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MBL 101 (~1990) - amp suggestions.

Does anybody have experience with those speakers:
Designation was MBL 101, or MBL 101a/b/c (letters may designate colour).
They have _no_ cone drivers, only three 'Radialstrahler' units, the same size units as in later/current MBL 101 range, but lower crossover points. Subwoofers (MBL 201) were optional, I do not have them.
So far I have tried the following amps:
Pass Aleph 4: almost there, but feels like lacking authority. Also, female vocals seem to suffer (males fare better).
300B SET (glasshouse/hificollective): they make sound, even loud if pushed (circuit allows 300B to go A2), yet the match is poor, orchestra becomes a mess.
Moderate power SS AB amp ("INnovative Audio Ultrapath"): pointless. Sounds flat and gutless, worse than Aleph 4 or SET.
Mark Levinson 23: the best match so far. Controlled and effortless; merciless at times (poorer recordings are exposed for what they are).
-- Do you think I can [substantially] improve over ML 23?

inefficient
gdnrbob
4,411 posts
 
@OP,
I have been dying to hear MBL for years.
And, from what Tomic told me: A Great choice.
( And this is from a Vandy guy).
Bob
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rauliruegas
12,836 posts
 
Dear @georgehifi  : The non-Evo Antileon even today is a good choice. I never herad the Evo but certainly is way $$$$$$ higher than the " old " Antileon.

R.
mrdecibel
2,937 posts
 
My buddy who loaned me his Sonus Faber Extremas for a year, went to the MBL 101 right after. We tried my Crown Studio Reference, which did well, but he had the Jadis JA 500 monoblocks, which were so incredible with the MBL 101s, I cried, listening to my vinyl of Santana’s " Europa ", from the Amigos album, on his mega buck phono playback rig. No drugs, no alcohol, just listening bliss.
georgehifi's avatar
georgehifi
10,312 posts
 
The non-Evo Antileon even today is a good choice.
Yes all model Gryphon's are good.
These MBL's are only "tested" at 81db!!!, so amp around 150w or more is needed.
But also they have epdr resistance of around 2ohms in the low bass, and need an amp with BIG current to deal with this, if the owner of the speakers wants to get the very best out of the bass.

Cheers George    
inefficient OP
40 posts
 
Looked up 'EPDR resistance' -- thanks for the tip!
Stereophile has a good article in their archive, that clarifies a lot, among other things sets in perspective use of tubes (300B with a 6 Ohm tap really did not work too well, in 2 Ohm 'epdr' resistance they should not).
Also explains why Aleph 4 was not happy, it can live with 4 Ohm, but not with 2 Ohm.
So ML 23 is a decent match, and an amp doubling output down to 1 Ohm could be worth a try.
Thinking of 'eprd', McIntosh with their autoformers are on to something.
Gryphons seem rather costly.
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