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Focal Mini Utopia vs Merlin MXe

Is this a fair comparision(sound quality wise ignoring price)? Looking for comments from people who owned both speakers for good length of time. I own mini utopia and Quad 989s and love them both. Trying to simplify and get full range speaker which will better both mini and quads (bass, imaging, stage depth & width, seamless in crossover transition) for 50% jazz and 50% Classical. This is new system building so open for amplifiers choice but leaning towards Transendent sound OTL. Please keep this discussion limited to these two speakers. Space limitation is making me sell my quads. Thanks.
celestial_audio
joneill
112 posts
 
Paul,

We look forward to your impressions and informed observation as well of the Master BAM & RC :-)
rleff
1,065 posts
 
Pubul57 would the older jeff roland amps(models 6,8t,9t) be a good match for the Merlins;I have a pair of model 6 monoblocks driving usher rw 723's and its just a great sound;I would think driving Merlins the sound would be even better.
pubul57
3,712 posts
 
Hi Rleff. I just don't know. And don't get me wrong, the Pass XA30.5 and Aleph J sounded extremely good with the Merlins, but I still preferred the Atma-sphere and Music Reference amps. It just maybe that I am too much of a tubeaholic to ever really be totally satisified with an SS amp - but I won't stop trying; though I think Nelson Pass is about as good as it gets in SS. My friend loves his Rowland Concentra, maybe I can get him to....
bobbyapalkovic
729 posts
 
paul, i think that you have a speaker that allows you to hear what good tube electronics sound like. your speaker also does not need the damping that ss amps provide in the bass. they prefer the dimensionality and density in the mid range of a good tube system. yours is not the only speaker like it. so there are many individuals that like ss but prefer tubes and visa versa. i think clearly it is a matter of what you have at home and what interfaces best with it. and to a lesser degree, what is the best you have heard in your system. in this regards you are way more fortunate than most.
best, b
tzh21y
1,654 posts
 
The ARC 100.2 sounds good with my TSM's. It is a great amp that can be found on the gon used for between 1500 and 1700. Years ago I had Pass ALeph and the 100.2 was more to my liking.
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