Mark Levinson No 53 - Any recent experiences??

[AMP]

I needed to make a quick trip up to Phoenix this morning and took the opportunity to stop by my dealer's place and pickup the 53s. Based on the exterior of the amps and their overall heft I'd say that build quality is top notch!

The car is sagging a bit, though

Once I get them hooked up and have some time with them I'll post some impressions.

 

[Bruce B]

I'm surprised Amir hasn't said anything.

 

[amirm]

I'm surprised Amir hasn't said anything.

I was under the impression that he had read what I had to say and didn't want to hear from me anymore .

Just in case he does, the best way I can explain the 53 is that it is the first amp I have heard that seems to have no power limit. A little story . When I first got into boating, I was really concerned about safety. The waters here are very cold and even in summer you can hypothermia and die in just a few minutes! So I would ask every salesman how safe the boat was. I finally got to this boat that I eventually bought and asked the salesman the same question. His answer was, "you will get scared from the waves before the boat does!" And boy was he right. Same with the 53. I have turned it up until it felt like the whole building was going to collapse on top of me but there was zero change in its character. Other powerful amps, including its $20,000 reference ML amp, would give up and cry uncle. Not this one.

I think the explanation is rather simple. In US we have anemic power in our sockets with 110 volts. There just is not enough juice there to fully satisfy the dynamics at the extreme. The 53 is much more efficient than class AB so it is able to put out more power given the same input. The power supply caps fill faster and there is less tendency for distortion to creep in (and or the protection circuit to kick in).

As you may have noted, my evaluation of amps is rather objective . So I can't convey anything about other qualities. I look to them to do what I ask them which is keep getting louder as I turn the volume .

 

[XV-1]

Quite a scathing review of the 53 by M Fremer in this months Stereophile. JA agreed with Fremer.



Hmmm

 

[A.wayne]

Thats because he never used Amir's , "uncle test" ....

 

[rockitman]

Quite a scathing review of the 53 by M Fremer in this months Stereophile. JA agreed with Fremer.

Tight, extended bass and one hour listening time before the fatigue headache sets in...that is what I got from the review. $50k for a switching non linear Class D amp ? No thanks. The Mark Levinson of today under Harmon is a far cry from Levinson/Madrigal labs of yesteryear. I still have a 27.5, 36 and 380s sitting on the sidelines for use someday in a second home..

 

[mep]

The 10kHz square wave looked worse than some tube amps I have seen. This month's SP saw a few pieces under review not getting good reviews and the ML No.53 was certainly one of them.

 

[Bruce B]

The 10kHz square wave looked worse than some tube amps I have seen. This month's SP saw a few pieces under review not getting good reviews and the ML No.53 was certainly one of them.

And the Anthem was even worse than that!

 

[mep]

And the Anthem was even worse than that!

Bruce-You are right, and they trashed that piece as well. For those that love to rank on SP and TAS and say every review is a rave or love affair, read the current issue of SP.

 

[ths61]

Quite a scathing review of the 53 by M Fremer in this months Stereophile. JA agreed with Fremer.
Hmmm

There are a couple of pairs of 53's on Agon for less than half price.

Wonder if this is due in part by the Stereophile review ???

 

[ths61]

...Once I get them hooked up and have some time with them I'll post some impressions.

Any ML 53 demo impressions to share yet ???

Thanks

 

[amirm]

Any ML 53 demo impressions to share yet ???

Thanks

He put his observations in a new thread: http://www.whatsbestforum.com/showthread.php?8171-My-time-with-the-Mark-Levinson-No-53-amps

 

[NorthStar]

-- I am still reading Michael Fremer's review on page 119 from this month's issue of Stereophile.

* The key word here: Long-term listening ...

 

[Tubedoctor]

i had the ML 33 and they need a long time warm up-at least 5 hours- to play good.

 

[Gregadd]

There are a couple of pairs of 53's on Agon for less than half price.

Wonder if this is due in part by the Stereophile review ???

That certainly would be a perversion of the review process. .

 

[ths61]

He put his observations in a new thread: http://www.whatsbestforum.com/showthread.php?8171-My-time-with-the-Mark-Levinson-No-53-amps

Thanks Amir.

 

[amirm]

-- I am still reading Michael Fremer's review on page 119 from this month's issue of Stereophile.

* The key word here: Long-term listening ...

Is it? I ask you to compare two versions of vanilla ice cream. Are you better off comparing them side by side, or having one, then keep eating the other for three months? I don't know about you, but I forget what I typed two seconds ago let alone remember how something very similar to the current specimen sounded like eons ago .

You may be right. Question is, how do we know that relative to it being an excuse to dismiss results that contradict it? When is it an excuse to accept new data vs a factor by itself? And how do we prove the answer is right? I know how to do it in the case of it being an excuse. Don't know how to do the other.

 

[NorthStar]

-- Amir, good morning to you too.

 

[amirm]

-- Amir, good morning to you too.

Sorry, I forgot what I said to you that prompted this. Ask me in a few months.

 

[NorthStar]

Sorry, I forgot what I said to you that prompted this. Ask me in a few months.

It's ok, we all have our moments, and then the sun appears brighter. :b