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Thread: True Acoustic Art Takes 1400 Man Hours, $US320,000

  1. #16
    Senior Member 1audiohack's Avatar
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    We have scarcely scratched the surface on exotic metals yet.
    If we knew what the hell we were doing, we wouldn't call it research would we.

  2. #17
    Moderator hjames's Avatar
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    All kidding aside, we saw (and heard) some high end monsters at the July 2011 Audio Fest -
    These MBL speakers were lush extremely detailed and very exotic looking as well ...
    Like Daleks on parade ...

    beautiful lacquer paint jobs on the speakers and amps,
    gorgeous gold accents on the massive monoblock amps

    ...but no billet horns

    http://www.mbl-usa.com/Browse.aspx/389/Reference-Line


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  3. #18
    Senior Member Eaulive's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by hjames View Post
    All kidding aside, we saw (and heard) some high end monsters at the July 2011 Audio Fest -
    These MBL speakers were lush extremely detailed and very exotic looking as well

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    Those are fugly muthers!
    My avatar: 4520 loaded with 2225H on E140 frames,
    1x 2202H on custom front loaded horn, 2x 2426 on 2370.

  4. #19
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    These cabs remind me of this guy......
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  5. #20
    Senior Member RedCoat23's Avatar
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    I've been curious to hear the sound MBL speakers produce using that omni-directional array.

    ...Though I haven't been to a hi-fi show since 1990! I remember hearing my first "hi-end" set of speakers...Mission 767's. They were placed in an open space and when I walked through the on-axis point it actually made me stop in my tracks. That was a truly an ear-opening experience. I couldn't believe I was hearing something so clear. Though I don't know how well they'd hold up to some of today's products, at the time I hadn't heard anything as melodious or in that price bracket. The memories are fond.
    Last edited by RedCoat23; 12-30-2011 at 01:30 PM. Reason: Grammar

  6. #21
    Moderator hjames's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by RedCoat23 View Post
    I've been curious to hear the sound MBL speakers produce using that omni-directional array.

    ...Though I haven't been to a hi-fi show since 1990! I remember hearing my first "hi-end" set of speakers...Mission 767's. They were placed in an open space and when I walked through the on-axis point it actually made me stop in my tracks. That was a truly an ear-opening experience. I couldn't believe I was hearing something so clear. Though I don't know how well they'd hold up to some of today's products, at the time I hadn't heard anything as melodious or in that price bracket. The memories are fond.
    Well, it was my first experience with an Audio Fest like that, and that was the first room we went into ...
    and they were initially playing music I was unfamiliar with.
    There were 3 gentlemen in the front row and they were listening to some African-sounding drum music when we arrived.
    Very dynamic percussion pieces - perhaps audiophile specialty stuff,
    but I wasn't familiar with that music to have a basis of comparison.
    The MBL demo folks had everything on digital files 96/24 ...
    I did ask for something by Steely Dan, they didn't have Aja but played something off another older album ...

    It was very nice, room filling sound - but I didn't get the gob-smacked experience
    I would have expected from such bespoke gear. (est > $150k)
    I think Mr Widget was right about the exponential nature of upgrade$ ...
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  7. #22
    Senior Member richluvsound's Avatar
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    Nothing Down Below !

    I have spoken to this designer....." they need a sub" his words . There is nothing below 45 Hrtz ; above that - very special . He was running them in his show room with 2 x 2242's .
    Beautifully crafted, no expense spared ,but in the battle of Form v Function ... the former prevailed . The last time I spoke to Kevin there was a job to be had travelling around the globe setting these things up .... Designing a sub and EQing the room is beyond my skill level,but I'm sure there are some audio dealers/designers that will be desperate enough for the work, especially in this climate .

    Rich

  8. #23
    Senior Member grumpy's Avatar
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    Sounds like a fun job ... for awhile
    No question of the craft and effort put into these... they do appear as though
    they would be quite at home in a 100M$ yacht.

  9. #24
    Senior Member tom1356's Avatar
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    They will probably be on higherfi.com for $100k in a few months.

  10. #25
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    I wondered about the hours

    Maybe those who actually fabricate and construct things can comment on whether that is a good estimate.

  11. #26
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    Quote Originally Posted by moparfan View Post
    Maybe those who actually fabricate and construct things can comment on whether that is a good estimate.
    I guess if you are just plain slow and had to wait for the timber to be milled and the metal to be refined, 1400 hours would be about right. 35 standard working weeks? I don.t think so. As for the price tag? There is nothing there that is that special...

    Allan.

  12. #27
    Senior Member richluvsound's Avatar
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    The maker is a ship wright . Everything is hand made and hand finished . All the timber is selected and machined.The bronze horns are cast and then machined by the same guy .

    I think you need to see and hear one before you could debate the worth . A Gerhard Richter painting sells for twice that price .
    Besides, they were never designed for anyone that actually carries cash on them or even counts a bank balance in any unit under 6 0's . The boats these go in are a million pounds per lineal metre.

    Cost and worth ..... ? depends if you really like something I guess . Either way , they are not the most expensive speaker on the market . I'd wager some Westlake customs are not far off that price ... and I know they are not built as beautifully .

    This is what happens when you conjecture the price of art !

    Rich

  13. #28
    Administrator Mr. Widget's Avatar
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    Cosmotron

    Quote Originally Posted by svollmer View Post
    This is way off topic, but because of this thread, I downloaded Living Voice's 26 page book. On page 21 is the Cosmotron speaker (REALLY cool looking to us sci-fi buffs!).
    The Cosmotron is kinda campy really, but I think there is a limited market for just about anything. I certainly respect what these guys are doing even if my direction would be somewhat different.


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  14. #29
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    Maybe someone was a big Flash Gordon fan.......

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