Munich 2025

A year without an MBL fix is a year incomplete. Hence, off to the spacious MBL suite I went, to experience a complete MBL Reference Line system ($750,000; price approximate, converted from Euros). Dominated by two 101 X-Treme Mk.2 Radialstrahler loudspeakers, the setup also featured a pair of 9011 mono power amplifiers, a 6010 D preamplifier, a 1611 F D/A converter, and a 1621 A CD transport. Eagerly awaited: the new Reference Line streamer.

As much as this system was about power, it was also extremely musical. The midrange sounded gorgeous. On Tower of Power’s "Diggin’ on James Brown", transient response was as fast as it gets.