The Gearhead: MBL Makes Me Miss Audio Shows

You know, there hasn’t been a ton of chatter about Rocky Mountain Audio Festival in the audio scene since the announcement was made in September that the decades-old hifi trade show would be closing its doors for good. It kind of went out quietly. Maybe we're all still reeling from it and still wondering why it's gone, especially given the reports of a successful Capital Audiofest in Rockville, Maryland this past weekend.

I know that many folks who were planning to attend or showcase at the event must be feeling the loss, and TMR is right there with them. And as a Colorado audiophile personally, it’s a hit to my own morale, no question about it.

Besides being a world class audio show in our backyard, it was a prime opportunity to connect with the many audiophiles we at TMR know only by email addresses and online monikers through our normal business operations. After the heinous year of 2020 I think we all were looking forward to the October pick-me-up.

The reason I bring this up today is a typical “Gearhead” excuse, that I saw and listened to something — in this case, a quartet of MBL amplifiers — that reminded me of my favorite RMAF-type experiences.

HiFi shows are a place for networking and chatting, but primarily they’re an opportunity to plunk down in front of jaw dropping, face-melting displays of audio grandiosity for a few minutes, before bouncing off to the next room. Gosh, I miss that.

What I’ve got on the bench here are not one, not two, not three, but four of the Reference 9007 amplifiers from MBL, which Michael Fremer reviewed in Stereophile back in 2006.

In his review, he likened the detail retrieval and resolving power of the 9007 to the formidable Halcro DM68 (which, hey! looks like we’ve got a pair in stock right now) but confesses that the MBL pulls ahead in “flesh on the bone” and emotional involvement.

Quite the echelon for these hulking beauties from Germany. I can still envision walking into the MBL room at RMAF, witnessing the insanity of it all, drenched in waves and reeling at the realism.

MBL’s Reference 9007 can be used in either stereo or mono, or bi-amp split or a couple of other options. Dual single ended inputs lead to the stereo configuration; mono connection uses the single XLR input.

After initial testing and listening, we had a decision to make. Should we list these as four stereo amplifiers? Or as two pairs of monos? What would more audiophiles be looking for, and what’s the ideal setup for this?

Thankfully, our SOP is to research the heck out of these things, and I quickly discovered that MBL has a strong opinion themselves, and it’s probably worth following.

The dual RCAs and single XLR might have tipped it off, but in stereo configuration, this fully balanced amplifier is not balanced at all — it’s only devoting one phase per channel, like a single-ended amplifier.

But in mono, you’re hearing the full complimentary design of the balanced amplifier, and also enjoying the benefits of the common-mode rejection of noise that comes with that approach. You’re getting the full scale of refinement of design. And at this scale, why settle?

Fremer agreed:

“While a single Reference 9007 can be configured as a single-ended stereo amplifier, I don't recommend this except as a temporary measure for buyers who can't afford to buy two at the same time. But as a pair of monoblocks, the mbl Reference 9007's exceptional qualities of sound, build, and appearance justify its high price.”

I’m thinking about the system these amps must have anchored before they made the trip all the way to my desk. Trying to imagine what RMAF-worthy madness they might have seen.

Not one to pass up a good audiophile experience, I decided to give a little taste of RMAF to my coworkers, and find some speakers worthy of the MBL level. Sadly, there were no Radialstrahlers in sight.

But I did happen to spot a pair of speakers I know well and love dearly, and whose color scheme popped out to me as a stone cold match for the MBLs: the inimitable Talon Khorus X.

Now, I love these things. Did I say that? I like everything they do — the raked (leaned back) front baffle, the treated paper pro woofer with felt and tweaks galore, the insanely braced internal labyrinthian cabinet design, the big soft dome for lower treble and titanium for super tweeter duties. I think it’s a great design.

There’s even a second woofer just like the one you see, that’s mounted directly behind the first. They work in parallel, and the time delay is solved by some clever crossover engineering. The result is 20” of cone diameter working at the speed of a paper 10”. Great stuff.

The sound I’m getting is full bodied and articulate, with that lower treble power that is heard on truly high end systems — the kind of strength in tone up there that makes cymbals and vibes incredibly realistic and listenable.

Thinking more on these amps, I think they would also sound incredible powering the four-tower vintage IRS Beta speaker system. Heck, accepting the single-ended drawbacks, I’d really be interested to hear this whole quartet of power amps on a pair of B&W Nautilus.

Anyway… daydreams. Where was I.As you can see if you’ve already snuck a look at our “Fresh Arrivals” page today, we’re going to keep these magnificent amplifiers together as mono pairs, the way their makers intended.

Don’t forget — these are Certified Pre-Owned amplifiers, with a return period and a warranty. The price-of-entry concerns at their introduction fly out the window nowadays. Mono it is, and may the next owners be blessed with a personal, daily RMAF experience.

The Talon speakers just sold, but check out the MBL amps while they're still here