MBL 101e MK2

Boogieman said:
Congrats! Are you using MBL DAC and Pre also? I think that MBL DAC made the cover of Stereophile recently, quite a feat, I think - with so many products out there
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Thank you. I’m considering both of those. Yes, both highly reviewed. I have a client with the Noble Integrated and he loves it.


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Wow, congratulations Mike!

I remember how good they sounded at last year's AXPONA. I can only imagine how much better they sound completely dialed in in your treated room.
 
Mike said:
Not every design is a fit for every room or every listener, but they’re are all insanely good in their own right. There’s no sense bringing in a “Magico-like” speaker like Wilson, Focal, Rockport, B&W, as it just creates confusion. BBC monitors, omnipolar and horns offer a nice variety, along with SOTA cone and dome Magico. My goal is to get people to think about design for their tastes and room rather than just brands.


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Good points. Thank you Mike!
 
nicoff said:
I would be very interested in hearing your thoughts on the comparison between the MBL vs Mágico vs AG.
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Not sure if that really would be one vs. another.

They’re all iterations of really great sound, each with a slightly different overall characteristic IMHO.


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Alpinist said:
Hi Mike,

Truly amazing sound right out of the box! These are world class sounding speakers. I can only imagine how much better they will get after full break in. With the Select II DAC, MBL amps and MBL 101e Mk2 speakers, you are on top of the mountain, my friend. Enjoy the view!

Best,
Ken
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You are indeed Mike! :thumbsup:

I watched "Everest" this week. I'm sure you will fare better than Rob Hall on his last trip up that mountain.
 
Even vía YouTube the sound is pretty good Mike. Can’t wait to stop by the store for a listen.
 
Appears to be a magnificient combo. Mesmerizing midrange, would definitely be worth a trip to Suncoast if living in the US.


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Kuoppis said:
Appears to be a magnificient combo. Mesmerizing midrange, would definitely be worth a trip to Suncoast if living in the US.


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I think you live closer to Berlin, where they have their Reference system waiting for you... :exciting:
 
bart said:
I think you live closer to Berlin, where they have their Reference system waiting for you... :exciting:
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That is true, but they do not have all Mike’s other goodies [emoji3].


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Mike said:
I would need to wait for them to break in to properly assess. Hard to beat Magico bass for definition and Avantgarde bass for adjustability.


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Mike,

I totally agree with this line of thought. What sounds best will be based on your room, requirements and sonic preferences. I’ve had many speakers grace my listening room but the biggest issue was always getting the bass right. With my Vandy 7’s 11 band equalization, attenuation and “Q” adjustments, I was finally able to tune the bass in my room perfectly with a minimum of acoustic treatments. I also got a speaker that is diminutive in size and doesn’t visually dominate the room. It really is all about meeting your requirements.

Ken
 
Awesome. The MBL 101e mk2’s actually have adjustability on the back for bass, mids and high.


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I had listened so many MBL's, in shows, in homes.

When I heart their reference line cd player and transport(6-7 years ago), i was really impressed, it sounded like analog and digital at the same time. I think in today digital standarts, it sounds good.

About MBL speakers, I thought they are overrated products, untill I heart the mighty MBL 101 x-treme with 2 pair of tad m-600 mono, tad c-600, dcs vivaldi(full stack), af1 turntable(graham elite, with a techdas tti cartridge), ypsilon vps100 phono pre, 2xstromtank s5000, full ansuz dtc cable loom etc. They were extraordinary. Funny thing is, untill that day, i had listened 101's so many times but they had never impressed me that way. After that they, whenever I had listened MBL setups, some of them had given me similar impressions, not all of them, and I noticed that, I dont like them when they paired with their own electronics. IMHO they paired best with Tad and Vitus. I really like to hear whatever your experiences with mbl speakers and electronics.
 
altanpsx said:
I had listened so many MBL's, in shows, in homes.

When I heart their reference line cd player and transport(6-7 years ago), i was really impressed, it sounded like analog and digital at the same time. I think in today digital standarts, it sounds good.

About MBL speakers, I thought they are overrated products, untill I heart the mighty MBL 101 x-treme with 2 pair of tad m-600 mono, tad c-600, dcs vivaldi(full stack), af1 turntable(graham elite, with a techdas tti cartridge), ypsilon vps100 phono pre, 2xstromtank s5000, full ansuz dtc cable loom etc. They were extraordinary. Funny thing is, untill that day, i had listened 101's so many times but they had never impressed me that way. After that they, whenever I had listened MBL setups, some of them had given me similar impressions, not all of them, and I noticed that, I dont like them when they paired with their own electronics. IMHO they paired best with Tad and Vitus. I really like to hear whatever your experiences with mbl speakers and electronics.
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IMO, they sound best with MBL's own amps. Just God awful with Pass. Decent with T+A. Good with Gryphon. Great with MBL.
IMO, there is no contest between the 101e mk2 and the 111f. If you're in the market for the 111f's, sell a kidney and get the 101e mk2's instead.
IMO, there is no contest between the 101 xtremes and the 101e mk2. You'll need to sell both kidneys and a few other appendages to make that jump. But it would be sooooo worth it.
IMO, the speakers are very particular with cabling. I'm using all AudioQuest top of the line all copper cabling and it's superb. MIT was NOT a good match for the MBL's, but MIT remains the cable of choice for all Magico's in the store - by a country mile.
IMO, MSB and MBL is a great match. But then again, the MSB Select II makes everything sound great.

I have heard the 101e mk2's MANY times. Many many times. I have never heard them sound as incredible as they do in my store right now.
 
I love both of my kidneys Mike :) Lottery ticket may solve this issue...

Without a doubt MBL speakers are very very special, whatever electronics you use. Anyone looking for new speaker and have budget should listen to them.
 
A couple of weeks ago, I had the chance to listen to an MBL setup with N51+ N21 driving a pair of 101E MkII.

The room was quite big and without any acoustic treatment.

Really enjoyed their very elegant and articulate sound, although the lower frequencies seemed a bit loose.

Perhaps they would need better amplification and/ or not such a challenging room.

Having said that, I was hugely impressed with the speakers.
 
I stopped by Suncoast Audio today to visit with Mike. After a nice lunch, we listened to the MBL 101e MK2s. Mike has them setup in his large room with the MSB front end and the new MBL amps with Audioquest cables.

While the speakers and amps are still going through break-in, the system sounded quite nicely. I have heard MBLs at shows before (Axpona and RMAF) and always enjoyed their presentation and musicality. What I heard at Mike's was the best I've ever heard the 101s. The soundstage is as big as ever with effortless sound and really delicate micro details. This may not be the "cup of tea" speaker choice for everyone but, goodness, they are soooo good!

Thanks for the time Mike!
 
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