I've lucked into a real synergy between the Line Magnetic amplifier and the Merlin speakers-- I'm getting the timbral colors, spatial magic and organic flow of SET with all the PRAT I crave.
I posted in "Done for now," because I am not interested in replacing any of the components I have in place, but our attention does wander.
This integrated produces 22 watts from a pair of 845 tubes. Lots of low-end oomph, perhaps a little more than is actually there, but very tuneful and a great match for my Merlin speakers, which could be a little lean with the wrong electronics. I replaced the pretty darn good PSVANE 845's that came with the amp for Shuguang 845-Bs and prefer the sound for sure.
The LM can use a wide variety of power tetrodes and pentodes as drivers, so after a good deal of experimentation, I'd used Shuguang Treasure KT-66-Z for a long time but replaced them with GE Greyglass 6V6 drivers which tamed and focused the bass a bit once I moved from Merlin TSM monitors to the larger Merlins VSMs. I’ve also used '50s GE Greyglass, Sylvania Chrome Top and surprisingly, newly made Russian Tung Sol 6V6, which are really really good and quite reasonably priced! I sub in KT88s as drivers also, both original and Russian reissue Gold Lions. NOS WInged C EL34s were not my cup of tea at all.
Current input tubes are Telefunken Smooth Plate 12AX7, which replaced PSVANE Treasure II 12AX7-T. 5751s were not to my liking. Rectifier is a '60s Amperex-branded Mullard 5AR4.
Furutech DPS 4.1 Power Cable -- FI-50(R) Connectors
From Furutech Wall Outlet to Integrated
The Chord Company Epic X Speaker Cable
7M run
Auditorium 23 Interconnect
1M RCA connects the Merlin Super BAM to the Line Magnetic Integrated
Tellurium Q Silver Diamond
1M RCA from Brooklyn DAC to Merlin Super BAM
1M RCA from Stellar Phono to Merlin Super BAM
Merlin Music Systems VSM-MMM
With two-input Super BAM. Merlin is an EXCELLENT match to my Line Magnetic amp.
Viborg Audiophile Power Cable
5' run to power the Merlin Super BAM
Virtual Dynamics Power 3
Spare for now, but going to swap out the Viborg to see which I like better on the Merlin Super BAM
Rega RP-6 Turntable
Dynavector DV-20X2L
Low Output MC Cartridge
PS Audio Stellar
Phono Preamp
AudioQuest Tornado Source Power Cord
Power cord for the PS Audio Stellar Phono
Bluesound Vault 2 Media Server
VooDoo Cable Vision Digital (C7)
Power to the Bluesound Vault
Audience AU-24e Digital Interconnect
Between the Bluesound Media Server and the Brooklyn DAC
AudioQuest AudioQuest 0.75 m RJ/E Cinnamon 0.75 M Cat 7 Black Network Cable
