I've always gone into MBL's demonstrations with the intention of enjoying them, but I never have. Most of the time, their systems are being played way too loud. Worst of all, whether it's due to the volume levels they're playing the speakers at or something inherent in their product design, the highs come across as screechy and cold. I usually leave the demo with my ears ringing, wanting to quickly get as far away as I can. I'm also mixed on the appearance of their products, namely their past color choices, which include just shiny black or silver. The flamboyant metalwork, coupled with the shiny black paint and accentuated with chrome and gold, seems like Harley-Davidson meets hi-fi.
High End 2010 was (thankfully!) different. The sound coming from the 120 loudspeakers (€ 14.500 per pair, second in from left and right in picture below) was not off-putting at all. Coldness was replaced with a touch of warmth, and while the highs were still quite prominent, I didn't hear the steely, etched quality that I heard before.
I'd never stayed in an MBL room long enough to hear how good anything other than the highs sounded, but this time I did. Voices sounded extremely natural, having just the right amount of richness, and the sense of space that these 360-degree-radiating speakers create makes traditional, front-firing speakers sound two-dimensional and shallow in comparison.
I also liked seeing the MBL speakers and the new Classic Line amplifier (price TBA) driving them decked out in white. Although the speakers remind me of a Star Wars Stormtrooper's helmet, the shiny white conceals the hard lines and makes the environment cheery and inviting -- not dark and overpowering like the black does. In my opinion, MBL is wise to offer this finish.
But some of MBL's traditional black components were still in the mix. While the large amplifiers on the shelves weren't in use, the 1511F DAC (€ 8500) on the far left of the upper shelf was, along with the 5011 preamplifier in the middle (€ 7800).
At past shows, I found myself hurrying out of the room faster than I went in. At High End 2010, I stayed twice as long as all previous shows combined. It was, in the words of Borat, a great success!
. . . Doug Schneider
das@soundstagenetwork.com
