RESUME The Element 114 and Christine are both very positive and negative reactions to. You like them or you don’t. However, the build quality is very good. Special technology is located underneath the surface, whether valued or not. The result is a transparent, neutral and detailed sound regardless of the position of the volume knob. Control and grip on the speaker are of a very high level. The listener can choose to be carried away with the music or sit on the edge of his seat to look deep into the recording.

PLUS POINTS Neutral and transparent sound Let us hear all the details Listener can â ???? look deep inside the recordingâ ???? Impeccable build quality Very quiet power amplifier without hum MINUSES Appearance must appeal to you US-based Merrill Audio builds amplifiers and has a modest portfolio. The devices don’t just have a striking appearance. They are solidly built and under the hood are special design choices that set Merrill Audio’s products apart from the competition. Merrill Audio, for example, uses gallium nitride semiconductors. Does Merrill Audio’s engineering and design choices lead to good music reproduction? In our test room there are power amplifier Element 116 and preamplifier Christine. We investigate. A

Merrill Audio: â ???? AudioPurityâ ????

Merrill Audio is an audio company based in Bernardsville, USA, dedicated to the manufacture of amplifiers. Founder and chief designer Merrill Wettasinghe is the driving force behind the company. According to the description on the company’s website, Merrill Wettasinghe is technically trained, but played the piano at an early age. At the same time he was busy building electronic circuits. What is an audiophile, Merrill Wettasinghe wondered? A lover of music? Or a lover of a beautiful sound? Probably both, according to the head of Merrill Audio.

Because Merrill Wettasinghe had and has knowledge and interest in both technique and music, he says he looked at things from both angles. Musicians must have very refined motor skills. Speed ​​is the keyword. A pianist’s finger movements are the fastest movements a person can make (no, an experienced typist is not faster). According to Merrill Audio, a high-quality amplifier is also characterized by speed, speed and speed. The result is “Audio Purity”. according to Merrill Audio. We will look at that in more detail in a moment.

Merrill Audio: Amplifier Portfolio Merrill Audio’s current portfolio is relatively modest. The company offers three power amplifiers of which the Element 1774, a mono amplifier, is the largest. The Element 118, also a mono amplifier, is a bit smaller. Our test model Element 116, the only stereo amplifier, is the smallest model.

Merrill Audio offers one model preamplifier, our test model Christine. There is also the Jens Phono Stage, a phono amplifier (the Christine has no turntable input). Then there are two somewhat special preamps, the Master Trident and the Master Tape Head Preamps. These devices are intended to amplify the signal from the heads of a reel recorder or cassette deck to line level. The Tape Head Preamps are more likely to find their way into a professional environment such as a studio than a living room.

Merrill Audio also sells power cords, interlinks, and speaker cables. Incidentally, according to the company’s website, work is underway to expand the portfolio by adding an integrated amplifier, phono amplifiers and digital products.

Our test room contains stereo power amplifier Element 114 and preamplifier Christine. We will first take a closer look at both devices before saying something about the sound.