MBL - USA MBL 101 E MKII

101 E MKII Omni-directional Loudspeaker – the "Radialstrahler"

Its magnificent contours alone tell a story of passion; a tale focused on cutting-edge technology, a transformative way to enjoy music, and the origin of an iconic brand.

Distinguished by its large, melon-shaped aluminum and magnesium alloy radial woofer, the 101 E MKII is a proven, legitimate successor to the original MBL speaker – the legendary MBL 100 – launched in 1979. Known then, and now, as the Radialstrahler (radial emitter), this convention-defying omnidirectional speaker enriched musical playback with revolutionary sound reproduction. The audio world was amazed, first and foremost, by its avant-garde design, then astonished when it evenly distributed the sweetest of harmonics and deepest of bass notes throughout listening rooms. Never before had the realm of hi-fi seen a transducer with such a distinctive shape…or impact!

Countless developments and enhancements over four decades have elevated the capabilities of the Radialstrahler. Like the membrane segments of the melons, known as lamellae, similar construction techniques are found in the midrange and tweeter Radialstrahler drive units, only here deploying light yet rigid carbon fibers. A 12” aluminum cone subwoofer in a separate bandpass enclosure fires downward, venting at the front to align with the other drive units, ensuring fundamental, balanced sound pressure. Even in rooms as large as 80m2 (900 ft2), a pair of 101 E MKII speakers effortlessly delivers and maintains lifelike concert performance levels with absolute authority. Enjoy the built-in options that allow the user to passively fine-tune the treble, mid, and bass frequencies with subtle adjustments to suit the system's electronics, room acoustics, or personal listening preferences.

With unrivalled three-dimensional presence, the MBL legend lives on!

Complete Spatial Immersion

Mesmerizing waves of sound.

Complete Spatial Immersion

Mesmerizing waves of sound.

"MBL’s speakers are the perfect canvas on which - through which - to enjoy this polyphonic masterclass."

Paul Miller, Hifi News, July 2021

Mids and Highs

Tweeters and midrange drivers are the heart of every loudspeaker. Without the critical frequencies they produce, it’s almost impossible to capture the emotional nuances of voices and instruments. This frequency range covers most of the vocal spectrum while allowing listeners to pinpoint the location of players or instruments within the original recording space.

Refined to perfection over the past 45 years, MBL's Radialstrahler technology enables full 360-degree distribution of sound waves to fill entire rooms with concert-hall majesty, creating a truly immersive spatial experience. And this holds true for all listeners, not just one or two individuals located in the sought-after sweet spot or sound apex of two conventional loudspeakers.

MBL’s technology also bests the geometric design challenges of most living rooms, where multi-angled reflective surfaces and protuberances cause reverberation, making it difficult to reproduce lifelike music. Our one-of-a-kind Radialstrahler technology, used in all tweeters and midrange drivers throughout our speaker lineup, smoothly overcomes edges, angles and reflective planes for the ultimate listening enjoyment.

More about MBL's loudspeaker technology

State your preference

MBL loudspeakers are bred for uncompromising neutrality. But instances occur where a listening room is not optimal, the amplifier electronics need adapting, or your own listening preferences demand subtle adjustments to the sound image or timbre. Thanks to the passive jumpers on the back of the loudspeakers, the sound can be delicately yet effectively fine-tuned for the low, mid and high frequencies.

High frequency listening

Three different types of wire connections to the tweeter expand the aural experience. The standard Natural setting uses a high-quality, seven-core copper braided wire to achieve perfect neutral balance. The Fast setting relies on silver-plated copper wire, with dynamic conductivity for high frequencies, to elevate the sound moving through damped rooms or from warm sounding electronics. In the Smooth position the exact opposite occurs; the music signal runs through a thick solid copper wire – the sonic tonic for sharp, nervous highs caused by bright-sounding components or reverberant rooms (e.g. stone floors or large windows).

Midrange Magic

The standard Natural setting delivers music signals to the midrange driver through an air coil that runs neutrally due to the lack of an iron core. With the jumper in Rich mode, the signal runs through an iron powder coil that enriches the lower mid-range with harmonics. Emotive voices and piano strokes get a subtle bump in presence and expressiveness to the benefit of listening rooms and ancillary electronics.

Bass Control

In the Attack position, an additional capacitor in the signal path changes the phase response so the signals arrive fractionally earlier to the melon radiator than to the other drivers. Compared to the Smooth position, the bass sounds drier with more structure – well suited for bass-heavy listening rooms.

The 101 E MKII at a glance

• Sophisticated MBL Radial drivers HT37 tweeter, MT50 midrange, TT100 woofer
• Radial speaker technology delivering immersive, natural sound reproduction
• 4-way loudspeaker, 12 in (30 cm) twin-layered aluminium sandwich subwoofer in a down-firing bandpass enclosure
• For rooms up to approx. 80m² (900 ft²)
• Crossover frequencies of 105 Hz, 600 Hz, 3500 Hz
• Separate speaker taps allowing for bi-wiring and bi-amping configurations
• Wide choice of customizable finishes