Past innovators like Peter Walker, Henry Kloss, Nelson Pass, and Jim Winey made products that while some were “upscale” they were within the reach of enthusiasts who were not super- wealthy. The idea that innovative speaker design has to be crazy expensive is a byproduct of the ethos exemplified by Gordon Gecko. MBL has never tried to make an affordable version of the Radialstrahler.
MBL Insolvent
I apologize if someone else has started a thread I missed, but reports indicate that MBL has initiated insolvency proceedings under German law. Not all businesses succeed- its a feature not a bug in a free enterprise system- but hopefully new investors will come in and save the company. This seems to be following the way of Audio Research (fortunately saved) and others-lots of uncertainty surrounding Dartzeel, Krell, etc, which is unfortunate. So many of these manufacturers are small businesses, obviously without huge capital reserves and sometimes without a good succession plan when the founders move on. I hope MBL successfully restructures, it makes great products. I think we all benefit from a healthy, vibrant group at the top end that has the resources to create and innovate. Good luck MBL.