I just jumped in to the deep end of the pool.

2

Comments

  • displayname
    displayname Posts: 1,148
    Congrats! Levison gear is pretty solid, especially when you can get it at a good point. I don't think most of their gear is worth it's original retail, but for a solid aftermarket price it's well worth the investment. Generally very quality builds and good parts. The piece should last year for years to come with normal maintenance.
    Analog: MoFi MasterTracker > MoFi UltraDeck > Sutherland 20/20
    Digital: Cambridge CXC / Streaming > Cambridge CXN v2
    MastersounD Dueventi > Rosso Fiorentino Certaldo or Arcam rHead > Hifiman HE4XX
    Discogs
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  • BlueBirdMusic
    BlueBirdMusic Posts: 2,281
    Super looking Bad A$$ amp. Should have its own wheels.
    "Sometimes you have to look to the past to understand where you are going in the future"

    Anger is just anger. It isn’t good. It isn’t bad. It just is. What you do with it is what matters.
    You can use it to build or to destroy. You just have to make the choice.     Jim Butcher




    Harry / Marietta GA
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  • JayMX
    JayMX Posts: 446
    Nice! I put a little heart on that one on KSL too, even though it’s a little (a lot - my wife would kill me....) outta my range! Glad you were able to land it at a good price!! Someday when you have time I still hope you can run through my B&K. Enjoy!
    Current Collection: Monitor 4a (Peerless), Monitor 5B (Peerless), Modified Monitor 7b (Peerless), RTA15TL (SL3000), SDA CRS+ (194’s), SDA SRS 2.3TL, R100's, R200’s, R300 🤩
    Pairs that have passed through: Monitor 4b (Peerless), Monitor 5a (Peerless), Monitor 5b (SL1000), Monitor 5b (SL2000) (4x pair), Monitor 7b (Peerless), Modified Monitor 7c’s (194’s), Monitor 10a (Peerless), Monitor 10b (5x pair), RTA8, RTA8TL, RTA 11T, RTA12c (194's), SDA CRS, SDA 2 (2x pair), SDA 2a, SDA 2b, SDA 1b, SDA 1c, SDA SRS 2 (2x pair), SDA SRS 3.1TL (198’s) (2x pair)...and more to come, it’s a sickness.
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  • Joey_V
    Joey_V Posts: 8,552
    Congrats!

    So how goes it sound?
    Magico M2, JL113v2x2, EMM, ARC Ref 10 Line, ARC Ref 10 Phono, VPIx2, Lyra Etna, Airtight Opus1, Boulder, AQ Wel&Wild, SRA Scuttle Rack, BlueSound+LPS, Thorens 124DD+124SPU, Sennheiser, Metaxas R2R
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  • TEAforONE
    TEAforONE Posts: 1,026
    Wow! That is a beautiful amp. Congratulations,and good luck with it.
    See my profile for list of gear.
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  • SCompRacer
    SCompRacer Posts: 8,496
    Way kewl! Congrats!

    S'mores. :)
    Salk SoundScape 8's * Audio Research Reference 3 * Bottlehead Eros Phono * Park's Audio Budgie SUT * Krell KSA-250 * Harmonic Technology Pro 9+ * Signature Series Sonore Music Server w/Deux PS * Roon * Gustard R26 DAC / Singxer SU-6 DDC * Heavy Plinth Lenco L75 Idler Drive * AA MG-1 Linear Air Bearing Arm * AT33PTG/II & Denon 103R * Richard Gray 600S * NHT B-12d subs * GIK Acoustic Treatments * Sennheiser HD650 *
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  • voltz
    voltz Posts: 5,384
    yes I so happy for you :) Rock on and let us know how you like it...

    I am sold on my Modwright...have always love looking and dreaming about your amp! and I paid about double for mine ;)
    2 ch- Polk CRS+ * Vincent SA-31MK Preamp * Vincent Sp-331 Amp * Marantz SA8005 SACD * Project Xperience Classic TT * Sumiko Blue Point #2 MC cartridge

    HT - Polk 703's * NAD T-758 * Adcom 5503 * Oppo 103 * Samsung 60" series 8 LCD
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  • daddyjt
    daddyjt Posts: 2,505
    I had my son help me get this behemoth out of the box, and on the bench today. Popped the covers and took a look....

    the refresh on this thing is going to take a LONG time - it is built like a jigsaw puzzle, and appears to be massively overbuilt at every turn. As I poke around in this thing, I keep thinking “100 wpc...” riiiight.
    
    Here are are a few nudies. Rolling this thing around on the bench takes planning and muscle.
    
    I plan to hook it up to the modest system I have running right now early this week.
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    "Conservative Libertarians love the country, progressive leftists love the government." - Andrew Wilkow


    “Human beings are born with different capacities. If they are free, they are not equal. And if they are equal, they are not free.”
    ― Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn

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  • Mikey081057
    Mikey081057 Posts: 7,127
    Congrats... A Mark Lev is on my short list too....
    My New Year's resolution is 3840 × 2160

    Family Room| Marantz AV7704| Usher Dancer Mini - 2 DMD Mains |Usher Dancer Mini-x DMD's Surrounds | Usher BE-616 DMD Center | SVS Ultra Rear Surrounds | Parasound Halo A21 | Parsound Halo A52+ | MIT Shotgun S3's | Dual SVS SB 4000 Ultras | Oppo UDP 203 | Directv Genie HD DVR | Samsung 75" Q8 QLED | PSAudio Stellar GCD | Mytek Brooklyn DAC+ | Lumin U1 Mini | HP Elite Slice PC | ROON'd for life |

    ManCave: HT:Polk LSiM 706VR3 LSiM 703's LSiM 702's|| Marantz AV7002 AV PrePro Sunfire TGA-7401| Sony PS4 Pro| Sony PS4 Pro|SVS PB13 Ultra| Oppo UDP 203 | Music Hall MMF 5.3se TT w/ Soundsmith Carmen | Samsung 55" SUHD TV | Sony PS4

    Patio | Polk Atrium 8's | Yamaha R-N303BL |

    Office BlueSound Node| KEF LS50 | Peactree Nova 125SE |

    Bedroom | Focal 905's | Chromecast Audio |

    Garage | Polk Monitor 5B's

    Closet Yamaha M80 | 2 Polk MP3K subs| Yaqin MC100B with Shuguang Treasures KT 88's & CV181Z's | Tesla E83CC's | Marantz 2252B | Marantz 2385 |Polk SDA SRS 2.3 | LSiM 705's |
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  • sucks2beme
    sucks2beme Posts: 5,601
    my back hurts just looking at it.
    "The legitimate powers of government extend to such acts only as are injurious to others. But it does me no injury for my neighbour to say there are twenty gods, or no god. It neither picks my pocket nor breaks my leg." --Thomas Jefferson
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  • nooshinjohn
    nooshinjohn Posts: 25,414
    sucks2beme wrote: »
    my back hurts just looking at it.
    Lol... they are famously and massively overbuilt. No expense spared in any aspect of that chassis.
    The Gear... Carver "Statement" Mono-blocks, Mcintosh C2300 Arcam AVR20, Oppo UDP-203 4K Blu-ray player, Sony XBR70x850B 4k, Polk Audio Legend L800 with height modules, L400 Center Channel Polk audio AB800 "in-wall" surrounds. Marantz MM7025 stereo amp. Simaudio Moon 680d DSD

    “When once a Republic is corrupted, there is no possibility of remedying any of the growing evils but by removing the corruption and restoring its lost principles; every other correction is either useless or a new evil.”— Thomas Jefferson
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  • ZLTFUL
    ZLTFUL Posts: 5,648
    maxresdefault.jpg
    "Some people find it easier to be conceited rather than correct."

    "Unwad those panties and have a good time man. We're all here to help each other, no matter how it might appear." DSkip
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  • DarqueKnight
    DarqueKnight Posts: 6,765
    edited June 2019
    pitdogg2 wrote: »
    I've been watching this one for giggles. WAY WAY out of my price range and league. Heck I'd prolly need a whole new breaker panel and incoming service to support such a beast.


    https://www.ebay.com/itm/Mark-Levinson-No336-flagship-amplifier-Just-Completely-serviced/223365248468?ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT&_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649

    Interesting combo...Mark Levinson power amp and (what appears to be) Monster Cable Z2 Reference speaker cables. This isn't a dig at MC, as I own multiple pairs of MC Z2 and Z3 Reference speaker cables. I just would have expected a higher quality of wire to be used with this amp:

    fbrznf04cqlp.jpg

    Proud and loyal citizen of the Digital Domain and Solid State Country!
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  • nooshinjohn
    nooshinjohn Posts: 25,414
    Come on Raiffe… everyone knows wires have no bearing on sound reproduction. It's all just snake oil. ;):*o:)
    The Gear... Carver "Statement" Mono-blocks, Mcintosh C2300 Arcam AVR20, Oppo UDP-203 4K Blu-ray player, Sony XBR70x850B 4k, Polk Audio Legend L800 with height modules, L400 Center Channel Polk audio AB800 "in-wall" surrounds. Marantz MM7025 stereo amp. Simaudio Moon 680d DSD

    “When once a Republic is corrupted, there is no possibility of remedying any of the growing evils but by removing the corruption and restoring its lost principles; every other correction is either useless or a new evil.”— Thomas Jefferson
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  • DarqueKnight
    DarqueKnight Posts: 6,765
    edited June 2019
    The same "everyone" says all amps sound alike. Therefore there is no need for the expense of a Levinson, or any other audiophile brand amp. Just buy a "pro" amp and invest the difference in high quality speakers, where the differences among speakers are easily discerned while wearing blindfolds and/or listening to speakers placed behind curtains.
    Proud and loyal citizen of the Digital Domain and Solid State Country!
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  • pitdogg2
    pitdogg2 Posts: 25,441
    See Raife I knew you'd come around ….. :D:D:D
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  • audioluvr
    audioluvr Posts: 5,582
    nooshinjohn wrote: »
    Come on Raiffe… everyone knows wires have no bearing on sound reproduction. It's all just snake oil. ;):*o:)

    So true! Moved my MC Z2 references to the closet of shame simply because my Wireworlds are WAY prettier!
    Gustard X26 Pro DAC
    Belles 21A Pre modded with Mundorf Supreme caps
    B&K M200 Sonata monoblocks refreshed and upgraded
    Polk SDA 1C's modded / 1000Va Dreadnaught
    Wireworld Silver Eclipse IC's and speaker cables
    Harman Kardon T65C w/Grado Gold. (Don't laugh. It sounds great!)

    There is about a 5% genetic difference between apes and men …but that difference is the difference between throwing your own poo when you are annoyed …and Einstein, Shakespeare and Miss January. by Dr. Sardonicus
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  • daddyjt
    daddyjt Posts: 2,505
    I’ve had this in my “system” for a few days now, and have resisted this post for two reasons.

    First, I am not particularly proud of the location or configuration of my system at the moment. I am in the process of finishing the basement, and between the work zone in one half, and all my stuff being stored in the other half, the options for even the modest system I have set up are extremely limited. So please, no “system shaming”, lol - I know that it is violating virtually all the rules of good sound. That said, it’s what I have at the moment, AND it doesn’t sound half bad...

    Second, I am completely blown away by the sound of the Levinson. Completely. What gives me pause, is trying to put what I hear into words. I am not fluent with the audio superlatives, but what I have come up with is the following: There seems to be an incredible amount of “space” between the sounds. I’m not talking about instruments and sound stage (although there are improvements there too), but more the actual sounds - I would describe it as a lack of “compression”, but I never felt the sound compressed before, even with the McCormack. Everything seems open. Next, I’ve noticed that it’s almost impossible to perceive the music as too loud, regardless of how high the volume is. I know that must sound ridiculous, but as I turn the volume up, I never seem the reach the point where I think “I better turn this down”. The last thing I’ve notice thus far, is what I can only describe as a “rounding off” of the sharp edges. HOWEVER, I have to qualify that there is NO LOSS of detail whatsoever. I know that sounds like a contradiction, but that’s the best way I can describe it. Everything seems a bit “smoother”, yet ever so slightly more detailed. The combination is downright intoxicating.

    Currently, my modest system consists of an Oppo 105 running 192/24 high resolution discs and FLAC, into a modified Carver C1 preamp, then to the Mark Levinson 331, and finally to NHT 2.5i speakers (and a Velodyne DD18). Speaker cables are MIT Shotgun S1, and interconnects are Signal Cable.

    Here’s the setup, and remember, no shaming:-)

    8v2v6bniahcw.jpeg
    "Conservative Libertarians love the country, progressive leftists love the government." - Andrew Wilkow


    “Human beings are born with different capacities. If they are free, they are not equal. And if they are equal, they are not free.”
    ― Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn

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  • BlueFox
    BlueFox Posts: 15,251
    Yes. Good gear works everywhere. Let us know how it sounds when finished.
    Lumin X1 file player, Westminster Labs interconnect cable
    Sony XA-5400ES SACD; Pass XP-22 pre; X600.5 amps
    Magico S5 MKII Mcast Rose speakers; SPOD spikes

    Shunyata Triton v3/Typhon QR on source, Denali 2000 (2) on amps
    Shunyata Sigma XLR analog ICs, Sigma speaker cables
    Shunyata Sigma HC (2), Sigma Analog, Sigma Digital, Z Anaconda (3) power cables

    Mapleshade Samson V.3 four shelf solid maple rack, Micropoint brass footers
    Three 20 amp circuits.
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  • kharp1
    kharp1 Posts: 3,453
    HUGE!
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  • Clipdat
    Clipdat Posts: 12,934
    edited July 2019
    daddyjt wrote: »
    Next, I’ve noticed that it’s almost impossible to perceive the music as too loud, regardless of how high the volume is. I know that must sound ridiculous, but as I turn the volume up, I never seem the reach the point where I think “I better turn this down”.

    The last thing I’ve notice thus far, is what I can only describe as a “rounding off” of the sharp edges. HOWEVER, I have to qualify that there is NO LOSS of detail whatsoever. I know that sounds like a contradiction, but that’s the best way I can describe it. Everything seems a bit “smoother”, yet ever so slightly more detailed. The combination is downright intoxicating.

    I thought you did a great job of describing these two attributes/characteristics. I'm familiar with and have heard both of these things you mentioned.
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  • GlennDog
    GlennDog Posts: 3,120
    Congrats JT!
    Imagine how sweet it'll sound when you get everything set up (mo betta! ) optimally
    AC Regenerator PS Audio PerfectWave Power Plant 10
    Source Lumin U1 Mini into Lampizator Baltic 4 DAC
    Pre Cary SLP-05
    Power Rogue M180 Dark monos
    Mains Salk HT2-TL
    Rythmik F12
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  • verb
    verb Posts: 10,176
    Dang dude @daddyjt that's a lot of ammo boxes! Love it! :smile:
    Basement: Polk SDA SRS 1.2tl's, Cary SLP-05 Pre with ultimate upgrade,McIntosh MCD301 CD/SACD player, Northstar Designs Excelsio DAC, Cambridge 851N streamer, McIntosh MC300 Amp, Silnote Morpheus Ref2, Series2 Digital Cables, Silnote Morpheus Ref2 Series2 XLR's, Furman 15PFi Power Conditioner, Pangea Power Cables, MIT Shotgun S3 IC's, MIT Shotgun S1 Bi-Wire speaker cables
    Office: PC, EAR Acute CD Player, EAR 834L Pre, Northstar Designs Intenso DAC, Antique Sound Labs AV8 Monoblocks, Denon UDR-F10 Cassette, Acoustic Technologies Classic FR Speakers, SVS SB12 Plus sub, MIT AVt2 speaker cables, IFI Purifier2, AQ Cinnamon USB cable, Groneberg Quatro Reference IC's
    Spare Room: Dayens Ampino Integrated Amp, Tjoeb 99 tube CD player (modified Marantz CD-38), Analysis Plus Oval 9's, Zu Jumpers, AudioEngine B1 Streamer, Klipsch RB-61 v2, SVS PB1000 sub, Blue Jeans RCA IC's, Shunyata Hydra 8 Power Conditioner
    Living Room: Peachtree Nova Integrated, Cambridge CXN v2 Streamer, Rotel RCD-1072 CD player, Furman 15PFi Power Conditioner, Polk RT265 In Wall Speakers, Polk DSW Pro 660wi sub
    Garage #1: Cambridge Audio 640A Integrated Amp, Project Box-E BT Streamer, Polk Tsi200 Bookies, Douglas Speaker Cables, Shunyata Power Conditioner
    Garage #2: Cambridge Audio EVO150 Integrated Amplifier, Polk L200's, Analysis Plus Silver Oval 2 Speaker Cables, IC's TBD.
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  • EndersShadow
    EndersShadow Posts: 17,590
    verb wrote: »
    Dang dude @daddyjt that's not nearly enoughammo boxes! Love it! :smile:

    Fixed it for ya :wink:
    "....not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted." William Bruce Cameron, Informal Sociology: A Casual Introduction to Sociological Thinking (1963)
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  • dromunds
    dromunds Posts: 10,009
    Whoa!!!!! Now that's an amp
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  • pglbook
    pglbook Posts: 2,222
    Congrats, daddyjt, and great description of what you are hearing with your new amp. Quality in (design, build, detail, etc.) = quality out. It definitely sounds like an endgame piece. Enjoy!
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  • daddyjt
    daddyjt Posts: 2,505
    verb wrote: »
    Dang dude @daddyjt that's a lot of ammo boxes! Love it! :smile:

    Lol - yea, I went through an ammo buying phase for a few years. When we moved to Utah 3 years ago, I had to bring the ammo down in two trips, due to weight. Here’s what it looked like on one of the trips...

    no3nvce7xafu.jpeg
    "Conservative Libertarians love the country, progressive leftists love the government." - Andrew Wilkow


    “Human beings are born with different capacities. If they are free, they are not equal. And if they are equal, they are not free.”
    ― Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn

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  • daddyjt
    daddyjt Posts: 2,505
    Thanks for the positive comments guys - this is definitely uncharted territory for me!

    I am even considering a *gasp* tube preamp!
    "Conservative Libertarians love the country, progressive leftists love the government." - Andrew Wilkow


    “Human beings are born with different capacities. If they are free, they are not equal. And if they are equal, they are not free.”
    ― Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn

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  • pitdogg2
    pitdogg2 Posts: 25,441
    it's shocking how heavy those little boxes can be...
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  • halo
    halo Posts: 5,616
    pitdogg2 wrote: »
    it's shocking how heavy those little boxes can be...

    Full Metal Jacket(s) >:)
    Audio: Polk S15 * Polk S35 * Polk S10 * SVS SB-1000 Pro
    HT: Samsung QN90B * Marantz NR1510 * Panasonic DMP-BDT220 * Roku Ultra LT * APC H10
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