Merlin TSM-M vs. B&W Sig. 805


Currently have the signature 805s and am happy with them but the guys in the know seem to really like the Merlins. How do they compare?? Can the Merlin's be used with home theater i.e. are they shielded? Any help on the tsm is appreciated as I have never seen or heard them.
jamesw20
Merlins need to be closer the the room boundaries for bass reinforcment(sealed speaker). But more importantly, as a former owner of the TSM-M's, and a seller of the 805's, I find the 805's a bit more refined personally.
Actually, the VSM's are much more resolved than the TSM-M's. Even more so than the 805's.
The TSM-M's are nice speakers--& look great in one of the optional finishes. They like tube electronics, & are fairly efficient. However "They don't do high SPL's", & I almost totally stopped listening to orchestral music when I had them. If you can score a used pair at a good price, it's worth checking them out. I think the N805's are probably a lot more versatile, & I'm guessing would be better at HT........btw what kind of amp/preamp/system do you have?
are you aware that there are mm and mx versions of the tsm? the m version was discontinued at the beginning of 2004.
the mm and mx have changes to the q circuit which allows the speakers to play at incredible levels without distortion or dynamic compression. the cold tempering of the networks makes these speakers sound more resolved, more dynamic, more room filling, relaxed and believable.
there have also been a number of discussions about this comparison on audioasylum so you may want to look in the archives there. audio review will offer owners comments on the mm and mx upgrades on the latest tsm and vsm pages.
good luck.
b