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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
racamuti's avatar
racamuti
362 posts
 
I would think that an Atmosphere MA-3 mk. 3.3 would be able to drive that speaker by looking at specs.Just another option,Tish
inefficient OP
40 posts
 
Thank you all for input!
I will live with ML 23 for now, possibly sell Aleph 4 and look out for MORE POWER https://tenor.com/view/toolman-taylor-tim-allen-homeimprovement-gif-5701538
doug1234's avatar
doug1234
23 posts
 

@gdnrbob  sorry I missed your message. I am not on here a lot. He still has the mbls.. He is located upstate a few hours away.
mapman's avatar
mapman
21,838 posts
 
I’d lean towards matched mbl amps for large mbl speakers if cost not an issue. That’s what dealers use. But otherwise in general you want a beefy amp with lots of power and current. I have very efficient BEl Canto ref 1000m Class D amps that might be had for reasonable cost if found used that would surely do the job well. They can pretty much drive anything to their max.   I use them with a pair of similarly large Ohm Walsh speakers.

Congrats on those mbls. Set up well they are in a class of their own.
audition__audio
1,304 posts
 
I heard one of these models with a pair of CAT monoblocks and it sucked them dry. Even at low volumes you could tell that these amps werent nearly powerful enough. Perhaps atma-sphere is correct, although I have my doubts, that it is the type of the tube amp. 
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