AudioAficionado.org  

Go Back   AudioAficionado.org > AudioAficionado News > Events & Demos

Events & Demos Manufacturer & Dealer Sponsored Events

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 02-28-2018, 03:14 PM
bart's Avatar
bart bart is offline
Life is beautiful
 
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Belgium
Posts: 19,867
Default MBL 'Cost Is No Object' Show at Alpha High End, Feb 24-25, '18

Last weekend, as you have read in Jacques' fantastic thread, my wife, Spirit Crusher, Jacques and I went to the MBL show in Brasschaat, near Antwerp.

Jacques' review here: https://www.audioaficionado.org/showthread.php?t=42303

MBL has been something special in my personal audiophile history.

After intense listening to music when I was younger, I got involved in other hobbies, to the point my best system was the Harman Kardon in my BMW!
Later, some 10 years ago, I bought an entry level B&W surround set (XT-series) with a Pioneer receiver.
Half decent for movies, but soon I wanted more. Much more.
I listened to Monitor Audio, B&W 800 series, KEF Reference,...
Until, some 9 years ago, I attended my first 'Cost Is No Object Show' in Antwerp, with a couple of MBL set-ups.
The 101E moved me in such a way I wept.
At that time, an MBL system was/seemed unobtainable for me, but I knew what I was striving for: to get as close as possible to that experience.

So I was looking forward to this show, a lot.
Also because it was a unique opportunity to experience their Reference Line.
Normally you can only hear it in Munich, or in Berlin, in their own showroom.
How Sammy managed to get MBL and their 2000 kg of gear to Antwerp remains a mystery to me.
He must be very convincing.
And we were lucky enough to be able to visit!

3 systems were demoed.

Let us start with the most modest one: the Corona Line, with the 111F speakers.
Outside that room, this integrated from the Corona Line:







__________________
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
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 02-28-2018, 03:18 PM
bart's Avatar
bart bart is offline
Life is beautiful
 
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Belgium
Posts: 19,867
Default

Enter the room, not the most easy one to photograph with all the gear towards the sunny street:




The Corona Line electronics, with a CD/DAC, pre and power amp each retailing for 6-7K).
The speakers: 33K

__________________
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
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 02-28-2018, 03:25 PM
meza's Avatar
meza meza is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Belgium
Posts: 213
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by bart View Post
Enter the room, not the most easy one to photograph with all the gear towards the sunny street:

The Corona Line electronics, with a CD/DAC, pre and power amp each retailing for 6-7K).
The speakers: 33K
Especially challenging as the wife and photographer had forgotten her tripod at home. All shots had to be hand-held. AAAARGGG, this was definitely outside my comfort zone!
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 02-28-2018, 03:26 PM
bart's Avatar
bart bart is offline
Life is beautiful
 
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Belgium
Posts: 19,867
Default








The 111F is in fact a 4-way with traditional woofers for upper and lower bass.








Treble and mid units are the same throughout the lines:





__________________
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
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 02-28-2018, 03:38 PM
bart's Avatar
bart bart is offline
Life is beautiful
 
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Belgium
Posts: 19,867
Default








This system sounded very good, with glorious mids and treble, but as we will later see, the integration of the bass and mids/highs could be better.

__________________
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
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 02-28-2018, 03:43 PM
PHC1 PHC1 is offline
Guest
 
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Pa
Posts: 23,609
Default

Excellent pictures and thanks for sharing Bart. I have a feeling this was a serious visit and even your wife was involved so.... I have only one question... When is your pair arriving?
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 02-28-2018, 03:45 PM
bart's Avatar
bart bart is offline
Life is beautiful
 
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Belgium
Posts: 19,867
Default

If I'm not mistaken, Kimber Cable was used for this system.
I don't know if MBL components are very sensitive to different brands of cables.
You would think they are because they're very transparent and revealing.








True pieces of art.












Shiny, like their Berlin colleagues from Burmester, but in a totally different way.



__________________
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
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 02-28-2018, 03:50 PM
bart's Avatar
bart bart is offline
Life is beautiful
 
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Belgium
Posts: 19,867
Default




Well attended.




An Auralic streamer was doing service here:




So, coherence quite good, but not state of the art.




This speaker is 100% passive.

__________________
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
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 02-28-2018, 03:53 PM
bart's Avatar
bart bart is offline
Life is beautiful
 
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Belgium
Posts: 19,867
Default

Other gear, unemployed.




Total cost of this system: 50K + cables and streamer.
It seems that MBL is developing their own streamer now.

__________________
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
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 02-28-2018, 03:59 PM
meza's Avatar
meza meza is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Belgium
Posts: 213
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by PHC1 View Post
Excellent pictures and thanks for sharing Bart. I have a feeling this was a serious visit and even your wife was involved so.... I have only one question... When is your pair arriving?
Well ... the MBL-101 X-treme are definitely welcome to live with us... there's just one minor issue: funding!

May be we should start playing the lottery.
Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump

Audioaficionado.org tested by Norton Internet Security

All times are GMT -4. The time now is 08:30 AM.



Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.10
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
©Copyright 2009-2023 AudioAficionado.org.Privately owned, All Rights Reserved.
Audio Aficionado Sponsors
AudioAficionado Subscriber
AudioAficionado Subscriber
Inspire By Dennis Had
Inspire By Dennis Had
Harmonic Resolution Systems
Harmonic Resolution Systems
Wyred4Sound
Wyred4Sound
Dragonfire Acoustics
Dragonfire Acoustics
GIK Acoustics
GIK Acoustics
Esoteric
Esoteric
AC Infinity
AC Infinity
JL Audio
JL Audio
Add Powr
Add Powr
Accuphase - Soulution
Accuphase - Soulution
Audio by E
Audio by E
Canton
Canton
Bryston
Bryston
WireWorld Cables
WireWorld Cables
Stillpoints
Stillpoints
Bricasti Design
Bricasti Design
Furutech
Furutech
Shunyata Research
Shunyata Research
Legend Audio & Video
Legend Audio & Video