Merlin speaker /Amplifier combinations?

I like Blue Circle amps myself. My BC2 Merlin combo is killer good for me! I actually prefer this combo to a Atmasphere/Merlin combo I was originally looking towards(mark2 60watt OTL).

There are a pair of BC 2.1's here on Agon for a song! Real sweet amps! that the latest BC206 is trying to compete against. If this is in your range, I would jump with both feet. The 6sn7 driver vs. the 6922 driver tube used in Blue Circle's current amps is a large part of that, in addition to the parts used, the wood bodies, hours of point to point wiring..... I love my amps! Absolutely HUGE soundstage, PRaT,.. you can tune the presentation by driver tubes very easy with the 6sn7 also - you want a big stage, but recessed in presentation used Brimar cv1988. More upfront and "ALIVE" use Sylvania 6sn7W. More bass, Kenrad; very well balanced of all the above - Tungsol. I have "W"'s in at the moment. "its alive......"

But I am vinyl listener mostly. With Merlins, because they are what you feed them and how you setup your system, everything counts. But you are right, if you get that amp/speaker interface/marriage right, boy it makes eveything else just fall into place (or like walls, just disappear).

Monk is correct. Even the newer BC amp that is a hybrid with 120 wpc stereo amp is very nice. You can get some nice Amperex 6DJ8 Bugle Boys for cheap and have a great sound if you don't want to go with the older models. You can also get a old Counterpoint SA-220 and have it modified with the 6SN7/VT-231 tubes that has 220 wpc. Also the Rogue 120 mono blocks are good starter amps.

Happy Listening.

I used a McIntosh MC275 and passing it through my McIntosh MX135, and it sounds great. If you want more power, then go MC402 and a LLamm LL2 Deluxe pre. Just my opinion. Good luck. Tim

The Counterpoint stuff is a winner on all levels.Have not heard anything else yet,Bob

Do a search on Audio Asylum. Tons of specific information there.
I currently use either the Joule Electra VAMP Integrated (valve pre, MOS-FET amp) or the Belles 150A Hot Rod amp with a Joule Electra LA 100 MKIII pre with great success.
Have fun!

Bluebull, there was a thread on this topic here recently if you missed it, with Bobby P. offering his thoughts:
http://forum.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/fr.pl?cspkr&1096195545
.

Rushton
Thanks for the info on the thread.
It does however not really answer my question as the Thread is full of very insightfull advice regarding Berning,Atma-Sphere and of course Joule.All valve/tube amps.
I'm more interested in recommodations regarding Hybrid or solid state amps to use with the Merlin VSM's.I've had three Hybrid amps .Valve Audio 802,Valve Audio Predator and my current amp the Pathos Logos.(As a matter of interest Valve Audio made by Schalk Havenga of Pretoria ,South Africa .)I am also refering to the VSM-MM as I bought these on the advice of Mr Palkovic,who suggested them in favour of the MX,if used with Solid State output amps.I also had Proceed PRE and HPA2 combo at one stage ,but no comment on that!
Thanks
Blueish Torro

PS:Thanks to all of you who have responded on all my Threads,it has been very educational .

Woops, sorry to be off topic.

I believe SIM SS amps are recommended with Merlins.

Regards,

The standard solid state recommendations (from Bobby and Rich) are the Belles 150A Reference and the Simaudio W-5. I use the Belles with my VSM-MMs, and I continue to be amazed by the music (and the amount and quality of bass) as it flows through this system.

i just picked up my VSM-MM upgrade . unreal is all i can say. & to top it all off .....im using the first amp i ever bought (maybe 15 years ago) a $350 B&K st 140.. the sound is superb. the upgrade is WELL worth it. the speakers arent even broken in yet. the sound is HUGE & the bass is nice & deep. soundstage improved & the space between the instruments also.

I highly recommend Belles series of solid state amps w/ my merlins...very nice.

Jason

mr belles is cryogenicly treating his new amps and i hear they are even better than before.
one thing though, the speakers are now more neutral. that being said, they will interface with a wider range of equipment and play a much more diverse cross-section of your music.
the speakers exhibit a complete quality with even better tonal balance. there is not even the slightest hint of brightness or grain in the presentaion allowing them to be interfaced with more ss, hybrids or tube electronics than you would ever think possible.
regards,
b

Bobby
Please explain"Cryogenicly treated" amps.
Thanks
Blue Bull

this means that the amps have been cold tempered using liquid nitrogen to take the circuit boards etc., down (very slowly) to 300 degrees below zero f and bring them back to room temperature. done correctly, this procedure takes a number of days. cryogenics puts tremendous pressure on the molecular structure of these parts and realigns them in a more optimal fashion.
i use the same technique in my designs to greatly improve the the performance of the crossover networks.
the difference in sound is quite remarkable in most applications.
b