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MBL C11 Preamplifier

The internal array of a preamplifier can be a hostile environment to delicate hi-fi input signals. Charged capacitors and resistors, magnetic fields and radio frequencies are breeding grounds to corrupt the purity of an incoming signal. The MBL C11’s first line of defence is a chassis made of thick-plate aluminum – the metal of choice for electrical shielding.

This is followed by an internal cage of sheet steel to provide a second level of protective shielding. Those two layers are fortified by additional screens inside the casework to precisely isolate the subassemblies and eliminate any possible traces of interference. Thank our obsessive product engineers.

On the business end, the Cadenza preamplifier can accept five source feeds and one balanced input jack. There is also an option slot that can offer either an MC phono input stage to fully accommodate those cherished vinyl collections, or another balanced XLR input. The C11 is designed to be the heart of the system, with MBL’s SmartLink bus effortlessly exchanging control signals with other MBL Cadenza Line components. A small add-on module even allows it to communicate with Smart Home control systems to deliver state-of-the-art system management through cutting-edge technology.

Quality by curtailment – Unity Gain

Proving the adage that less is more, Unity Gain reduces the gain of the preamp by 8 decibels to deliver significantly lower levels of noise and distortion to listeners. The audible result is maximum transparency and clarity with high dynamics and sterling resolution. Between the C11 preamplifier and the integrated C51 amplifier, along with the preamplifiers and power amplifiers within the MBL family lines, the power amplifiers are adapted accordingly so they are sensitive enough to compensate for the lower output voltages of the preamplifiers. When used in conjunction with less sensitive power amplifiers, Unity Gain can be bypassed by using a different input.

The MBL C11 at a glance

• System flexibility with up to 7 analogue inputs
• Natural timbre of all instruments thanks to extremely low distortion
• Two RCA variable outputs, one Record and one Balanced (XLR) out
• MBL Unity Gain input for highest possible dynamics at low distortion
• Analogue potentiometer volume control via stepper motor
• Optional MBL MC Phono Input (RCA) or an additional XLR input
• Firmware update via SD card
• MBL SmartLink for complete system operation

Technical Specifications