All Merlin family members.

I recently relocated several equipment racks that had been in between and 1' behind my VSM-MXs, to remote locations away from the speakers. Now the opening between the speakers is 8' wide and about 3' deep to the front wall, with only the amp on the floor. Imaging improved, the soundstage expanded vertically and horizontally, but surprising I'm not getting much greater depth than before.

In my room the Merlins are better than the Wilson W3/P2s they replaced by any measure except for depth of soundstage. The Wilsons produced great depth when placed in nearfield positions well out into the room. Merlin VSMs don't work well in the nearfield.

Next step is to treat the cleared front wall.

Dave

Bobby told me that VSMs should ideally be 7.5' or more apart and at least 9.5' from the listening position. I have tried them in other positions and conclude that in my room, pinpoint imaging is still possible and embodiment is improved when the speakers are 8' apart. My room is 16'x16'x8'H; I believe this is about the smallest room that allows you to adhere to the above guidelines, while bringing the speakers out from the front wall as needed to produce a reasonably deep soundstage. But I'm sure the VSMs sound good in smaller rooms as well.

Dave

Tab110,

Right now I have the VSMs single-wired using DIY Audio Consulting silver wire. I'm in the process of building some copper foil cables in several thicknesses to try out for biwiring.

Bobby,

Thanks for further clarifications regarding placement. I will try repositioning them once more... and report back.

Dave

Last night, without mentioning the change to my wife, I moved the VSMs together from 8' to 6.5' apart (maintaining a constant 9.5' to the listening position). As we sat on the couch reading and listening to music, she mentioned she felt "cramped and compressed." I moved the speakers apart to 7.5' and she said it felt much better. If only all such problems could be solved with an audio tweak...

In my system, moving the VSMs together to 6.5' produced a slight improvement in perceived depth (that is, of depth unchanged but perceptually increased relative to diminished width and height). There was also an increased concentration of sonic energy and excitement(like a nuclear fusion reaction floated inside a magnetic containment field). Moving the speakers to 7.5' liberated the entire front wall and produced a much more relaxed, lifelife presention. The larger presentation also revealed more inner detail and precise imaging.

All things being equal, I think a larger presentation with the speakers farther apart is always more impressive. Perhaps some factor in my electronics enables this: the silver Audio Consulting speaker wire in natural cotton sleeves, my modified BBAM running on 55AH SLA batteries with no voltage regulation stage and 5000uf capacitance, the BAT VK75SE. In any case, the improvement of moving the VSMs wider apart is greater than can be accounted for as a subjective opinion.

Dave

Possibly a tad more energy & better focus at 7.5'.

Dick,

I have a 16'x16'x 8.25'H room, with a fireplace/chimney protruding at front wall center. The speakers are about 3' out from the front of the fireplace, and there are cavities to the sides of the chimney which effectively extend the distance directly behind the speakers to 5'. I listen on a couch against the rear wall. So the distance behind the speakers is pretty good, but the listening position against the rear wall is suboptimal but necessary in order to position the VSMs the desired 9.5' from the listener.

I experimented with acoustic treatment between the speakers, and found that 80% results can be obtained by hanging a 1.5'H x 5'L band of sound absorbent material on the front wall at ear level between W & T. I used a Navajo rug covering some Cornertunes (IMO never much good when placed in the corners for which they are designed). Hanging a blanket floor-to-shoulder height added just a bit more clarity, or "contrast" as Bobby said.

Finally, on a spectrum analyzer in this room I have measured flat bass response on the VSM-MX +/-3db down to around 30hz., with audible bass all the way to 27hz. But the bass is so clean that sometimes you don't realize it's there, relative to the warm, distorted bass of some other designs.

I also have a TSM-MX used in another system as a CC speaker. It is a damned nice CC!

My apologies as well for moving off topic.

Dave