14 DAY TRIAL // MBL is one of the best-known manufacturers of high-end, audiophile-grade products out there, launching quite a few exclusive audio devices over the years, their latest creations (and the subject of the following article) being the 1621A CD transport system and 1611F Reference Digital to Analog Converter. Although the CD as a music-delivery medium is slowly, but surely approaching its demise, that hasn't stopped MBL from pushing out the 1621A high-end solutions that, beside delivering quite an impressive level of quality (especially when paired with the 1611F converter), also offers an exquisite design, that audiophiles with a penchant for luxury will certainly appreciate.
The 1621A CD transport system features a die-cast aluminum frame, accompanied by a massive, spring-mounted 17 lbs. sub-chassis, which is crafted from brass, aluminum, and Terodem (a vibration dampening material), all of which are meant to provide a very good level of stability and vibration removal, in order to further boost audio quality.
Moreover, the CD player also sports a 3-laser beam pickup, as well as weighty and elegant transport lid.
The 1611F is a 2-channel D/A “F-type” converter that employs an advanced, proprietary multi-bit, DS modulator with integrated noise shaping technology in a closed-loop architecture, providing a great quality audio and removing artifacts, while also sporting plenty of connectivity options, including here AES/EBU, SP/DIF to Cinch, 2 x S/P-DIF to BNC and synthetic conductor to Toslink.
Last, but certainly not least, we'll have to mention that pricing for these high-end audio products is quite high, since we're talking about $26,600 for the 1621A CD player and $27,300 for the 1611F Reference Digital to Analog Converter, which means that enjoying the combined effect of these two devices (not to mention a pair of matching speakers) will come at a rather huge cost (almost as expensive as a small apartment in certain parts of the world).