Actually I would be happy with many speakers above about $1500 and can understand fully why my choice in speakers may differ from others... it all comes down to what it is designed for and your tastes.
The fact that I have spent many times more than $1500 on speakers does not mean that my speakers sound many times better. Unfortunately, as cost increases, it is always diminishing returns in performance after about roughly $1500, which is probably why the ultra high end manufacturers suffer from low volumes.....the value for money just isn' there anymore.
I guess there just aren't enough of us around who are so fussy or so wealthy as to spend so much $$$ for small incremental benefits to create a big market for high end gear.
On the MBL 101 E:
The MBL 101E idea of speakers that radiate in all directions is impressive and brilliant, they radiate in "full-space" mode. In conventional speakers only the base frequencies actually radiate in all directions (at less than about 300 Hz).
The MBL101E might have GREAT applications for concerts held at the center of large stadiums or at the center of a very very large room such as a gymnasium (if they can get the SPL levels higher).
Of course right and left channel would lose a bit of their meaning with speakers like this, and, without a change in recording studio and mixing techniques, I am not sure how they would sound on existing material. Current music is most often recorded and mixed in Studios for soffit mounted "half-space" sounding speakers.
Also I would be worried about all the reflections in home applications of this type of design. I agree an evenly dispersed sound field is a plus but most designers normally try to limit wall reflections not maximise them....so it is an even and forward radiating soundfield that is normally maximized.
Very interesting post, it would indeed be nice to see the volumes up on high end speaker sales such that prices dropped....but I am not holding my breath.
The fact that I have spent many times more than $1500 on speakers does not mean that my speakers sound many times better. Unfortunately, as cost increases, it is always diminishing returns in performance after about roughly $1500, which is probably why the ultra high end manufacturers suffer from low volumes.....the value for money just isn' there anymore.
I guess there just aren't enough of us around who are so fussy or so wealthy as to spend so much $$$ for small incremental benefits to create a big market for high end gear.
On the MBL 101 E:
The MBL 101E idea of speakers that radiate in all directions is impressive and brilliant, they radiate in "full-space" mode. In conventional speakers only the base frequencies actually radiate in all directions (at less than about 300 Hz).
The MBL101E might have GREAT applications for concerts held at the center of large stadiums or at the center of a very very large room such as a gymnasium (if they can get the SPL levels higher).
Of course right and left channel would lose a bit of their meaning with speakers like this, and, without a change in recording studio and mixing techniques, I am not sure how they would sound on existing material. Current music is most often recorded and mixed in Studios for soffit mounted "half-space" sounding speakers.
Also I would be worried about all the reflections in home applications of this type of design. I agree an evenly dispersed sound field is a plus but most designers normally try to limit wall reflections not maximise them....so it is an even and forward radiating soundfield that is normally maximized.
Very interesting post, it would indeed be nice to see the volumes up on high end speaker sales such that prices dropped....but I am not holding my breath.