MBL 111F's on their way

[Still-One]

I decided to pull the trigger on the 111F's that were out on A-gon. Sent the wire transfer today and hope to have them by Monday at the latest. Could be sooner as they will move by air.

I am not expecting a significant difference from my E's. They are supposed to sound better at lower levels, have new crossovers, and improved bass. They also look better IMO. I think MBL changes just like Wilson from the WP8's to Sasha and B&W to the new Series Diamond.

Now if I can just move the 111e's.



Jim

[JFR0317]

All right, Jim! Looking forward to your impressions! Congrats!

[1KW]

I am very happy for you Jim. What did you do with your existing MBL speakers ? Are you moving them to another room or selling them ? What is the difference between the 111E you have the the 111F you are getting ?
http://www.mbl-spain.es/mediac/400_0/media/MBL111F02.jpg

[Still-One]

I am very happy for you Jim. What did you do with your existing MBL speakers ? Are you moving them to another room or selling them ? What is the difference between the 111E you have the the 111F you are getting ?
http://www.mbl-spain.es/mediac/400_0/media/MBL111F02.jpg
I am trying to sell them.

[two dot]

Congrats Jim...

Is this a big step up???

I'm sure you got a great deal.

I hope that you enjoy them for a long time. I still can't wait to hear a pair.

[Still-One]

Congrats Jim...

Is this a big step up???

I'm sure you got a great deal.

I hope that you enjoy them for a long time. I still can't wait to hear a pair.
No it is not a large step. Just an improved model.

Two years and I seem to want to change.

[Vintage Pete]

I've never heard the MBL's but would like to. Congrats Jim!

Pete

[JohnThomas]

I had a feeling you would be getting that pair on audiogon. To good of a price to pass up. I can't believe no one hasn't bought your speakers. Your selling them at a great price. No I don't want them. I'm happy with my Princes for now. I'm still searching for a cd player.

John

[Masterlu]

No it is not a large step. Just an improved model.

Two years and I seem to want to change.

Nothing to do with the visit to Florida I hope... :p

[Still-One]

Nothing to do with the visit to Florida I hope... :p
:lmao: Can't blame this one on you. I was kind of waiting for a pair of 101e's but the price on these just became too good to pass up.
Jim

[schaefer11]

Congratulations! Seems like this site has become a "waiting for my new speakers to show up site" I am loving watching all of you attempting to pull the economy up by it's bootstraps.

[m.tonetti]

Jim, tell me something about the unconventional sound type of the MBL speakers?

I heard several times these speakers and I had conflicting impressions.

http://www.massimotonetti.com/wp-content/uploads/MBL Emission.jpg

[Still-One]

Jim, tell me something about the unconventional sound type of the MBL speakers?

I heard several times these speakers and I had conflicting impressions.

http://www.massimotonetti.com/wp-content/uploads/MBL Emission.jpg
Massimo
MBL speakers may not be for everyone. I had to listen to them a few times before I understood what they offered. I would listen at the audio store and loved what I heard but when I listened to my own system I would think mine imaged better. I would go back to the shop and prefer what I heard with the MBL's. Then it dawned on me that MBL's sound like live music. There is no pin-point imagining when you are at a concert, or listening to an orchestra. You hear the natural reverberation of music reflecting off the structure. Now don't think that MBL's do not image well, they do. They present a deep and wide soundstage with instruments locked to the proper location. You just get that extra reflection in the mid's and highs that makes you feel like you are "there".

Jim

[wpines]

Jim, tell me something about the unconventional sound type of the MBL speakers?

I heard several times these speakers and I had conflicting impressions.

Planars/Dipoles, Bipolars, Omni's are speakers that generally have cult like followings. Generally and simply put, there is a heightened sense of realism due to the combination of imaging and ambience.
I now have bipoles and I don't think I'll ever be happy again with direct radiators. Because of placement requirements, these aren't for those with WAF issues.
Sonus needed to make a splash with the Fenice. They went with bipole.

[m.tonetti]

Many thanks, guys.

[Still-One]

Planars/Dipoles, Bipolars, Omni's are speakers that generally have cult like followings. Generally and simply put, there is a heightened sense of realism due to the combination of imaging and ambience.
I now have bipoles and I don't think I'll ever be happy again with direct radiators. Because of placement requirements, these aren't for those with WAF issues.
Sonus needed to make a splash with the Fenice. They went with bipole.
Well said. :thumbsup:

[mimesis]

Hi,
New to this forum and am happy to have found this thread. Also, from what I've read so far browsing throughout the site, I am happy to find that threads generally stay on topic. That being said, I fully agree with Jim as to the sonic aspects of MBL radialstraher speakers. When I first encountered the high end 17 years ago, I was mystified by the language used in the Absolute Sound (then a narrow travel guide size like Zagat). Suffice it say that I was struck by the pinpoint imaging and soundstaging of speakers. These days, however, I find that sound is diffuse, naturally sound does emanate from a singer, instrument etc. but I would say that the beam pattern is general. Also, we hear live music in space, not as captured by, for example, close, direct miking.

The added benefit of MBL speakers is that you can sit where you please, stand up, walk around ,lie down, lean back and the sound field remains stable. With previous speakers, the promise of the sweet spot was always traded for the lack of coherence outside that range, such that in general if you heard music in the house, it always felt like the stereo was on and not music playing.

As for the 111Fs, I am curious whether they have the same slightly sweet sound of the 111Es. I had a pair of Es in house briefly before installing them for a friend and compared side by side with the 101Es, the 111Es were quite different in the midbass to midrange.

Bill

[jayeph]

hi guys, my buddy is looking for a high end stereo setup, he wants to know if the MBL's are still considered a hueg bang for buck or are there primer choices these days? looking at a 111F for $16k off audiogon

what do you guys think? it'll be likely ~80% music and 20% movies (2.0)

any recommendations? if MBL, stay with MBL components or get something with more power? maybe simaudio or bryston? or i'm open to suggestions, thanks

[mimesis]

MBL speakers are and remain great. With their radiation pattern, you may not need a center channel. An amp that delivers a few hundred watts into 4 Ohms is preferable. Bryston should be fine.

[Still-One]

hi guys, my buddy is looking for a high end stereo setup, he wants to know if the MBL's are still considered a hueg bang for buck or are there primer choices these days? looking at a 111F for $16k off audiogon

what do you guys think? it'll be likely ~80% music and 20% movies (2.0)

any recommendations? if MBL, stay with MBL components or get something with more power? maybe simaudio or bryston? or i'm open to suggestions, thanks
Good question. Yes, currently MBL gear is a great band for the buck. I guess we can thank the old and new NA distributers for trashing the market by dumping gear on Audigon.

I would not purchase MBL "new' at this time for the following reasons. 1) The current amps and pre have been out for several years and I wonder if the company will be coming out with newer product now that the original owner Mr. MBL himself is no longer with the company. 2) As noted above with so much high priced product dumped at numbers way off the current list prices.

Yes, the speakers work great with MBL gear but they also sound sound with other higher powered or high current gear.

Jim

[jayeph]

thanks for the replies, he's really liking the 111F for ~$16k

Jim, looks like you're using mcintosh components with your 111F, how do you like it? what else have you tried? how far from the wall does the 111F need to be? looks like they're pretty close in your setup (3-4ft?)

basically, aesthetics is a huge factor to him, so mcintosh would be an ideal candidate for components, would the MC501's work or ..? any suggestions for a cd/dvd transport or pre/pro would be great too, thanks again

[Still-One]

thanks for the replies, he's really liking the 111F for ~$16k

Jim, looks like you're using mcintosh components with your 111F, how do you like it? what else have you tried? how far from the wall does the 111F need to be? looks like they're pretty close in your setup (3-4ft?)

basically, aesthetics is a huge factor to him, so mcintosh would be an ideal candidate for components, would the MC501's work or ..? any suggestions for a cd/dvd transport or pre/pro would be great too, thanks again
I have to put them on the long wall in my room so the top of the tweeter is 47" from the back wall and 54" from the side wall. (This is the ratio suggested by MBL in the manual) The speaker tweeters are 8' apart. As they also suggest I have diffusers (trees) between the speakers and the corners.

Before I purchased the 1.2K's I was using 501's on my last speakers (111e's). They worked very well but the 1.2k's work better.

Jim

[jayeph]

any suggestions for a good dealer of second-hand mcintosh electronics? or would my best bet be piecing it together from audiogon?

[Still-One]

any suggestions for a good dealer of second-hand mcintosh electronics? or would my best bet be piecing it together from audiogon?
Just to let you know there is a Buy/Sell Forum here on AA for Subscribers. You will often find great pricing on Mac gear along with other quality products. It is well worth the annual fee. I would also contact MasterLu if you have a specific item you are looking for, he can often guide you to the right source.

jim

[jayeph]

i'll look into that thanks, do you have any bigger pictures of your system? i'd like to show my friend, since that's essentially the same system he'll be getting

[Still-One]

i'll look into that thanks, do you have any bigger pictures of your system? i'd like to show my friend, since that's essentially the same system he'll be getting
Here is one.