The MS21 From George Merrill and Anthony Scillia "A new standard of Reference"
George E. Merrill Interview
1 - 24 - 06 Prelude: For those of you who have followed the audio/music industry over the last 25 years, the name George Merrill is no stranger. This is a man whose passion for music refused to accept the status quo when it came to audio reproduction, especially when it came to vinyl. In the early years George’s modifications of AR turntables, literally set the audio world on its ear, as numerous iterations of these tables made it into the masses and gained peer review. When George finally had taken the AR set to the level of perfection that could not be surpassed, was he satisfied? Absolutely not, so he proceeded to design his own “Heirloom line” of tables. Many Audiophiles and musicians have the desire to better their systems; few have the drive and the knowledge to change the course of the Audio Industry and its future. My interview with George Merrill started quite unexpectedly. I received an e-mail from Anthony Scillia the day before (Anthony is the engineering genius behind the newly formed Merrill/Scillia Research Company). He wrote, "Mr. Merrill will be calling you soon to talk about the web site". Now I’ve been involved in Music most of my life, and AR turntables for at least 30 years, so when someone says George E. Merrill will be calling, we’ll its not something to be taken lightly. I was spinning some early John Michael Talbot on my newly acquired ETL-1 when the phone rang, and I was about to let it go into phone mail when I saw the Tennessee area code on the dial plate… The Call: …..Hello, this is George Merrill, how are you?
My fear of talking to this man (this Legend)
immediately disappeared as his friendly demeanor calmed my shaking hands,
and brought a semblance of order to my fleeting thought processes. Below is
my recollection of the call. I have re-ordered the chronology of the
conversation so it sounds like I know how to do interviews:
GEM: Well, I like Jazz and Classical and some
early Rock & Roll. You know I actually like a lot of different styles when
it’s done well. Music brings me close to people, people that have the same
passions as I; it’s a great hobby. I like Blues, Muddy Waters, oh you know
if I had a choice and I was stranded on a remote Island, I’d have Big Band
Swing with me, can’t be alone without Big Band Swing. I like Bach and
Tchaikovsky, Classical is so involving. Billy May, Big Band Jazz ...music is
a unique spice that brings life to every moment. GEM: Anthony and I had been communicating for several years. I could tell by our conversations, he had the passion. He is a very talented young man and he understands my passion. It was a natural for us to work together. EJW: When did M/S Research actually start? GEM: We started collaborating, and formed the business in 2005. EJW: In the late 80’s, when the LP was going by the wayside, did you ever think you would be introducing a new analog turntable in the 21st century. GEM: Actually yes, you know you can buy an average car, one that gets you to work and back, but if you drive a Ferrari people know you have a passion.... It’s not about getting from here to there, it’s about HOW you get to where you’re going. It’s the same way with music, you can hear music or you can Experience music. It’s about progressing the art form. Vinyl never went away, people just had to come to their own conclusion that there was more to music than what you can get in the digital domain. It’s about being involved in the passion. EJW: Will M/S Research introduce their new turntable in 2006? Tell me about it. GEM: Yes, we will introduce the MS-1, actually it will be nicknamed the Heirloom 21 in 2006. 21 means we will be using 21st century materials, using 21st century manufacturing technology and 21st century science to produce the best sound vinyl has to offer. EJW: This is very exciting, I have already experienced the benefits of Merrill/Scillia adaptations using separate components on stock AR tables, this sounds like next generation type stuff. GEM: Yes and you can quote this “This is the evolution of a revolution”. EJW: What will be the approximate cost of the Heirloom 21, and what are its benefits?
GEM: The Heirloom 21 will retail for around
$6,995.00. The tone-arm is not included. The turntable base and sub-chassis
will be made entirely of an exotic polymer. This polymer helps reduce
vibration, both mechanical and acoustic. I actually used this material back
in the 80’s, but it was to expensive and very hard to obtain. The prices are
now more reasonable and Anthony has the expertise to engineer this material. GEM: While acrylic was preferred in the past, new research and technologies support the use of more exotic polymers for the reduction of mechanical and acoustic vibration. Acrylic has its place, but the new polymers have a big advantage in their damping qualities. Acrylic is better than most metals, but there are manufacturing problems, and like any other homogenous material, acrylic and other materials from the same family of plastics changes shape over time and under different environmental conditions. EJW: Mr. Merrill, this has been an enjoyable conversation and I am excited about the M/S Research products. Thank you for your time. GEM: Thank you, Anthony and I look forward to moving forward in this, and we look forward to meeting and working with you and David Archambault at Vinyl Nirvana. |
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SEND TO: ericw44@aol.com |
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