Srajan, I've followed your unfolding Merrill review with growing excitement. All the previous reviews on their monoblocks were superlative so I was curious whether you would join them. As I see, you very much have. But unless I overlooked something, why no award? Wouldn't a super amp in the d'Agostino/Soulution vein, for just 15'000 smackers and negligible power consumption, really deserve one? Like I said, just wondering whether I overlooked something. Either way, keep it up. You seem to be on a real roll of late. Justin
I do feel like a roly poly, Justin, from the Børrensen stunners to the Merrill to the Ilumnia Vocalis to the incoming CanEver Olimpico, Berning integrated, Ansuz power loom and 15" Cube monsters. None of these are me-too products. All of them do their thing different from the norm. That makes it exiting times to sit at the writer's desk and whack away at them keys. My only reluctance about the Element 114 had to do with my inner cheapskate. I can't help think that a lot of its expense is wrapped up in that overbuilt enclosure and particularly its high finishing. A 65lb Pass Labs XA-30.8 gets $6'500 for far more heavy metal. It looks just fine without feeling overdone. To my eyes and particular with regards to the fussiness involved in keeping its dark chrome free from discoloration, the 114 errs on the glitzy bling side. It's only my inner curmudgeon at work who doesn't like the number "$15'000" and the word "just" as neigbors. If the crusty old bugger dies before I do, perhaps I'll forget my humble beginnings and feel more at ease spending bigger on surface values? Until then, consider me handicapped on this score. In their own way, those Danish speakers were just as phenomenal. But €46'000/pr? That's well above my pay grade so I plain lack the comfort level to write out awards in those leagues. Srajan
