Martin Logan Aeon i vs Merlin Music VSE vs Dynaudio Contour 3.0
I need your opinions on the following three speakers - Martin Logan Aeon i, Merlin VSM Millennium and the Dynaudio Contour 3.0.. I had the opportunity to hear the Logans, but I haven't heard the Merlins or the Dynaudios. It seems the latter two dealers are far and few between. I have read several articles and reviews and the Merlin and Dynaudio get high reviews. The Logans get good reviews for their openess. I will probably be buying second hand so all three of the speakers basically fall into the same prices range. I have a Rotel Amp RMB 1095, a B&K Ref 50 Pre/pro and a Rel Stadium III Sub. I was wondering which speaker will A) sound better with my system and B) give the best realistic sound with depth, detail and good soundstage. I listen to mostly vocals, jazz and classical. No hard rock or heavy metal. I also do not want a speaker that is on the bright side that is why I am trying to pick speakers with soft dome tweeters. I will be using speakers for both music and HT so they have to perform well with both. Any help on these selections will be appreciated.
Thanks,
Pete
Wow... big discrepancy in prices...
... I mean, the baby Logan is roughly $3K, the mid-level Dyn hovers a bit over $5K and the (hopefully) magical Merlin in about $7K! Did you mean the ($3200ish) "TSM" from Merlin? ...at any rate, I have not heard that speaker. If you are looking for info on the TSM (or the VSM, for that matter) I would post a query at Audio Asylum.. I know "Jonbee" has the TSMs. By the way, he feels they (the TSMs) are intrinsically bright - but, not necessarily a bad word... they're one of his favorites. The VSM is supposedly another animal... Battery Bam is an additional grand or so.
O.K., .. you heard the MLs... what did you think? I like them for the same reasons you do... mainly, "transparency". I have a problems with the bass integration (many do not) and, at the Merlin price level, you can get a bigger, badder Logan... soundstaging will be huge, but I actually prefer the smaller MLs for bass integration.
I'm sure the new 3.0 is very fine... I have not heard that speaker yet, but really like what Dyn offers in general ...VERY good - a bit pricey with their lower-end stuff (IMO), but quality. A very good all-rounder. I would bet the 3.0 can make all the the most jaded audiophile happy.
Soft-dome? Yes, they do (IMO, again!) have some inherent advantages, but don't discount the Revel M20s (I have these). I can still get that warm, plummy feel with the detail and resolution many crave. Not the best for a delicate (like a Thiel, for eg.) presentation, but there are always trade-offs. I would also give the Reference 3A de Capo a whirl, if possible.
You must listen to everything you can, and report back!