GMA Callisto VS. Merlin TSM

I am a Callisto owner, and a big fan of the speaker. However, I am contributing this thread not to compare the two and pick a "winner", but to point out that when comparing two (or more) well designed components of reasonably similar quality, there really can't be a clear winner, as it ALWAYS boils down to system synergy.

So, for example, I recently auditioned four different, well-regarded CD players (RA Opus 21, AR CD3, AA Prima MkII, and EMC-1UP) in my system. I ended up preferring (and keeping) the EMC-1, but it would be silly of me to claim that it is superior to the others, as it had only "won" in my system. I'm quite certain that if I listened to the same four players in other systems, my order of preference would change repeatedly.

I'm not suggesting that it isn't fun, or even useful to compare the qualities of individual components, but picking winners can do a disservice to those who are either new to high-end audio, or don't recognize the importance of auditioning a component in their own system before making a judgement.

Tony C.

I understand it is very subjective and that is why my question specifies "FOR YOU". That means it is subjective to your system and preferences. The winner will not mean it is absolutely superior.

I won neither but have heard both at CES- The Callistos in 2005 and the Merlins in 2006. Both are winners. I'd go with the Merlins myself. IMMV.

in a nearfield setting, the merlin mm....otherwise its a toss up

Thanks for the inputs!
I wanted to know if they are categorized as same kind in ways of presentation or not.