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Best amps for MBL101e's?

I took the plunge and bought 101e's and restarting the upgrade bug. These speakers are not very efficient and in a large room. I have the EMM labs combo, and probably am going to buy the 6010d preamp that I am demoing right now (great phono section, has the ability to match levels for 4 different output channels). My bias in the past has been tubes (MC2000, VT100mkII)...any suggestions?

Thanks,
Chris
128x128mount_rose_music
homosapien's avatar
homosapien
70 posts
 
CAT amplifiers proven to be excellent match with MBL.
dev's avatar
dev
832 posts
 
If you really want to hear what the MBL's can do get your self a pair of VAC Statement 450 mono blocks, match made in heaven.

P.S. have owned numerous mentioned above, Burmester - MBL 9011's - CAT JL3 Sig MK2's along with others.
malcolmmonfort
7 posts
 
"If you really want to hear what the MBL's can do get your self a pair of VAC Statement 450 mono blocks, match made in heaven."

A match made in heaven if your view of heaven is heavily compressed and dead. Of course heaven is for the dead so you may have a point there.
dev's avatar
dev
832 posts
 
07-01-15: Malcolmmonfort

A match made in heaven if your view of heaven is heavily compressed and dead. Of course heaven is for the dead so you may have a point there.

Have you ever owned a pair of MBL 101E speakers?
Have you ever owned a pair of Vac Statement 450 mono amps?

Your answer will be no because you are just babbling and have no clue, your reply clearly demonstrates such.
malcolmmonfort
7 posts
 
Thank you for asking Dev. Let me clarify the points I made. Make no mistake, the VAC is a wonderful amplifier. It just can't drive the mbls with any degree of conviction. I got a chance to listen to this combination over the course of several hours and really had enough after a few minutes. To me it was amazing that an amplifier with so much power could sound like it had so little. Moreover, I had an email exchange with someone who had the good fortune to audition your system both with the CAT and VAC. He said the mbls sounded "amazing" with the CAT and "dull and boring" with the VAC. He also noted that "David seemed unaware of the sonic compromises he had made with the VAC in his system but it seemed to make him happy and in the end that is what really matters." I enthusiastically agree!
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