Odd comparo upcoming

[AnotherJohnson]

An observation about the 5101 SACD/DAC.

I said early on that in the CJ system, it was significantly louder than the SA-KI Ruby. Those were both hooked up single ended, but level matching required significant differences.

In the ARC system now set up in the Boro, running double ended is WAY loud compared to when it was plugged into its 5805 counterpart. I pulled the XLRs and replaced with RCAs. Still very loud, but better.

The ARC system is handling the TEA2MAX input well though.

I’m going to swap the 5101 for the Ruby and vise versa.

FWIW, the 5101 is finally handling red book CDs as well as it handles SACDs.

I’m planning to set the CJ system back up today and get both systems into a final holding pattern as we wait for the Levinson drama to play out.

[AnotherJohnson]

The 5805 paperwork for the exchange is complete.
The unit is on its way back to Levinson.

No specific knowledge of the date when they’ll be back in stock to ship.

No worries all the same. With the CJ gear back in place, I can wait .

[admin]

Yeah, but I can't!

In all seriousness, I hope the new batch of 5805's are produced so you could have your unit back quickly. I always find it slightly annoying when waiting for a repair/replacement/part for something I want running in my setup.

[AnotherJohnson]

It’s a good problem … what to keep.

Better than the complimentary problem … what to buy.

[AnotherJohnson]

Two weeks into the Levinson service and there is nothing firm forthcoming.

The original prognostication was that the replacement would be sent “soon.”

Soon has now been exchanged for “another couple of weeks.”

CJ and ARC both handled their service requests round trip in 10 and 14 days respectively.

Levinson is at two weeks and counting.

[admin]

Do you think that they are looking to replace the entire unit and are waiting on production or they are backlogged with service repairs?

[AnotherJohnson]

The former is promised.
As Roberto pointed out, Levinson’s not easy to repair. Needs chips. But so does a new one

[AnotherJohnson]

Another week has passed, so about 3.5 weeks since the failure. I talked to my salesman about something else today, and let him bring it up … it came up in the form of a reassurance that “they’ve promised that you’ll get the very next one that comes in.” No ETA though.

[admin]

I can see that being a little frustrating. Next one or not, that could be a week or a year? I'm sure it won't be long, hang in there!

[AnotherJohnson]

In the Fall, I sold the white M126Bes that were to be swapped for walnut “within the next couple of weeks” last Spring. Had I not done this, I’d still be waiting. No walnut or black M126Bes have yet surfaced. Maybe they’re not ordering enough to be close to the front of the queue.

A lot of the supply chain issues seem convoluted and may be incomprehensible.

So … I’m not holding my breath. After a reasonable amount of time has passed, maybe at the end of this month, I’ll open the discussion about refunds or store credits.

I am not inconvenienced by having to wait … but at the same time, it’s a fair chunk of change that I’ve lost the use of with no benefit… at least until this is resolved.

[admin]

I think that's a reasonable way to approach it. If they don't have a unit for you by the end of the month, or perhaps at least a firm date on when you should expect one,... sometimes it's better to bite the bullet. It would be a shame as you seemed to have really enjoyed the sound for that week that it was working properly.

[AnotherJohnson]

It was like a true “death throw.” It sounded so real, it was eerie. I know it’s all relative, but my reference is already quite high. It often sounds like the performance is in the room here … but those sessions before death were like the performers were pouring out their hearts as never before.

Sigh …

I’m quite happy with both the CJ and ARC systems, so it’s not a letdown… but those few last sessions with the 5805 still stand out as among the best.

[roberto]

Well, Levinson is a great product, and also expensive. My experience with many different models, I had a lot of issues with service. First, getting the parts, and them doing the repairs. At the end, I gave up. I lost some money with the brand, and at that time, Harman Kardon was buying the brand.

The sound quality and the parts were expensive too. The design was a modular build kind which was very nice...but to get the spare parts was terrible.

[AnotherJohnson]

The Levinson update:

It has now been five weeks since the 5805 was shipped off to Levinson with the promise of a replacement.

Still no firm date for the return shipment.

Sigh … can’t blame Putin … no tubes in a 5805.

[admin]

It's frustrating that they can't give a "rough estimate." Hang in there maybe it will be soon with a little bit of luck.

[roberto]

I don't want to say, I told this before, but yes, I did. Don't get upset with this. It is the normal behaviour of Mark Levinson products. Mark Glazier was the President of Mark Levinson Company in the 90s. Assisting to the CES at Vegas, I went to the booth of Mark Levison. They were showing the 30 I.P.S. reel to reel tape deck with 1/2 inch two track stereo only. They had the HQD (Hartley 18" woofers, two midrange Quad electrostatic ESL and the famous Decca Ribbon Tweeters.

The sound was nice but they were playing the system too loud, at a point that my ears hurt. I called Mr Glazier to bring down the volume level a little bit down, and he look at us ( my friend and I) with a mean way and he said: you are not a Mark Levinson dealer, please leave the room...so we were fired from the exhibit.

The next year, me had the representation for Costa Rica...and he did not remember the incident because we went to the exhibition again, and he started to say something about his new products, I always was ahead of what he was saying about the new product to us, I ended with what he was going to say what was new, regarding about those Mark Levinson models. He asked me how did I know about all the new features inside the models, and I said, I can be from Costa Rica, but we are well informed of what is going on Mark Levinson. I have a very dear friend, his name is Roch Giustinianni, and he is a crazy audiophile. I have seen things in his house that won't believe me. Through his audio room, I had listen a lot of goods and crazy brands.

Getting back with the service...we had a lot of issues. The product fails a lot. 20 year before, I am reading the same thing that happened to me.

[AnotherJohnson]

It's frustrating that they can't give a "rough estimate." Hang in there maybe it will be soon with a little bit of luck.

Oh, they can give rough estimates all day long.

Soon was the first. 2/23 was next. Then it was “a couple a’ weeks. Today “in a meeting … will get right back to you.”

This is at a fairly high level of Levinson sales, not my dealer.

[AnotherJohnson]

I don't want to say, I told this before, but yes, I did. Don't get upset with this. It is the normal behaviour of Mark Levinson product …

Yes, I agree. It is not new.

The company was literally stolen from Mark. Similar to what happened to Dan D’Agostino at Krell.

Mark Levinson products are part of the Harman Luxury Audio Group, so they’re a “big” corporate entity. No warm fuzzy feeling. But the 5805 sure sang nice when it worked.

I know you don’t care for Krell support either.

McIntosh and their big dealer and service networks are looking good!

[Big Dog RJ]

Had a very similar incident with Levison gear. Somewhere around 98 when I returned from Chicago, there was a customer who was adamant on driving his older Infinity Epsilon speakers with Levinson amps. He specifically wanted the top of the line tower system. So, through a few contacts via our Spore dealer network, we finally placed the order for him. He saved an awful lot thanks to Spore being duty free...

So, the Levinson amps arrived, in two crates, it took three of us to lift each amp since they were heavy and awkward to handle, and within 3hrs it was all ready to go. Later that evening the customer was so delighted that he invited us over for drinks & dinner, obviously leading into the night we all sat round and listened to the impressive Infinity & Levinson combination.

After exactly a year, mid 99, he called us up saying one channel doesn't work, and the other has distorted sound. Neither is listenable, he wants it fixed asap! So, I went down with a few techies, we checked on site and sure enough one of the main boards was burnt out, due to an electrical surge in the house... the other amp also suffered the surge but ended up with a few busted chips and some weak diodes.
We got through to Spore, they sent M-Levinson the parts list required and nearly 6 months later they arrived. After which the amps were repaired and fixed fully functional but the customer didn't want anything to do with Levinson again, and so did we! He ended up ordering a pair of Melos 400w Triode monoblocks that managed to drive both his Infinity's and Maggie's, plus lasted much longer than the Levinson amps... but he sold the Melos and ended up with VTL. The Melos amps had issues as well, and the founder of the company Michael Melos I think, retired and folded up the company. This was around 99/2000, what an early time to fold up I thought. But he had seen that tubes weren't getting popular compared to SS, so he decided to close.

Anyway, two brands of gear I wouldn't touch ( M-Levinson & Melos) unless I was willing to put up with all the hassles...

Cheers, RJ

[AnotherJohnson]

It could have been the Infinities, and not a power surge, that killed the Levinson’s. They’re another speaker that can be extremely hard on an amp.

It was the regular failure of my Krells that led me back to CJ. At least in the case of Krell, I could call and Patrick would give me a return authorization, and Ray would fix them and turn them around quickly.

If you want to run stat panels or ribbons, properly maintained tube amps have been hard to beat, at least up until the current crisis.

Right now McIntosh with power guard may not sound the best … but it will probably play the longest without having to be repaired. And in the US, you’re never too far from a McIntosh authorized service center to drive your gear to the spa for repairs (if you’re strong enough to put them in your vehicle).