#11
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Believe, keep dreaming and reaching for it and it will happen in one form or another.
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#12
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Second system: the Noble Line with the 101E Mk2 speakers.
2 mono blocks, each producing 560W, a pre, and a CD/DAC, the last one not the newest from the Noble Line, but one from the previous Reference Line. We even listened to vinyl (Diana Krall, help!). Those mono blocks are surprisingly small. These components: 12-13K each.
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Stereo: Hegel H590, Grimm Audio MU1, Mola Mola Tambaqui, Burmester 948 - V3 & V6 racks, Vivid Audio G2 Giyas, REL Carbon Special (pair), Silent Angel Bonn N8 Ethernet Switch & Forester F1, Wireworld Platinum Eclipse IC and SE SC, Furutech Digiflux AV: Hegel C-53, Marantz AV8802A, Oppo BDP-203EU, Pioneer Kuro 60", Vivid Audio C1 & V1w's, Wireworld Platinum Eclipse, SE & E Second system (veranda): Halgorythme preamp and monoblocks, Burmester 061, Avalon Avatar, Sharkwire & Wireworld cables |
#13
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This system was truly fantastic.
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Stereo: Hegel H590, Grimm Audio MU1, Mola Mola Tambaqui, Burmester 948 - V3 & V6 racks, Vivid Audio G2 Giyas, REL Carbon Special (pair), Silent Angel Bonn N8 Ethernet Switch & Forester F1, Wireworld Platinum Eclipse IC and SE SC, Furutech Digiflux AV: Hegel C-53, Marantz AV8802A, Oppo BDP-203EU, Pioneer Kuro 60", Vivid Audio C1 & V1w's, Wireworld Platinum Eclipse, SE & E Second system (veranda): Halgorythme preamp and monoblocks, Burmester 061, Avalon Avatar, Sharkwire & Wireworld cables |
#14
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The 101E Mk2 is of course also a 4-way speaker, like its smaller brother, but here, the upper bass is also transduced through the unique MBL Radialstrahler.
The sub 105 Hz bass comes from a 12" woofer. Jacques and I both found that the integration of the bass was close to perfection here. We had the impression this speaker can handle almost everything, from the lowest octaves (if I recall well, it goes down to 24 Hz) to the most delicate high notes. And any genre, from acoustic small ensembles to orchestras, from pop to jazz. Heavy beats, a rich soprano voice, string harmonics, you name it, the 101E delivers it. The clarity, the in-the-room-presence of the musicians is second to none. The imaging of certain cone speakers might be a bit more precise, but as Jacques wrote, how does it sound in a concert hall? Precise, pinpointed? Or with (minor) reflections from all sides? There is something magical about these shiny drivers...
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Stereo: Hegel H590, Grimm Audio MU1, Mola Mola Tambaqui, Burmester 948 - V3 & V6 racks, Vivid Audio G2 Giyas, REL Carbon Special (pair), Silent Angel Bonn N8 Ethernet Switch & Forester F1, Wireworld Platinum Eclipse IC and SE SC, Furutech Digiflux AV: Hegel C-53, Marantz AV8802A, Oppo BDP-203EU, Pioneer Kuro 60", Vivid Audio C1 & V1w's, Wireworld Platinum Eclipse, SE & E Second system (veranda): Halgorythme preamp and monoblocks, Burmester 061, Avalon Avatar, Sharkwire & Wireworld cables |
#15
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You guys are making me miss my 111F's.
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#16
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This room was even more crowded than the one with the Corona Line.
As my audio buddy stated: this can be your last speaker. You install it, and don't look back. You just enjoy the music. No angst about upgrades. This model is 7 years old, and no sign of a Mk3. Why should they bother? It is very good as it is, it is excellent. For me, it comes into my top 5 of speakers that I could afford.
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Stereo: Hegel H590, Grimm Audio MU1, Mola Mola Tambaqui, Burmester 948 - V3 & V6 racks, Vivid Audio G2 Giyas, REL Carbon Special (pair), Silent Angel Bonn N8 Ethernet Switch & Forester F1, Wireworld Platinum Eclipse IC and SE SC, Furutech Digiflux AV: Hegel C-53, Marantz AV8802A, Oppo BDP-203EU, Pioneer Kuro 60", Vivid Audio C1 & V1w's, Wireworld Platinum Eclipse, SE & E Second system (veranda): Halgorythme preamp and monoblocks, Burmester 061, Avalon Avatar, Sharkwire & Wireworld cables |
#17
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Of course, 57,000€ is not a small amount, and in this price category it plays with the big boys, like the Vivid Audio G1Giya (45K here), the YG Hailey (62K), the Magico S5, Wilson Audio Sasha II (or Alexia in the US).
Or the SF Il Cremonese. I'm sure each of these speakers will beat the 101E in some areas, but to beat it overall will be very tough. I'll finish this room with some examples of Meta's creativity. She has a special photographical eye for high end gear. I'm happy to have a wife who also likes high end gear. It even gets abstract here:
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Stereo: Hegel H590, Grimm Audio MU1, Mola Mola Tambaqui, Burmester 948 - V3 & V6 racks, Vivid Audio G2 Giyas, REL Carbon Special (pair), Silent Angel Bonn N8 Ethernet Switch & Forester F1, Wireworld Platinum Eclipse IC and SE SC, Furutech Digiflux AV: Hegel C-53, Marantz AV8802A, Oppo BDP-203EU, Pioneer Kuro 60", Vivid Audio C1 & V1w's, Wireworld Platinum Eclipse, SE & E Second system (veranda): Halgorythme preamp and monoblocks, Burmester 061, Avalon Avatar, Sharkwire & Wireworld cables |
#18
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Stereo: Hegel H590, Grimm Audio MU1, Mola Mola Tambaqui, Burmester 948 - V3 & V6 racks, Vivid Audio G2 Giyas, REL Carbon Special (pair), Silent Angel Bonn N8 Ethernet Switch & Forester F1, Wireworld Platinum Eclipse IC and SE SC, Furutech Digiflux AV: Hegel C-53, Marantz AV8802A, Oppo BDP-203EU, Pioneer Kuro 60", Vivid Audio C1 & V1w's, Wireworld Platinum Eclipse, SE & E Second system (veranda): Halgorythme preamp and monoblocks, Burmester 061, Avalon Avatar, Sharkwire & Wireworld cables |
#19
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And the best is yet to come ....
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#20
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A sneak preview of the last room, with the 101 X-Treme, driven by Reference components: 4 massive mono blocks, a pre, a CD drive and a DAC.
I'll post about this room tomorrow. I was impressed. Hugely!
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Stereo: Hegel H590, Grimm Audio MU1, Mola Mola Tambaqui, Burmester 948 - V3 & V6 racks, Vivid Audio G2 Giyas, REL Carbon Special (pair), Silent Angel Bonn N8 Ethernet Switch & Forester F1, Wireworld Platinum Eclipse IC and SE SC, Furutech Digiflux AV: Hegel C-53, Marantz AV8802A, Oppo BDP-203EU, Pioneer Kuro 60", Vivid Audio C1 & V1w's, Wireworld Platinum Eclipse, SE & E Second system (veranda): Halgorythme preamp and monoblocks, Burmester 061, Avalon Avatar, Sharkwire & Wireworld cables |
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