Looks great! I am not surprised to hear you're loving the F1 Cary preamp. As I know, the Berning is accurate, dynamic and vice-like in controlling bass, buy nobody would accuse it of tonal richness....The Merlin's are also very precise, so in that setting the slightly warmer, more tonally fleshed out Cary sounds like a winner!
I myself have been out of audio for the past year, having sold off my Nagra tubed separates in favor of a much cheaper and simpler Rowland SS integrated, but not for long. I sold the Rowland, an I'm thinking about the upcoming Berning gear, but to get me through the wait I just ordered the Cary SLI80 'F1' from Kevin Deal. Im thinking it will involve me more than the Rowland, which sounded "nice" for a SS deal, but left me wanting....