[rbwalt]

HI if anyone in the northern VA area would like to hear the Music Reference RM9SE with the Merlin Music VSM MXE loud speakers i would be more than happy to set up a audition. the SE mates up very well with the Merlins! I am in the Potomac Falls, Sterling area.

thanks.

rob Walters.

[hartwerger]

Wow.  That is an incredibly generous offer.  I live in Baltimore and if I could find some time one weekend, I'd love to come and hear your setup.  I have a pair of Merlin VSM-M.  I have the upgraded Bam, but still would like to hear the lead free version of the VSM that you have.  Ironically, I use a Music Reference RM-10 to power my Merlins and lately have been thinking of moving up to the RM-9.  Of course I don't think I'd be able to afford the SE version of the RM-9, but still love to hear it.  Might also give me a sense of whether the RM-9 is really the direction I want to go as I love the RM-10 so much.  Anyway, if you'd like to PM me, we could exchange email addresses and see if I can coordinate a visit sometime down the road.  Thanks so much.

By the way, you're (or anyone) more than  welcome to come and hear my system as well, though mine is not nearly as SOTA as it sounds like yours is, but you're still welcome. 

[rbwalt]

Hi hartwerger. glad to hear you have some Merlin's and a music reference amp. the lead free Merlin's and super bam are just incredible. you have to hear them!! i worked for bobby at Merlin for 10 yrs. left there in 96. i had a very early pair of VSM's. this past summer i had my Mx's upgraded to the MXE's and just got my new super bam in November.

your Rm10 is a great little amp. i had a RM9 MK2 for 10 yrs and it served me well. roger makes some great stuff and he is always enjoyable to talk to. do not know if you know this but the SE was a limited run amp. think he only made 18 of them. i know he has a few left but they are not cheap.

yes you may come and listen to the Merlin's . weekends are good for me. here is my e-mail address: rbwalt@verizon.net. i am easy to get to. i am 6 miles from reston.

rob Walters.

[Roger A. Modjeski]

Rob,

Thanks for your generous offer allowing others to hear one of the few SE amps made. The amp is not advertised and is generally known. We made 19 and I am keeping one for myself.

Just sold another one to a gentleman in New York. He sold his $18,000, 160 pound monster tube amp and is delighted with the RM-9 SE. He wrote me a lovely note saying: "Roger, you are a genius (blush).I have listened to more music in the last 2 weeks than I have in the past 2 years".

I have added to the RM-9 MKII all the features I have found useful over the past 20 years since I designed the original RM-9 in 1984. The SE has all the features of the RM-9 MKII plus the following

• All hand wired with MusicMeter teflon wire.
• 3 tube/channel driver combining the final tube G1 driver of the RM-200 with a modified RM-9 front end.
• 12 top mounted test points allow every tube to be tested (in situ) while the amp is on making a quick and simple process to find a bad tube or a tube that is a bit off
• Top mounted bias and balance controls for the output tubes. The balance of the output tubes can be done by a simple null measurement between jacks designated for the purpose.

These are available for $8,000 in oak frames with either silver or black top plate. Rosewood or piano black lacquer are available for $350 additional.