Note that this is a discontinued product. You may want to visit the brand's page here to browse their newer products.
What reviewers think
Bloggers and YouTubers have tried this product—so we've summarized their strongest opinions below. Links to full reviews follow.
Product Strengths
- Reproduction of the very bottom octave (below 20Hz to 30Hz) with power, color, clarity, and completeness
- Reproduction of 16Hz at the same level as 1kHz
- Creation of a wall-to-wall-to-ceiling-to-floor soundfield with layered depth and uniform ambience, merging the listening room with the recorded space
- Images instruments with lifelike timbre, power, and dimensionality, creating near-visible 3-D images
- Gestalt shift comes as part of the package with magical three-dimensionality of image and stage with every recording
Product Considerations
- Images at centerstage aren't as sharp-edged as direct-radiating loudspeakers, being larger and more rounded
- The Radialstrahler sections are tough to drive, requiring two amplifiers per speaker side
- While they work well in any size room, they need to 'see' walls to function as designed
Comparisons (according to reviewers)
- Versus Wilson Audio Chronosonic XVX, Kharma Exquisite Extreme Grand Signature, AlsyVox Michelangelo, Stenheim Reference Ultime Three, or an Estelon Extreme Mk II, it plays in roughly the same ballpark
- Versus Magico M6, Rockport Lyra, Magneplanar 30.7, Sound Lab Ultimate-1, it can be obtained for considerably less money
Takeaway: The MBL 101 X-Treme MKII offers unparalleled low-bass response and creates an immersive, three-dimensional soundstage that blends the recording space with the listening room. It's a top-tier system for audiophiles seeking a lifelike and engaging listening experience.
What are hifi reviews useful for? (1) Identifying products you should demo in person at a dealer. (2) Learning which products reviewers unanimously praise as the best they've heard (this means they probably are legitimately great). (3) Identifying a product's attributes that satisfy your idiosyncratic needs and tastes. Beyond that, we often discount what reviewers say because they heap praise on most products—and are often apprehensive about publishing strong criticism or comparisons between products. Further, they seldom have more than a few products on-hand, often relying on their memories to compare past products. Always listen for yourself.
All
101 X-Treme MKII
reviews
[{"title":"MBL 101 X-Treme MKII Loudspeaker","link":"https://www.theabsolutesound.com/articles/mbl-101-x-treme-mkii-loudspeaker","source":"The Absolute Sound","datePublished":"2024"}]
An excellent review of a great product
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Publisher
/
3/1/2022
An excellent review of a great product
Publisher
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3/1/2022
Video Review
Manufacturer details
Features
Specifications
- System: 4-way system with double tweeters, midrange and woofers (D'Appolito arrangement), ambient tweeter and active subwoofer
- Acoustic center: 100 cm (39")
- Subwoofer: Active subwoofer, each channel 6 x 12" aluminum cone drivers in three cabinets, push-push arrangement, cabinet volume 3 x 86 liters
- Woofer: Radial TT100, copper-alu-magnesium
- Midrange: Radial MT50, woven carbon fiber
- Tweeter: Radial HT37, unidirectional carbon fiber
- Lowest frequency: 24 Hz
- Crossover frequencies: 85 Hz, 600 Hz, 3,500 Hz
- Nominal impedance: 4 Ohm each upper/lower unit
- Nominal power handling / Peak: each channel: 2 x 900 Watt / 2 x 1,800 Watt
- Dimensions (WxHxD) Radial system: 496 x 1,854 x 687 mm (19.5" x 73" x 27")
- Dimensions Subwoofer: 410 x 1,860 x 670 mm (16.2" x 73.25" x 26.4")
- Weight Radial system: each channel 265 kg (584 lbs)
- Weight Subwoofer: each channel 227 kg (500 lbs)
- Total system weight: 984 kg (2,170 lbs)
Description
The crown jewel of MBL's legendary product line, the 101 X-Treme system never fails to astonish – in looks or sound. Our flagship transducer is comprised of two six-foot tall towers that each house a pair of MBL's iconic Radialstrahler omni systems, flanked by another pair of six-foot subwoofer towers to create an extreme four tower system.
Release Timeline
Manufacturer Site
Brand highlights
Taking a step back to look at reviewers' thoughts of the brand's entire lineup—not just this product—what stands out most is the following:
- The brand crafts Radialstrahler drivers with a unique bending mode design that radiates sound spherically, creating a distinct and immersive listening experience.
- MBL's products boast high-quality construction, with many components, including the drivers themselves, being manufactured in-house in Germany, for long-term reliability.
- MBL sources and amplifiers incorporate innovative analog and digital engineering, such as Linear Analog Switching Amplifier (LASA) technology and sophisticated jitter reduction techniques, to optimize performance across different amplifier classes and digital sources.
Select products
Select product comparisons
MBL 126
- Positioning: The entry-level model in the Radialstrahler lineup, designed for small to medium-sized rooms.
- Description: Offers a compact design with the same Radialstrahler technology found in the flagship models, providing a large soundstage in smaller spaces. Its pyramid-shaped bass cabinet and push-push woofer configuration deliver impressive bass for its size, making it ideal for those with limited space and budget. Compared to larger models like the 101 E MkII, it's more affordable and space-efficient, while still offering the signature MBL sound.
MBL 111 F
- Positioning: Positioned as a high-performance model in the Radialstrahler lineup, ideal for larger rooms.
- Description: Combines Radialstrahler technology with a robust bass reflex system, delivering a powerful and immersive sound experience. Its push-push woofer configuration ensures tight bass control. Compared to the 120, the 111 F offers greater bass depth and room-filling capabilities.
MBL 116 F
- Positioning: A premium model in the Radialstrahler series, designed for audiophiles seeking high-end performance.
- Description: Features a sophisticated 4-way design with Radialstrahler drivers, providing exceptional clarity and soundstage. Its push-push woofer arrangement minimizes cabinet vibrations, offering precise bass reproduction. Compared to the 111 F, the 116 F offers enhanced midrange and treble performance.
MBL 101 E MkII
- Positioning: A flagship model in the Radialstrahler lineup, known for its iconic design and performance.
- Description: Uses advanced Radialstrahler technology to deliver a 360-degree sound experience, with a powerful subwoofer for deep bass. Its design allows for seamless integration into large spaces, providing concert-level sound. Compared to the 116 F, the 101 E MkII offers superior bass extension and overall soundstage.
MBL 101 X-treme MkII
- Positioning: The ultimate flagship model, representing the pinnacle of MBL's loudspeaker technology.
- Description: Features a four-tower system with Radialstrahler drivers and massive subwoofers, delivering groundbreaking sound quality and presence. Its design is suited for the most discerning audiophiles with large spaces and no budget constraints. Compared to the 101 E MkII, the X-treme MkII offers even greater soundstage and bass capabilities.
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Avg. Product Price
$100,001+
Used For Sale
27
Available (Scroll Down)
Brand Popularity
137
of 900+
Badges
Top 50 Brand
Top 250 Brand
Products Listed
22
Founding Year
1979
Our take on the brand
MBL is a German hifi brand known for its unique Radialstrahler technology, which uses petal-like drivers that emit sound in an omnidirectional 360-degree pattern, eliminating the typical "sweet spot" found in conventional speakers. Their speakers are designed to fill rooms with concert hall-like sound through both direct and reflected waves, creating a more natural and immersive listening experience throughout the entire space.
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What competes at this price?
Burmester
BC150
150000
/
Released
2021
The new BC150 loudspeaker model by Burmester is now making the innovative leaps in sound quality, technology, and design from the Signature Line possible for other product lines. Within this loudspeaker model, elements of the BC350 loudspeakers from the Signature Line were incorporated.
Burmester, a high-end audio brand renowned for its German craftsmanship, designs and handcrafts its components in Berlin. Known for its distinctive industrial aesthetic with chrome finishes, the brand supplies premium sound systems for Porsche and Mercedes-Benz.
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Our Summary
Product Strengths
- Detailed, exciting, dynamic, and transparent sound
- Vanishingly low cabinet coloration, contributing to speed and detail
- Lung-emptying, bowel-clearing, demolition-grade bass
- Bass integrates well with the rest of the frequency range for an integrated musical performance
- Voices have breath and contour, yet the result always retains a minimum of warmth
Product Considerations
- Room acoustics should be a strong consideration, as the BC150 reveals room issues
- Needs a lot of quality electronics upstream
- Requires firm control and ample current capacity from the amplifier
Comparisons (according to reviewers)
- The BC150 sounds more like a Burmester B38 with greater abilities to scale
Takeaway: The Burmester BC150 is a high-precision audio instrument that is both musically communicative and musically analytical, offering a detailed and transparent listening experience. It offers clarity and purity of sound, and brings music to another level.
Video review
Our take on the brand
Burmester, a high-end audio brand renowned for its German craftsmanship, designs and handcrafts its components in Berlin. Known for its distinctive industrial aesthetic with chrome finishes, the brand supplies premium sound systems for Porsche and Mercedes-Benz.
Product Page
Product Page
Borresen
M3
283975
/
Released
2023
The M3 speakers are the perfect blend of form and function, which reflects the excellent and highly productive partnership between two great minds in the audio industry – Michael Børresen and Flemming Erik Rasmussen. The sleek and elegant design of these speakers, combined with their outstanding audio performance, makes them a testament to Audio Group Denmark's commitment to audio excellence.
Børresen Acoustics stands out for its iron-free magnetic motors and cryogenically treated metal components, which reduce inductance for clearer sound. The brand's speakers feature unique elements like zirconium-based 3D-printed baskets and a patented ribbon tweeter design, combined with series crossover networks for phase-locked electrical current across frequencies.
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Our Summary
Product Strengths
- The M3 presents music with an unprecedented degree of individuality and specificity, without sacrificing tonality, texture, or body
- Remarkable level of resolution
- Astonishing transparency and is resolute
- Accurate tonality and represents timbre faithfully
- Exceptional high-frequency detail and speed due to a planar tweeter
- Accepts only banana terminations
Product Considerations
- The planar tweeter misses the very last measure of extension, shimmer, and effortlessness accomplished by the very best available today
- Low-frequency extension was limited to the high 20 Hz, low 30 Hz range
Comparisons (according to reviewers)
- Compared to Magico M9, the M3 has recalibrated the resolution yardstick by which all other loudspeakers must be measured and compared
- Compared to Von Schweikert Audio ULTRA 9s, the M3 has recalibrated the resolution yardstick by which all other loudspeakers must be measured and compared
Takeaway: The Børresen M3 loudspeakers boldly represent the realization of striking potential in audio and push known boundaries. People who choose the M3 will enjoy a specific level of playback that is unavailable from other loudspeakers.
Video review
Our take on the brand
Børresen Acoustics stands out for its iron-free magnetic motors and cryogenically treated metal components, which reduce inductance for clearer sound. The brand's speakers feature unique elements like zirconium-based 3D-printed baskets and a patented ribbon tweeter design, combined with series crossover networks for phase-locked electrical current across frequencies.
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Wilson Audio
Alexx V
154000
/
Released
2021
The original Alexx loudspeaker, launched in 2016, quickly gained critical acclaim throughout the industry. Alexx benefited from several elements developed during the five years Wilson Audio's founder David A. Wilson, and his unwavering R&D team, brought to life his magnum opus: the WAMM Master Chronosonic. Now, five years after the monumental accomplishment of the WAMM, Alexx V builds upon the original Alexx's success by offering a completely re-engineered performance envelope without greatly increasing the footprint. Comparing the overall size of Alexx V to the original, Alexx V is only 1" deeper and 1" taller while maintaining the same width.
Wilson Audio is often considered the quintessential American high-end hi-fi brand, a staple in premium audio dealerships across the country. Many reviewers use Wilson speakers in their own home systems, reflecting their reputation for outstanding dynamics, bass depth, and the ability to reproduce classical music with remarkable realism. Wilson focuses on creating an uncolored sound, aiming to replicate the experience of live, unamplified performances.
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Our Summary
Product Strengths
- Sublime image size and expansiveness, coupled with an ability to be driven as hard as your ears or your amps can take
- A sense of balance to the sound of the Alexx V makes renewal possible, expressive and articulate from the deepest bass to the highest treble
- Trickle-down benefits from the WAMM Master Chronosonic and Chronosonic XVX
- Bass performance is otherworldly
- The Alexx V has the ability to uncover and continue to deliver micro-details at extremely high SPLs, even after that slam of a transient
Product Considerations
- Some power behind the throne is needed, because the loudspeaker's impedance plot drops to two ohms at 250Hz
- The dome tweeter does sacrifice the last ounce of micro-detail, compared to the insane resolving power of the best diamond and beryllium drivers
- The choice of finish needs to be considered with care
- Cable management can impact performance
Comparisons (according to reviewers)
- Compared to the original Alexx, the Alexx V is a massive improvement—closer to a baby XVX in so many ways
- Compared to the Alexia 2, the Alexx V was more than a mere additive sum, a step-function improvement
- Compared to the Wilson XVX and WAMM Master Chronosonic, the tweeter is effortless and resolving by normal standards, but no match for the extraordinary levels of detail retrieval
Takeaway: The Alexx V offers a sublime listening experience with excellent balance and dynamic range that allows the listener to get closer to the music. It is a worthy contender for those looking to upgrade their listening experience.
Video review
Our take on the brand
Wilson Audio is often considered the quintessential American high-end hi-fi brand, a staple in premium audio dealerships across the country. Many reviewers use Wilson speakers in their own home systems, reflecting their reputation for outstanding dynamics, bass depth, and the ability to reproduce classical music with remarkable realism. Wilson focuses on creating an uncolored sound, aiming to replicate the experience of live, unamplified performances.
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Linn
360
110180
/
Released
2023
360 is audibly invisible. It produces a performance with unprecedented clarity and realism, that's entirely absent of sonic colouration. Incorporating innovative drive unit and amplifier technologies, 360 turns out our lowest ever levels of audible distortion. The honed curves of its cabinet are partnered with meticulously matched drive units to deliver the cleanest possible dispersion characteristics.
Linn is a hifi brand known for its modular designs, particularly the Sondek LP12 turntable where users can upgrade virtually every component over time to maintain performance across decades. The brand stands out for developing its own technologies in-house, including the Organik DAC with FPGA processing and Space Optimisation, which models room acoustics without needing microphone measurements.
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Our Summary
Product Strengths
- Excellent imaging, providing a strong stereo image for multiple listeners due to wide dispersion and Space Optimisation+
- Flexible and capable of playing all kinds of music, getting out of the music's way, and suitable for both large and smaller rooms
- Dynamic, detailed, and can play at a wide range of volume levels, from quiet listening to near PA levels
- Features a new driver array, including a Beryllium dome tweeter, thin-ply woven carbon fiber midrange (used on NASA's Mars Rover), and aluminum-magnesium alloy bass units
- Incorporates new amplifier technologies—'Power DAC' for the lower bass and 'Adaptive Bias Control' for the mid and treble—reducing distortion
Product Considerations
- The midrange dome is exposed, which might be a concern with children
- Owners of previous Linn systems may find the price difficult to accept
- Some audiophiles may prefer Linn to trawl its past rather than building its future, and they will want an Isobarik
- Some audiophiles may not be able to see past the LP12
Comparisons (according to reviewers)
- The 360 offers significantly improved imaging and soundstaging compared to the Klimax 350
Takeaway: The Linn 360 is a high-end loudspeaker that provides excellent sound quality and flexibility, making it a great choice for enjoying music with friends or for personal listening sessions. Its innovative design and technology deliver a detailed and immersive audio experience.
Video review
Our take on the brand
Linn is a hifi brand known for its modular designs, particularly the Sondek LP12 turntable where users can upgrade virtually every component over time to maintain performance across decades. The brand stands out for developing its own technologies in-house, including the Organik DAC with FPGA processing and Space Optimisation, which models room acoustics without needing microphone measurements.
Product Page
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Magico
M7
375000
/
Released
2023
The Magico M7 is a four-way, six-driver floorstanding loudspeaker capable of astonishing performance. Featuring the latest Magico drive-unit technology, an organically shaped carbon-fiber-and-aluminum enclosure, and the latest Elliptical Symmetry Crossover, the M7 is a tour de force of advanced loudspeaker engineering. The M7 was conceived by Founder and CEO Alon Wolf as a more accessible version of the semi-active M9.
Magico is one of the leading American hifi brands, celebrated for its speakers' precision, clarity, and transparency. This reputation is built on the founder’s meticulous focus on eliminating vibrations, a design principle that customers claim significantly enhances sound quality. Their speakers incorporate carbon fiber and aluminum, along with custom-made drivers, to deliver a highly transparent listening experience. Magico’s sound is incredibly revealing, though some listeners may find it unforgiving with poorly recorded material. These speakers are favored by reviewers and audiophiles who prioritize transparency and accuracy above all else.
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Our Summary
Product Strengths
- The Magico M7 delivers the highest sound quality by the reviewer's metrics
- Described as 'vivid' due to a comprehensive lack of distortion, low compression, rich texture and detail, and coherence across the spectrum and image
- Soundstaging hangs in space with a realistically large soundstage window and deeper stage depth, approximating real sound in a real performance hall
- Superb instrumental definition with a tonal density that removes a filter, revealing the believable richness of each instrument combined with high definition and low etch
- Voicing is resolutely flat in terms of frequency response, so well-balanced recordings sound impressively right
Product Considerations
- The M7 might require bigger amplifiers to reach the dynamic levels of the best horn speakers
- It will not be a good fit for listeners who need frequency colorations to reassure them that their expensive speakers are doing something
Comparisons (according to reviewers)
- Vs MBL 101X, the M7 does a more believable simulation of the stage because it's rather clear about performer locations, but the MBL-101X gets the image off the speakers more reliably, but at the price of some placement precision and air
Takeaway: The Magico M7 speakers deliver a rare and significant sonic achievement with a focus on distortion minimization. These speakers set a benchmark across almost all important sonic dimensions, making them worth considering for serious audio enthusiasts.
Video review
Our take on the brand
Magico is one of the leading American hifi brands, celebrated for its speakers' precision, clarity, and transparency. This reputation is built on the founder’s meticulous focus on eliminating vibrations, a design principle that customers claim significantly enhances sound quality. Their speakers incorporate carbon fiber and aluminum, along with custom-made drivers, to deliver a highly transparent listening experience. Magico’s sound is incredibly revealing, though some listeners may find it unforgiving with poorly recorded material. These speakers are favored by reviewers and audiophiles who prioritize transparency and accuracy above all else.
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