I am feeling somewhat repetitive from other speaker posts I have made, but if you want a great last speaker I would go with either the Coincident Technology Pre Reference ($22,000) or the Pure Reference Extreme ($26,000-$26,800).
They are simply the best speakers I have ever heard and I have heard plenty that are far more expensive.
What is unusual about Coincident Technology is that besides their well-known speaker prowess, they also manufacture and design some of the best electronics too. While the Coincident speakers play excellently with good high quality powerful amps, they sound great with low-powered tube amps, as they are very sensitive and easy to drive. The Pure Reference paired with Coincident's own Frankenstein amp at 8 watts/channel ($5,000/pr) make the best music I have ever heard. While one would need more power for ear-splitting levels, anything less than very loud sounds unbelievable. Coincident makes a more powerful tube amp, the Dragon ($10,000/pr) at 70 watts per channel. It might be the best higher-powered tube amp around, but it isn't as great as the Frankenstein.
While the MBL unit you have is very good, Coincident's own Line Stage ($5.000) retrieves more low level information (which really is the sign of a great pre-amp). It only has 2 inputs however, which might make one re-think their front end. But if you play LP's, Coincident also makes the best phone stage at less than nose-bleed territory($5,500) and it also has an extra input, allowing it to also act as a pre-amp. All these Coincident products have received rave reviews--and deservedly so. Of course, I am sure you could start with the MBL unit and maybe get Israel Blume to send you his Line Stage for comparison. He is great to talk to and is easy to work with. Plus you get discounts for buying multiple products.
For me, the above is my ideal system. Only a great turntable and cartridge is needed, besides good power conditioners and/or AC regenerators.
Greg
They are simply the best speakers I have ever heard and I have heard plenty that are far more expensive.
What is unusual about Coincident Technology is that besides their well-known speaker prowess, they also manufacture and design some of the best electronics too. While the Coincident speakers play excellently with good high quality powerful amps, they sound great with low-powered tube amps, as they are very sensitive and easy to drive. The Pure Reference paired with Coincident's own Frankenstein amp at 8 watts/channel ($5,000/pr) make the best music I have ever heard. While one would need more power for ear-splitting levels, anything less than very loud sounds unbelievable. Coincident makes a more powerful tube amp, the Dragon ($10,000/pr) at 70 watts per channel. It might be the best higher-powered tube amp around, but it isn't as great as the Frankenstein.
While the MBL unit you have is very good, Coincident's own Line Stage ($5.000) retrieves more low level information (which really is the sign of a great pre-amp). It only has 2 inputs however, which might make one re-think their front end. But if you play LP's, Coincident also makes the best phone stage at less than nose-bleed territory($5,500) and it also has an extra input, allowing it to also act as a pre-amp. All these Coincident products have received rave reviews--and deservedly so. Of course, I am sure you could start with the MBL unit and maybe get Israel Blume to send you his Line Stage for comparison. He is great to talk to and is easy to work with. Plus you get discounts for buying multiple products.
For me, the above is my ideal system. Only a great turntable and cartridge is needed, besides good power conditioners and/or AC regenerators.
Greg