Description

My system currently comprises the following components:

MBL 111E Speakers

MBL 6010D Preamp

MBL 1621 Transport

MBL 1611 DA Converter

MBL 9008 Power Amplifiers

Rockport Capella 2 Air Bearing/Vacuum T.Table

Rockport 7000 Air Bearing Arm

Clearaudio Insider Reference Wood Cartridge

Kondo M7 KSL Phono Stage

Kondo ANScz Step Up

Kondo LPz Interconnects

Kondo SPz Speaker Cables

Shunyata Power Conditioner

Finite Element Pagoda Master Reference Stands

Kondo, Nordost,Gryphon & NBS Power Cords.

Numerous tweaks eg Shakti Hollographs, Black Diamond Racing

footers, Aurios, Finite Element Cerapucs.

I have been involved in this Hobby and the pursuit of the Ultimate Sound for over 25 years and feel I have come round full circle. I started with powerful solid state amps (Krells, Gryphons, Classe, VTL, etc ) and Dynamic speakers ( Duntechs, Infinitys, Sonus Fabers as well as Apogees and Martin Logan electrostatics, Audio Notes etc ) I've owned over 30 pairs of high end speakers over the years.

I then got the Single Ended High Efficiency bug and worked my way up to a Kondo( Shinri 300B, M7 Silver preamp, M7 KSL Phono etc as well as an Audio Note DAC 5 and CEC TLO Transport ), with Avantgarde Duo Speakers.

I was very content for a while until one day I went to my Audio Dealer The Audio Connection here in Sydney Australia. Josef Riediger the owner who I've known for many years was setting up an MBL Reference System for another customer and asked if I would like to have a listen. Up to that time I had heard many good quality high end systems but none had tempted me from my Kondo and Avantgarde set up.

Unfortunately this fateful day was to be different. What I heard was so natural and musical it shocked me, particularly coming from powerful solid state amps and inefficient speakers. It was treading that fine line combining the best of valves and solid state. I couldn't sleep that night and realised I had to have that sound. As you can guess I ended up buying the complete MBL Reference system which had a synergy I couldn't get by mixing my beloved Kondo gear.

So here I am going full circle, as I never thought I would be going back to poerful transistor amps and inefficient speakers. However the MBL gear is unique and shows you can never generalise or have preconceived ideas.

The other amazing component I was lucky to purchase was the Rockport Capella air bearing T.Table and arm. Andy Payor does not know what compromise is. It absolutely embarassed my earlier T.Table which was not cheap. I would love to one day get a Sirius 3 which is the bigger brother to mine but I'm more than happy with the Capella.

As always there is a never ending search for perfection. Looking forward to your feedback.

Regards JZ
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Components Toggle details

    • MBL 111E Speakers
    Full Range Speaker
    • MBL 6010D Preamp
    Full Function Preamp
    • Rockport Technologies Capella mkII LE
    Capella II Air Bearing T.Table

Comments 46

Showing all comments by molly.

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JZ,

Sounds like we have taken a somewhat similar audio path. I used Trios, driven by a number of wonderful single ended triode amps (the Tron was by far the best of the dozen plus I owned), and I bi-amped them with fabulous custom-made woofers and equalized the bass. The horns were run full-range and the woofers run through a high quality lo-pass filter.

Then, I ended up purchasing a pair of the MBL 111Bs and quickly moved up to the MBL 101Es. My room is large enough to accomodate them (21 x 31 x 10)and they do many things I have never heard from any other speaker. I am currently driving them with either the BAT 600SE which works very well, or a pair of mono MBL 9007 amps. Either is up to the task.

The break-through for me was a purchase of 9 RealTraps room treatment panels. They look very nice and do they ever make a sonic difference. They eliminate all peakiness and really work wonders for the awesome MBL bass, which can overwhelm a room. You should check them out - I consider them a must for MBLs.

Also, the BAT REX line stage and Kubala Sosna bi-wire speaker cables have a wonderful tonal balance for the MBLs. Get the cables and room treament right and the musicality of the Trio/single ended triode amps will be there for you.

Good listening!
David

molly