Sad news. MBL has filed for insolvency.

[TooCool4]

May be there is your answer as to why MBL is strugling.

81 db eff is not a green product lol

That’s neither here nor there, they are just priced too high, like most high end audio. There are amps out there that can drive them, that don’t cost an arm and a leg.
If you want to be green, then only use class D or equivalent.

 

[Bruce B]

I think it is a problem if a company's whole business model is to sell fewer and fewer, but more and more expensive, products to fewer and fewer elephants. How is such a business model sustainable?

This is what Harley-Davidson is doing now! Young folks don't want to ride motorcycles. They are too dangerous. The H-D demographic is aging out. They ousted the CEO and the new one wants less models and to focus on the higher-end models.

 

[Lagonda]

Tariffs increases (if they even ever take place, which I doubt) on goods of that kind from Europe would not be anything significant that can potentially bankrupt the company. Tariffs are imposed on the declared, or wholesale value of goods imported, thus the company can always lower the wholesale price in proportion, and come out more or less even....

It's really hard to keep up with the latest threats of tariffs, i thought it was at least 25 % or even 50%, not easy to "absorb" and still make money

 

[Rt66indierock]

I had a conversation with a MBL insider last night.
He stated that he, a couple of MBL employees, dealers, are negotiating to take over MBL.

I would hate to see a traditional brand like MBL simply disappear, lost jobs, customers without support, and all that.

I wish them luck.

If they don’t change the thought process that caused the insolvency what is the point of investing in MBL?

 

[Elliot G.]

I’d pay that if the speakers were already run in and the dealer helped with setup. But realistically, this would only appeal to someone who could spend the entire week listening. I’d also hope the dealer would give an honest opinion on whether the amp and room were up to the task before lugging the speakers over.

I can’t speak for anyone other than myself and I am just speculating since none of this is really significant in my business over the last 50 years.
A rental is a rental
Services are services
Advise is advise
What does this truly mean? Find a good dealer and work with him

 

[Elliot G.]

I wouldn’t pay 3,5 k per week. In 30 weeks the 100 k are paid off. I see renting as a more long term, 3-4 years. Like cars. To make it possible cost wise for the renter I think the manufacturer / importer himself needs to handle the rent with a small commission to the dealer. The rent must make sense both for the renter and the “owner”.

I wouldn’t pay 3,5 k per week. In 30 weeks the 100 k are paid off. I see renting as a more long term, 3-4 years. Like cars. To make it possible cost wise for the renter I think the manufacturer / importer himself needs to handle the rent with a small commission to the dealer. The rent must make sense both for the renter and the “owner”.

That’s not a rental that’s a lease. It’s a commitment for a 3 year or more
Those rates would be less of course
That’s is very different than wanting to try a speaker in your home for 7-30 days which is a short term rental
Different type of transaction

 

[PeterA]

Even $100 K amplifiers ? My big MBL's are $100K these days , and you need 2 sets if you want to drive the X-treme speaker system right. I think MBL sells more speakers than amps.

There may be exceptions. I don’t know.

 

[Massimo66]

Non c'entra niente, hanno solo un prezzo troppo alto, come la maggior parte dei sistemi audio di fascia alta. Ci sono amplificatori in grado di pilotarli, che non costano un occhio della testa.
Se vuoi essere verde,

Sono aperto ai suggerimenti, ma posso assicurarti che qualche tempo fa abbiamo assemblato due grossi monoblocchi Spectral e li abbiamo guardati fumare mentre un mio amico con dei Pass 600.5 stuzzicava l'111f.

 

[Massimo66]

That’s neither here nor there, they are just priced too high, like most high end audio. There are amps out there that can drive them, that don’t cost an arm and a leg.
If you want to be green, then only use class D or equivalent.

I'm open to suggestions, but I can assure you that a while back we built two big Spectral monoblocks and watched them smoke, while a friend of mine with some Pass 600.5s just tickled the MBL 111fs a little.

 

[gleeds]

I have always admired MBL speakers. On large scale classical musical there are precious few if any loudspeakers that can rival them.

For a firm like MBL, which must produce its own highly specialized, proprietary drivers in low quantities and with a high degree of handcraft, there is no such thing as low cost or economy of scale. A merger with a quality electronics firm like Karan, which has high-quality products and lower manufacturing costs in Eastern Europe might be an interesting option, benefiting both firms by increasing scale and lowering costs. Streamlining distribution may also be an option. I wish MBL good luck as they look to reorganize and carry on.

Mike, I’m just saying that the analogy is not very apt, houses cars and audio equipment. I think we agree that speakers are harder to sell than amplifiers.

 

[AudioLibertarian]

I have always admired MBL speakers. On large scale classical musical there are precious few if any loudspeakers that can rival them.

For a firm like MBL, which must produce its own highly specialized, proprietary drivers in low quantities and with a high degree of handcraft, there is no such thing as low cost or economy of scale. A merger with a quality electronics firm like Karan, which has high-quality products and lower manufacturing costs in Eastern Europe might be an interesting option, benefiting both firms by increasing scale and lowering costs. Streamlining distribution may also be an option. I wish MBL good luck as they look to reorganize and carry on.

If Karan has low manufacturing cost it s never been reflective in the price of their equipment, quite the contrary...

 

[Elliot G.]

The one thing about these threads on ARC, Dartzeel and now MBL is this is just speculation and personal feelings about an industry sans any realistic information or facts.
Companies fail for various reason but the most common is they run out of operating capital which can be caused for a myriad of reasons.
I’ve read this and sadly I haven’t seen a single fact, financial statement or any thing that has any real
Meaning.
I have no idea what happened or whether this company will survive we will all find out. I don’t want to see any company fail but these discussions truly don’t accomplish anything.

 

[DasguteOhr]

I'm open to suggestions, but I can assure you that a while back we built two big Spectral monoblocks and watched them smoke, while a friend of mine with some Pass 600.5s just tickled the MBL 111fs a little.

If you're looking for a crowbar for uncooperative speakers, this used T&A 3000M power amp costs €3-4,000 a pair. It turns the MBL into a small, charred heap. 1.75 kVA per channel at 1 ohm.

or Restek Exponent Mono. Next to the speaker terminals on the right, you'll see a key switch. That limit switch limits the power to 1 kVA to the speakers. When turned off, it has unlimited power.

P.S
Burned out the 2.5 kVA load resistors during testing in the German hifi magazine. Performance could not be determined.

 

[lordcloud]

A company sells speakers that are in the area of 400k for their top model... and 100k for the model below that. And these are the only two models that have their core tech.......

And people are unsure if high prices are a large part of why they're having difficulties.

 

[lordcloud]

The one thing about these threads on ARC, Dartzeel and now MBL is this is just speculation and personal feelings about an industry sans any realistic information or facts.
Companies fail for various reason but the most common is they run out of operating capital which can be caused for a myriad of reasons.
I’ve read this and sadly I haven’t seen a single fact, financial statement or any thing that has any real
Meaning.
I have no idea what happened or whether this company will survive we will all find out. I don’t want to see any company fail but these discussions truly don’t accomplish anything.

A company running out of capital isn't the reason it failed.

Why the company ran out of capital is why it failed.

Selling items that are, even in very the niche market you're selling in, EXTREMELY highly priced....is a very plausible reason for failure, when the company exists solely to sell those high priced items.

 

[adyc]

I'm open to suggestions, but I can assure you that a while back we built two big Spectral monoblocks and watched them smoke, while a friend of mine with some Pass 600.5s just tickled the MBL 111fs a little.

My 101X MK2 are driven gloriously by a pair of Gryphon Apex mono. And I listen loudly. One does not need MBL amps to drive MBL speakers. It is a myth.

 

[Gunnar]

That’s not a rental that’s a lease. It’s a commitment for a 3 year or more
Those rates would be less of course
That’s is very different than wanting to try a speaker in your home for 7-30 days which is a short term rental
Different type of transaction

Interesting. Paying for a home demo prior deciding.
I have never tried loudspeakers for 100 k. When I bought mines 7-8 years ago I had 3 loudspeakers for home demo. Price levels at that time around 20 k. I paid, which was not needed, just a few hundred as compensation to the two dealers which loudspeakers didn’t “work”. Travel time one way was around 2-3 hours. Personally I would not pay for a home demo. At the same time let me say I would not ask for a home demo if I was not really interested in the product.

 

[Lagonda]

If you're looking for a crowbar for uncooperative speakers, this used T&A 3000M power amp costs €3-4,000 a pair. It turns the MBL into a small, charred heap. 1.75 kVA per channel at 1 ohm.View attachment 153138

or Restek Exponent Mono. Next to the speaker terminals on the right, you'll see a key switch. That limit switch limits the power to 1 kVA to the speakers. When turned off, it has unlimited power.View attachment 153139
View attachment 153140
P.S
Burned out the 2.5 kVA load resistors during testing in the German hifi magazine. Performance could not be determined.

But how do they actually sound ? Krell made a lot of very powerful amps, only a few of them where listenable long term.

 

[Lagonda]

My 101X MK2 are driven gloriously by a pair of Gryphon Apex mono. And I listen loudly. One does not need MBL amps to drive MBL speakers. It is a myth.

Yes i would hope the Apex can drive them !

 

[TooCool4]

I'm open to suggestions, but I can assure you that a while back we built two big Spectral monoblocks and watched them smoke, while a friend of mine with some Pass 600.5s just tickled the MBL 111fs a little.

If you don’t need to play them at ear splitting levels, Benchmark, NAD are at a reasonable price. May or may not sound as good as the very expensive amps, but they will do the job. Just to name a couple of brands, that don’t charge an arm and a leg.