dcemsmedic,
My favorite bows are Bowman, Merlin, PSE Mach series and Red Man.
I own all of the above bows.
Merlin is my favorite because...
They, imo, have the overall combination of best craftsmanship, looks, and feel.
Their risers are polished prior to annodizing and the results is the best finish in the industry.
Their limb pockets are awesome with the best tolerances going.
Merlin's limb pockets are easily superior to any other bow.
They are double locking, full capture, and beautifully constructed.
Their Profusion carbon limbs are also among the two best limbs in the world. They recover very quickly and pull smoothly.
Their cams, axles, and bushings, are better than most other manufacturers also.
Merlin is currently working on new cams that are superior to their current ones and a new Max 3000 bow.
If you were to put all the compound bows on the market side by side...
I predict, most guys would stop in their tracks when they saw the Merlin bows.
The Merlin grip is more comfortable than most any other also.
No removing the grip to shoot off the riser with Merlin.
Even the Mathews die hard shooters who see my Merlin bows admit how stunning they are.
The last time I shot my Merlin Super Nova at the indoor range, all the Mathews guys said my bow was the most beautiful and best feeling bow they had ever seen.
They called my bow the "Cadillac" when they saw it.
The Sherwood Forest camo finish for the Merlin hunting bows is outstanding. The best!
The Bowman bow is the only bow that matches the craftsmanship of Merlin.
But it has a extended swivel grip that isn't the best for hunting purposes. But it can be used for hunting and works fine if that's what you want it for.
It is mostly known as a competition bow for Field shooting.
It's expensive also at close to $1,000.00
The PSE Mach bows are nice too but cost more than Merlin and aren't as well made imo.
PSE has the second best limb pockets to Merlin.
The Bowtech bows are the way to go if you want the very fastest on the market. They are well made and rugged but don't have the craftsmanship of Merlin either.
Wouldn't mind having a Bowtech G 3.2 bow for hunting. They are a nice bow.
I believe, the new Mathews 2003 bows are pretty nice too.
They have finally addressed their sloppy limb pockets. The new one's appear to be much better.
Wouldn't mind owning a new Conquest 3 also for the heck of it.
But get the bow that appeals to you and the one you want.
As far as feel and shootability...
I have never seen 10% difference between one bow's shootability and feel from one to the next.
If you're mainly interested in a hunting bow, go with a Mathews.
No bow I have ever heard is as quiet overall as a Mathews.
You can quiet all bows down to acceptable levels but you will have a hard time getting one as quiet as a Mathews. Those harmonic dampeners work like a charm.
Some say the Alpine bows are the quietest but I can't abide a bow that ugly, lol.
Sag.
http://www.merlin-bows.co.uk