1621A

About the 1621A

The MBL 1621 A Reference CD Transport is a top-loader CD drive designed to deliver unparalleled sound quality, closely resembling live music from classic Red Book CDs. It features a device housing milled from a single block of aluminum and a CD drive mounted on a solid 6 kg sub-chassis made from brass, aluminum, and Terodem, spring-mounted on three points for vibration isolation. The transport includes a heavy stabilizer puck made from brass, aluminum, and magnesium with a dampening coating and rubber rings to ensure firm contact and smooth running of the disc, minimizing vibrations and improving laser read quality. It uses a 3-beam laser with high directional stability and maintenance-free positioning. The drive is protected by an airtight solid cover to block external sound influences and rotational resonances. Power is supplied by a toroidal transformer with advanced shielding, and separate voltage regulators serve each of the ten function groups. The transport outputs digital signals via XLR (AES/EBU) and RCA (S/PDIF) connectors with bandwidths of 40 MHz. It supports standard compact discs with 16-bit resolution, 44.1 kHz sample rate, and EFM modulation. The MBL 1621 A is designed to be paired with the MBL 1611F Reference Digital to Analog Converter for optimal performance. It weighs 26 kg (57 lbs) and measures 480 x 200 x 445 mm (19 x 8 x 17.5 inches).