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Outstanding brands?

Just learned that zanden when set up correctly is simply one fine system.
What other brands could be considered to be in the same league.
My idea of a fine system is one that I get lost in the music and feel as thought the instruments are there positioned in front of me like in the concert hall. With the bass sounding realistic, and the air surrounding the instruments. Playing symphonic music is one good way to challenge the system, but I also listen to jazz, rock, brazilian, big band among others. As my system has gone through changes the sound has improved and each genre proves to be exciting.
Experienced a-goners know as we get closer to a realistic sounding system our ears get better we hear deeper into the soundstage and realize it is still a recording, but there are times for some reason or other there are moments that what we hear sounds damn real. The recording plays a big role no pun intended, just picked up some mercury's and london's, and it is an eye er ear opener to say the least.
In the end it is all about the music, the equipment is just a means. I still appreciate my car system and work place radio, but in those cases I am filling in the missing nuances and details.
pedrillo
detlof
1,899 posts
 
Zanden and Wavac play indeed in the same league, as does some Lamm gear. Not MBL to my ears, I don't like a guitar string plucked coming at me like a Mack truck in size. Ain't natural but it will impress some of course.....
mapman's avatar
mapman
22,303 posts
 
"Not MBL to my ears, I don't like a guitar string plucked coming at me like a Mack truck in size."

I've heard this criticism of MBL before. Having heard MBL 111s at least, I'm not sure I understand it. Is it more attributed to 101s and their particular extreme dynamics, as I understand it? Does it have something to do wit the fact that they are omni's and the soundstage can go from wall to wall as would be the case listening to a live performance in most venues?

Regardless, I would be hardpressed to not think of MBL as an outstanding brand. Their technology and sound is quite distinctive and delivers unique results that are hard to match for those who subscribe.
nilthepill
842 posts
 
Detlof, you are correct. When I had MBL 6010d pre and 9008a monos, guitar string plucks were indeed 'like a rope' as you once said. I have heard an all ( including ref digital front end) MBL system set up right, once in a big room ( really wide- thrice the distance between the speakers, like 40 some ft, with 9011's and 101's and it sounded rather impressive. Although recalling that sound I would not compare it to Zanden's or Lamm's or Audio Note's. It was different, but still impressive and least like what I have heard same system at the displayer's (i would not name him) house( was horrible). Same system, different room and the sound was more than bearable.In the past I would have added a Jadis name plate here, but not so now, having had some experience with the sweet stuff.

Detlof and Mapman, Now that you are bringing up. Was that in same league. Emphatically, No!! I would not spend my money, again. Although the MBL preamp is drop dead gorgeous! On the other hand I am yearning to get my hands on another set of 9600 monos to drive my woofers. Am weighting for Dow to go up to 10000 plus ;-). Next year may be.

After that Black metal thread in the 'best of' , i did get some Meshuggah and the mastodon and the slipknot and the Opeth and the Rammstein and the porcupine tree records. Zanden Really does them justice. Never mind, that you feel nauseous after 60 minutes of metal assault. It is that good.;-)

BTW, Meshuggah and Mastodone does stand out as elite metal bands.

Back to the thread subject...
detlof
1,899 posts
 
Mapman,
"Does it have something to do with the fact that they are omni's and the soundstage can go from wall to wall as would be the case listening to a live performance in most venues?"
Yes it does to my mind and just that is not natural to me.
A plugged guitar string should not go wall to wall, it should emanate from some point within the soundstage with high precision and natural in size (îf recorded right in the first place) and that is just that what (to my ears) the MBLs cannot do properly. To me they are for people who are unfamiliar with live concerts and I don't mean rock in big arenas. Of course they are impressive, but not particulary musical as far as I am concerned.
mapman's avatar
mapman
22,303 posts
 
"A plugged guitar string should not go wall to wall, it should emanate from some point within the soundstage with high precision "

The MBL 111s I heard did this exceptionally well with all instruments in a very deep as well as wide soundstage. Similar results with the OHMs in my system.

"..and natural in size (îf recorded right in the first place) and that is just that what (to my ears) the MBLs cannot do properly."

This is where omni's like MBL and OHM will differ IMHO. Properly set up, the instrument will emanate from a specific location, but the location may fill more space vertically from floor to ceiling, which might sound unnatural in a nearfield listening scenarion, but then can spread from there more naturally, like a ripple in a pond or sound in a concert hall.

Too small a room or listening too nearfield might make this seem like an unnatural perspective, but not the case in a more typical non-nearfield listening location and in a larger room better suited for the presentation of omnis.

Given the nature of the beast (omnis), it seems like a stretch to me to not label MBL an outstanding brand just because it is not to everyone's personal tastes.
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