If you have few sources, little space and money to buy good separates this is one of the best integrated amps. Competition is the FBI from Krell and integrated from accuphase. But the MBL 7008 has a higher WAF (wife acceptance factor). It needs very transparent sources, cables and speakers to really shine but has replaced my more expensive Chord pre/power combo with honors! I will damp the components with marigo Labs VTS dots to get more but it gets everything your source can transmit and you will hear everything your speakers can send to your ears. My Sonus faber Cremona M love the 7008.

Powerful & Musical, Cosmetics, Convenience, Space saving

Few Dealers, Expensive

I really like my MBL 7008. But first the disadvantages: It is quite expensive, the price having increased over the last six months to $7,480. (I purchsed a dealer demo.) MBL dealerships are far and few between. There are only 3 RCA (unbalanced) line-level inputs. That's enough for a CD, DVD, and a Tuner. There is also a balanced input, and an optional input that is covered over unless you pay $$ to have a phono input, 2nd balanced input, or 4th unbalanced input installed. In short, if you don't pay for an optional input, and you have no components with a balanced output, you will be restricted to only three components! (There is, however, in addition, the capability to bypass the amp section or bypass the pre-amp section; the processor bypass, to my understanding, allows the 7008 to be used as a power amp for two of the channels in a home theater set-up, while still preserving a regular two-channel set up.)

MBL speakers are known for their insensitivity. So this amp is designed to provide plenty of power and current. It will probably be a good match for many speakers. In my 19x11x12 listening area, this amp can provide my 4-ohm, 88dB Krell speakers with lease-breaking levels of sound. But it sounds so musical at any level! I like that it has a convenient headphone jack. What really sold me on this amp is the way it looks. It is one beautiful-looking piece of equipment!

If you like integrated amps like I do, and want to step up to one of the best...well, here you go.