Rowland Amps with MBL Speakers vs. All MBL System

The MBLs deserve the reputation of sounding VERY life like. Dynamics are delivered in spades. MBLs have the most realistic soundstage I have heard to date. I can walk almost anywhere in my room and the relationship between the instruments changes very little. The speakers themselves just plain disapear!

MBLs (at least the 111Es) do NOT deserve the hard to drive tag they seem to have aquired. Jeremy is right, they do need an ample supply of current, which can be found in many quality amps like the Rowlands. My 111Es are much easier to drive than my Revel Salons and seem to be easier to drive than Wilson WP 7s.

To answer your question, the MBL speakers can make magic without MBL amps. I have proven that with my Berning tube mono block amps (140 watts a side but high current). I do not have much experiance with the MBL amps, but with what I did hear, I doubt that the Rowlands can match the MBLs in dynamics, especially with percussion instruments, but I am sure the Rowlands would give you a very musical experience that would be a little smoother on top and most enjoyable. I expect to have some MBL amps here to try soon and I will update my thoughts at that time.

To Jeremy:
I'm driving my MBL 111 with Pass Labs X-350, and considering changing to the new 350.5. Have you compared it to the new 9007s. The price difference is BIG, and I'm wondering if at all justified.

I am running 101E's with a Rowland 302 on top and a pair of 501"s on the bottom. I love the way they sound but have no way of knowing if they might sound better with the Cat L3's or the MBL 9011.

Dear Barrelchief: The MBL speakers are a great ones and their electronics, too.
I think that Vetterone put on target: +++++ " To answer your question, the MBL speakers can make magic without MBL amps. " +++++, and like Husk01 tell you: your Rowland will be fine.

Regards and enjoy the music.
Raul.

After listening to the all MBL system at HE2005, if in the budget, I would keep it all MBL. Why change anything that can sound this terrific. The 116 speakers were absolutely more musical than any speaker I have auditioned in it's price range (in fact way above it's price range). It was in my opinion (and many others I spoke with) the best sounding music at the show. This was the only system I heard that demonstrated the dynamics and pace of live music. I tried numerous cd's I am intimately familiar with and I was simply amazed. I returned to this room 5 times and I never heard anything but great music (although I could pass on the Sheffield drums cd demo, who listens to this stuff in their home! Not me!). In all fairness I did not attend any of the Singer rooms as they seem to be more interested in their demo schedule than their customers (another opinion shared by many).