MBL 101 E Radialstrahler Omnidirectional Loudspeaker

Bernal
Bernal Posts: 991
edited January 2010 in Speakers
MBL 101 E Radialstrahler Omnidirectional Loudspeaker...any feedback on this speaker......thanks

REVIEW_1864.jpgREVIEW_1864-1.jpg
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  • concealer404
    concealer404 Posts: 7,440
    edited January 2010
    It's ugly as hell. :)
    I don't read the newsssspaperssss because dey aaaallllllllll...... have ugly print.

    Living Room: B&K Reference 5 S2 / Parasound HCA-1000A / Emotiva XDA-2 / Pioneer BDP-51FD / Paradigm 11se MKiii

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  • tonyb
    tonyb Posts: 33,020
    edited January 2010
    Didn't those power the starship Enterprise ?
    HT SYSTEM-
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    SVS SB-2000
    Polk Sig. 20's
    Polk FX500 surrounds

    Cables-
    Acoustic zen Satori speaker cables
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  • ESavinon
    ESavinon Posts: 3,066
    edited January 2010
    One of the best sounding speakers i've heard at any price.
    SRT For Life; SDA Forever!

    The SRT SEISMIC System:
    Four main satellite speakers, six powered subs, two dedicated for LFE channel, two center speakers for over/under screen placement and three Control Centers. Amaze your friends, terrorize your neighbors, seize the audio bragging rights for your state. Go ahead, buy it; you only go around once.
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  • halo71
    halo71 Posts: 4,607
    edited January 2010
    I bet them dang flux capacitor's are expensive to replace though! :p
    --Gary--
    Onkyo Integra M504, Bottlehead Foreplay III, Denon SACD, Thiel CS2.3, NHT VT-2, VT-3 and Evolution T6, Infinity RSIIIa, SDA1C and a few dozen other speakers around the house I change in and out.
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  • nooshinjohn
    nooshinjohn Posts: 25,476
    edited January 2010
    I would love to get my ears on a set of these.
    The Gear... Carver "Statement" Mono-blocks, Mcintosh C2300 Arcam AVR20, Oppo UDP-203 4K Blu-ray player, Sony XBR70x850B 4k, Polk Audio Legend L800 with height modules, L400 Center Channel Polk audio AB800 "in-wall" surrounds. Marantz MM7025 stereo amp. Simaudio Moon 680d DSD

    “When once a Republic is corrupted, there is no possibility of remedying any of the growing evils but by removing the corruption and restoring its lost principles; every other correction is either useless or a new evil.”— Thomas Jefferson
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  • superjunior
    superjunior Posts: 1,632
    edited January 2010
    looks like a space heater
    panasonic th-50pz85u
    pioneer elite vsx-92txh
    pioneer elite bdp-05fd
    emotiva xpa-3
    monster power hdp 2550
    sa 8300 hd dvr
    sda 2b's
    fronts - rti a9's
    center - csi a6
    surrounds - fxi a6's
    sub - polk dsw pro 600
    harmony one
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  • Ricardo
    Ricardo Posts: 10,636
    edited January 2010
    I heard them powered by all MBL gear. The best speakers I've heard. If I hit the lottery this is what I will get.
    _________________________________________________
    ***\\\\\........................... My Audio Journey ............................./////***

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    Thank God for different opinions. Imagine the world if we all wanted the same woman
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  • F1nut
    F1nut Posts: 50,815
    edited January 2010
    I've listened to them more than a few times, but I just don't like their presentation. The lack of a defined center image bugs me.
    Political Correctness'.........defined

    "A doctrine fostered by a delusional, illogical minority and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a t-u-r-d by the clean end."

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  • tonyb
    tonyb Posts: 33,020
    edited January 2010
    F1nut wrote: »
    I've listened to them more than a few times, but I just don't like their presentation. The lack of a defined center image bugs me.

    Never heard them, but have read many a review. Your the first I can remember anyway, that pointed out the lack of a center image. Interesting, since these speakers are in no uncertain terms, cheap.
    HT SYSTEM-
    Sony 850c 4k
    Pioneer elite vhx 21
    Sony 4k BRP
    SVS SB-2000
    Polk Sig. 20's
    Polk FX500 surrounds

    Cables-
    Acoustic zen Satori speaker cables
    Acoustic zen Matrix 2 IC's
    Wireworld eclipse 7 ic's
    Audio metallurgy ga-o digital cable

    Kitchen

    Sonos zp90
    Grant Fidelity tube dac
    B&k 1420
    lsi 9's
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  • Ricardo
    Ricardo Posts: 10,636
    edited January 2010
    F1nut wrote: »
    I've listened to them more than a few times, but I just don't like their presentation. The lack of a defined center image bugs me.

    Interesting; I thought imaging in general, including center was very good. I will have to invite you over when I get them.
    _________________________________________________
    ***\\\\\........................... My Audio Journey ............................./////***

    2008 & 2010 Football Pool WINNER
    SOPA
    Thank God for different opinions. Imagine the world if we all wanted the same woman
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  • treitz3
    treitz3 Posts: 19,249
    edited January 2010
    image01.jpg

    The model pictured above is what I believe I auditioned at Jolida HQ's hooked up to about $120K worth of MBL gear. What I heard was nothing special whatsoever and with certain aspects, completely unbearable. Here's a quick observation of what I heard...

    Steady, constant, unbearable hiss or extremely high frequency. Especially when up close to the tweeters in all directions [within 7 feet]. This occurred whether or not there was a source was playing or not. It bugged me so much that I would literally put my hand between the speaker and the tweeter when I walked by them because it physically hurt my ears and it was constantly audible whether music was playing or not. It wasn't quite the mosquito tone as it was a tad lower but VERY noticeable and completely annoying. If you can't hear these types of frequencies, then this would not be an issue.

    The mid bass was sloppy and slow with a low attack. Bass was virtually non-existent and what you did hear was very sloppy. Horrible integration between the two lower register drivers. Mid-range was sweet, but nothing spectacular.

    The top end was very present, omni-directional and at times pleasurable. That said, it seemed to mimic electrostat's and ribbons by throwing sound all over the place. They did fill the room, but [to me] at an expense of spatial location cues. Here's an example; when listening to a particular instrument, the speakers threw the sound out in its spatial image and while doing so, smeared the instrument back and forth at the same time. This would make a guitarist that would normally be just inside the right speaker [for example] be just inside the speaker but it would place/stretch him in front of the speaker as well as behind the speaker at the same time. It was just an unnatural presentation for me.

    It had a slight SDA effect on certain instruments, but I believe that it only happened on instruments that hit a certain frequency. I say that because I only heard the effect [if you will] during the same frequency which was around the frequency of the upper notes of a chime. Overall, frequency-wise], the top end was complete but it still missed the last little bit of the uppermost "pings". Very nice and realistic roll off.

    Overall as a speaker? I wouldn't want them, nor would I recommend them. I think that they bite the big one and I've heard a better bottom end on a pair of white van speakers. In fact, the setup in the room next door sounded much more realistic, pleasing and musical. That rig consisted of a pair of Noel bookshelves powered by the new Jolida FX-10, which is a 10 watt integrated tube amp. That, I would recommend.
    ~ In search of accurate reproduction of music. Real sound is my reference and while perfection may not be attainable? If I chase it, I might just catch excellence. ~
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  • treitz3
    treitz3 Posts: 19,249
    edited January 2010
    treitz3 wrote: »
    It bugged me so much that I would literally put my hand between my ear and the tweeter when I walked by them
    Allow me to correct this sentence.
    ~ In search of accurate reproduction of music. Real sound is my reference and while perfection may not be attainable? If I chase it, I might just catch excellence. ~
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  • Bernal
    Bernal Posts: 991
    edited January 2010
    In 2008, Paris, listen and are spectacular

    http://fr.cinenow.com/videos/1528-mbl-presente-son-systeme-ultime-high-end-2008
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