During the four years that I’ve reviewed for Stereophile, I’ve had the privilege of evaluating products from some of the world’s best-known audiophile companies: Audio Research, Bel Canto, CH Precision, dCS, D’Agostino, Dynaudio, EMM Labs, Jadis, Krell, Nordost, and Wilson, among others. But one long-standing manufacturer whose exhibits at audio shows invariably inspire ecstatic reports, Germany’s MBL, has remained outside my purview.
In a series of Skype interviews, Reis explained, “The lines don’t differ very much in measurements. In the 35 years, I’ve developed preamps, I’ve had a lot of experience with different audiophiles. I have spent a lot of time at the homes of Reference Line customers, and I know their taste, how they’ve constructed their living rooms and the sound they prefer. The typical Noble Line customer has a different living room and different tastes. Therefore, the answer to the question, ‘Which is the better preamp?’ is, ‘The preamp that works the best for you in your room.’
This story is from the July 2020 edition of Stereophile.
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This story is from the July 2020 edition of Stereophile.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
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