To respond to Todd's question, they have less energy up top and substantially more in the mid / deep bass. I would call it generally a "darker" sound with no hint of any loss of detail / information. In fact, it's quite the opposite.
Cleaner highs, more liquid mids, and a much more substantial low end. I've ordered a couple more bass traps to tame the new beast. The apparent size / clarity of the sound stage and three dimensionality thereof has increased substantially.
Having said that, it's been a good twenty some years with various ML products and I am still convinced that, given the correct room, setup, and equipment, they represent a substantial (perhaps unbeatable) value from a price / point perspective.
GG
I've now had both the Summits and the MBL 111e's for about a week. Alas not in the same room. I wanted to do that but my wife reminded me that I am not a reviewer and the ability to have the UPS delivery guys move the 400+ pound crate of MBLs to their final location was too much to pass.
Dramatic is the only way I can explain the MBL sound.
I have listened to 50+ CDs, many of them playing simulataneoulsy on the Summits and the MBLs in different rooms (via my Sonos multi room system). System has been on essentially non stop for the last week :music:
Agree with Gordon's summary.
The Summit and MBL sound has many common elements such as the way they both disappear to the room, the "wall of sound" they create, and the clean, transparent sound of both. These are probably the two most transparent speakers I have personally heard.
But they are also very different. On a hypothetical 1-10 scale, I would say the MBLs are ~a few points points better than Summits in deeper/tighter Bass (which for me was the biggest difference). They are also a notch more clear on the highs. I finally figured out what the reviewers meant when they say that Summits roll off highs. I thought the Summits were perfect till listening to the same songs on them and the 111es. the MBLs are a tad more "syrupy" yet sharp in the mids. On off-sweet spot clarity, they are in a different league since that is a Summit weakness and a phenomenal strength of these MBLs.
The one area where I personally think the Summits are superior is in disappearing into space and leaving behind a wall of sound. I checked this multiple times. But I felt that the Summits are still the leaders in that mythical "where is the middle speaker", and "where are the speakers" optical/auditory illusions that they create. I find that I cannot pin point the speaker location at all when I close my eyes with the Summits. In the MBLs, maybe ~2-3% more energy still comes from the physical location of the speaker than from the overall soundstage. This has become better after I tinkered with the placement and may get better when I get the rack out of the middle. The Sumits have nothing between them (or very little) whereas the MBLs have a rack
Overall, wide-eyed, wide-eared and really enjoying this journey. I can walk around ANYWHERE in my large bedroom, the image and quality of sound remains virtually the same and it almost starts to feel like Coldplay or Mozart or Diana Krall or Sarah Mclachlan or Nora Jones are in the room....with no bad seats in the house
One other critical area. They are perhaps the best at low volumes I have ever heard. That was a surprise to me given their 83db sensitivity. I have to listen to most speakers at at least 80-85 db to engage in the sound but I am finding that even at 70 db, the MBLs engage you. And at very loud 100+db, they don't want to make you scream. sometimes you have to do a double take on the db meter that, yes, it is 100+ but it doesnt sound like screaming.
Overall, loving the fact that I can listen to these two marvellous presentations albeit in separate rooms with separate electronics. I daresay many electrostat/planar lovers such as me/Gordon will find that they capture the magic of that technology while bridinging the gaps
My summary would be that the MBL 111es overall present a more live, real, engaging sound - but they are also 3x the price of Summits. Comparing them to CLXs mated with a coupls JLAs - now that would be fair and fairly stupendous showdown :rocker:
After 6 months of listening, I come to the conclusion that at ~$10k retail new, in the right room if a broad sweet spot is not needed, I think the Summits remain my favorite speakers with the Maggies a close second.
But at $10-15k used, even $20k used, the MBLs are almost unfairly good sound creators leaving everything I heard from Ushers to Focals to Wilson's to SonusFaber far, far behind.
