeps in or an etchiness in an uppermidrange frequency that subjectively height-ens sonic details. There are more glories to begleaned from these, but the units I am usinghave to be returned at the close of the MerlinTSM-SE review. Perhaps I might implore thegood 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 SEBandon, Oregon 97411Phone: 541-347-2484Fax: 541-347-2301cardas@cardas.comPrices: Neutral Reference Cable Interconnect 1.5 meters $600Speaker Cable:1.5 meters $600 with terminations; add $130 for bi-wire

1 Also supplied with each pair are a set of 4 RC networks consisting of a Caddock resistor and aHovland capacitor wired in series to bridge the speaker terminals. These act much like an amplifi-er’s Zobel network to eliminate ultra-high treble frequencies. Palkovic suggests checking with youramp manufacturer regarding the presence of a Zobel in its circuitry. Otherwise let your ears decide.

2 Merlin has been a manufacturer of loudspeakers since 1983. The company secretary andcabinetmaker is Bill Hooper, who has designed sound reinforcement systems for mixing, produc-tion, and management of live performances, and played horns and guitars in blues and rockbands. Palkovic himself consulted for recording studios, not only during recording sessions, but inconstruction of recording venues. He used to play percussion and electric bass in blues and jazzgroups.

..

also be user-replaceable in the field. He states thatthe drivers and the crossover in the TSM would takejust a few minutes to replace, given that remoteeventuality. And the speaker would have to berugged, which is why his basic finish is blackpolyurethane.

Not only is the TSM wired with Cardas,Palkovic uses Cardas throughout his reference sys-tem for evaluation purposes. While other cables per-form well with the TSM (Palkovic admits he hasn’theard them all), the speakers were fine-tuned withCardas wire in mind.3 Because Palkovic takes thissynergistic approach to optimizing his speakers (notunlike Rick Fryer of Spectral developing amplifica-tion products with MIT as a cable reference) it’s fairto report that for my tastes with this speaker I foundthe Cardas Neutral Reference a pleasant match.With a slightly laid back perspective and butterysmooth textures, this cable further expanded thealready cavern-like soundstage the TSMs wereachieving. The Golden Cross and WireworldEquinox III were slightly more forward by compari-son, perhaps a shade more dynamic. All deserve fur-ther discussion in the context of a comprehensivecable review down the road.

While the Merlin setup manual providesdetailed placement information as well as a woodenalignment tool to set a 10-degree offset angle, Ifound that there was a bit too much lower trebleenergy – between 4 and 8KHz – for my tastes in thatposition. At my inquiry, Merlin pointed out that the

tweeter was designed toprovide good overallpower response – which isthe sum of the transduc-er’s direct and reverberantbehavior – and that fur-ther angling of the TSMmight be needed for sometastes. I found an immedi-ate improvement by usinga tried and true Britishalignment technique; Icrossed the axis of the dri-vers until they were nolonger firing at my earsbut at the point just for-ward of my nose. This notonly smoothed the re-sponse but added depth tothe soundstage. It alsonarrows it slightly. Alter-natively you might toe thespeakers out enough thatthe axis crosses just be-hind your head; not asmuch depth but a verywide stage can indeed result. It’s a quandary, andwhile I understand in principle the reasons for the

THE SOUND • 87

ALPHA SOUND

3 I had no Cardas, so at Palkovic’s behest, George Cardas sent his top-flight Golden Crossand his most recent design Neutral Reference, a medium priced effort. All the cables wereconfigured for bi-wiring.

on-axis voicing of the lower treble, my preferencewould be to trade some claimed power response foroverall greater neutrality in this octave.

The character of the TSM is quick, with a neu-tral overall presentation, perhaps a smidgen lean inthe upper bass and very smooth extended treble thatseems to relish reproducing string sections. Thebottom octave is, not surpisingly, unavailable, butthere is solid reinforcement in the mid-bass butwithout any bumpily-hump shenanigans that even-tually grow wearisome. In fact the pitch and textureof bass into the 50 Hz range were captivating intheir natural unboxy presentation. When the organbursts forth during the third movement of VaughnWilliams Sinfonia Antartica [Bakels/Bournemouth;Naxos 8.550737], it brings with it the sense of airfilling the hall and a fairly weighty approximationof the seismic thunder that I witnessed with the fullMelos Pipe Dreams system at HP’s. Subjectively,the drivers and cabinet are terrifically clean and freefrom distortion. Dynamics are very, very good. Thespeaker plays larger than its size portends and pro-vides the listener with the secure impression thatthese transducers will take any signal they’re fed.

Everything about this loudspeaker seems tohave been designed with the soundstage and theimage foremost in mind. It’s that stunning whenyou fire it up for the first time. The TSMs find thewalls and boundaries of an orchestral venue like abloodhound tracking an escaped convict. The side-wall reverberations from the tympani and bass drumin Oue’s reading of Mussorgsky’s Pictures At AnExhibition [Reference Recordings, RR-906 HDCD]were thrilling, as well as instructive of the hall’ssize. So was the spacious, articulate presentation offemale voices in Rutter’s “Lux Aeterna” and theclassic “chonk, chonk” of a Gibson F-hole jazzacoustic guitar in “Moten Swing,” both from theReference Recordings Sampler Volume 2 [RR905-HDCD]. Every instrument assumes a defined posi-tion, from the outside edges of the right and leftchannels to the farthest point behind the speakers.It’s a little eerie how complete this illusion is onsome material. Even when I assumed I knew thelimits of the depth of the soundstage of certainrecordings, this effect grew slightly more defined. Ithink the reasons for this are complicated, butmicrodynamics and a no-nonsense transient attackcertainly play a pivotal role.

Did I hear dynamics? Roy Gaines I’ve Got the T-Bone Walker Blues [Producer: Joe Harley, GrooveNote; GRV-2002-2] is an explosively musical illus-tration of how the TSMs perform when they’re putthrough their paces. On “Stormy Monday,” there isa 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 theinside edge of the right channel but positioned far-ther behind the trumpet. Gaines and his electricguitar are in a pocket in the center (the guitar isslightly 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 thevibrating metal snares beneath the lower drumhead,both after being struck and rattling in sympathywith the music. I can be that specific because theTSMs are that specific!

Again, the Merlins show their mettle in thelow-level resolution department with the back-ground chorus in Joni Mitchell’s “The Circle Game”[Hits; Reprise 9-46326-2 HDCD]. When you canbegin to count the number of chorus members anddelineate the harmonic parts, you know the speak-er’s onto something. Hint: Listen for the sopranosinging above Joni. The same high level of back-ground retrieval is evident when Rickie Lee Jonesharmonizes with Lyle Lovett on “North Dakota”[Joshua Judges Ruth, MCA/Curb 10475]. A terrifichalo of ambient air is realized, courtesy of theMerlins.

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 upperbass takes a little of the full-bodied roundness offthe end of the trumpet during Roy Gaines “StormyWeather.” And some of the chestiness leavesSinatra’s voice when he sings the smoky title track“In The Wee Small Hours of the Morning” [Capitol72434-94755-2-6]. Positioning the speakers closerto the back wall provides some reinforcement inthis range, but I’m such a sucker for soundstageintegrity that I left them out the full 44 inches,and put up with the loss of that little bit of beef inthe bass.

Merlin the magician was teacher and mentor toKing Arthur at Camelot and before. Merlin knewthe future, although he was destined to live facingbackward into the past. Some say there is no magicin the world any longer. A pity, if you believe that.If your conclusions mirror mine, though, I bet theremight 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 theessence of the TSM, but there is one point I would like to dis-cuss: “a smidgen lean in the upper bass.” We believe thatalthough the increased toe-in [in Gader’s setup] relaxes thelower treble, it also softens the upper bass. Both Gader and Iagree that pulling the speakers out into the room another eightinches (a thirds placement) would have taken advantage ofincreased boundary reinforcement, since the speaker would bein 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 morefull upper bass. Further enhancement of the upper bass wouldhave been possible with tube amplification (which Gader didnot have on hand). Implementing these changes, would haveresulted in an even more natural and expansive presentation.

Bobby A. PalkovicPresident, Merlin Music System, Inc.

THE SOUND • 89