I haven't read a review in some time now but decided what the heck.
Now I know why I don't bother with such because it's just all so darn subjective and instead I would rather just rely on my own ears and personal taste, Mike is trying to refer back some 8 YEARS to compare, PLEASE that alone is a complete joke!
- I read his room was far from being ideal for the set-up, does anyone know the actual measurements?
- He was using an all MBL pre and amps to drive them which I personally don't prefer so just that alone pretty well ends it for me trying to find out what these actually sound like.
- Using different speakers cables and IC's also so this alone changing the sonics which he does agree.
I have heard both "latest 101E's and the MK2's" paired up with the same VAC pre and amps as mine, different front end and cables but heard such within 5 hours time frame.
Played the same music on both and my take being I would not recommend to anyone to be running out dumbing their 101E's and buying the MK2 version's, if you have MBL electronics feeding them first and evaluate other manufactures because there will be substantial differences right there. You are going to be in for a pleasent surprice, even Mike trying the one amp he refers to said he could clearly hear the differences.
There is always going to be something different and you will in the end always be chasing your own tail sort a speak. There's always allot of Marketing hype so a company can get indivules exited, they know many rely on such for their buying decision's.
- So what was obvious to me listening was that I found the height "images of performers has changed" not to my liking, I prefer the non MK2's. You could always raise the MK2's in some way to compensate for such I suppose.
- The top end does not have the same extention, I prefer the non MK2's and really did not read too much about this.
- Bass, was a little tighter but not night and day. One could always add subs.
- Midrange, did not really hear any dramatic difference.
- Driver integration, coherient - humm When using the MBL electronics I could hear this so that alone tells me as written above you will hear what ever is feed into them. I don't have any of those issues being driven by my current electronics.
I read into it that he did like them, I think
To me there isn't anything out there that's perfect, the differences will include the room it's self, set-up, electronics up front including cables feeding playing substantial differences so really at the end of the day the review means nothing to me.
That's why I personally get what ever peeks my interest home so I can try and evaluate, I'm not building my system for others pleasures.
Last night I heard a mega buck system and it was so detailed it was ripping my head off, I was fatigued within a few songs just wanting it to be over already. I believe the owner must have loss of hearing because it did not seem to bother him.
I have never gone to a life performance and experienced such so it left me wondering

why would someone want to have a set-up of such.
End of the day all of this is just so subjective and as long as you are listening to music that's the most important.
