{"id":10305,"date":"2013-05-14T18:26:19","date_gmt":"2013-05-14T16:26:19","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/?p=10305"},"modified":"2021-08-29T10:26:12","modified_gmt":"2021-08-29T08:26:12","slug":"cd-mechanism-masterpieces-mark-levinson","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/classics\/digital-classics\/cd-mechanism-masterpieces-mark-levinson\/","title":{"rendered":"CD Mechanism Masterpieces – Mark Levinson"},"content":{"rendered":"

For the longest time, Mark Levinson was the epitome of high end, and to this day, their products hold their own<\/h2>\n

Mark Levinson no.390S<\/h3>\n

2000
\nRetail price approximately 10.000 euro in 2000<\/p>\n

\"Levinson<\/p>\n

For me, this is the best sounding CD player to date. It may not be the most accurate, not the most lightning-fast player ever, but it succeeds in combining many traits like a full tonality with deep and powerful bass with a believable, acoustical midrange and smooth, fluid treble, wrapping all that into a room-filling soundfield to make a musically very satisfying player. It also doesn’t punish you for playing less than perfect recordings. Add to that a super-slick, fast yet smoothly and silently operating drawer and you’ll understand why I love this player so much.<\/p>\n

Quick Impression<\/a><\/p>\n

\"levinson<\/p>\n

\"levinson-390s-inside-img_0097_550pix\"<\/p>\n

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\"levinson-39-inside-img_0099_550pix\"<\/p>\n

The Philips CD-Pro module is mounted in a proprietary all-metal loading mechanism.<\/p>\n

\"levinson-39-inside-img_0101_550pix\"<\/p>\n

The proprietary loader mechanism is the best I have seen so far: smooth, quick and precise.<\/p>\n

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See also the The almost complete Philips CDM range of CD Mechanisms<\/a> for lots more info about the CD Pro module<\/p>\n

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Mark Levinson no.37<\/h3>\n

1997
\nRetail price approximately 6500 euro<\/p>\n

\"Taiko<\/p>\n

The Mark Levinson 37 is a transport-only version of the 39, which is the predecessor of the 390S as described above. Note that the 37\u2019s digital output circuit might be different from that of the 390s. Also note that the 37 was originally fitted with a CDM12 IND CD mechanism and later production runs may have been fitted with a CD-Pro mechanism. The 390S has always had a CD-Pro mechanism.<\/p>\n

Said by Stereophile to sound even better than the no.31 transport but apparently the 31.5 reference transport restored its status as master of transports. Still, I am not a fan of separate transports and DACs due to the degradation going on over the S\/PDIF or AES\/EBU connection.<\/p>\n

Interestingly, the 37 sounded much more upbeat and articulate than my 390S prior to its capacitor replacement. After it was brought back up to spec, the 390S (with original transport) sounded much more lively, but still, the 37 beat it in those areas. When I purchased another 390S after selling my first player and regretting it afterwards, I had it restored, and also had its transport replaced. When I listened to it even straight from cold, I was stunned to find that this particular 390S when used as a transport sounded even better than the 37!<\/p>\n

It was at once fast, articulate and dynamic, but also timbrally full and more fluid than then 37. When I asked the repair shop how two 390\u2019s could sound so different I was informed that small differences will always exist. Oh, how we continue to be amazed in the interesting world of high end audio.<\/p>\n

\"levinson-37-transp-big_550pix\"<\/p>\n

\"390s<\/p>\n

Above: 390S CD player and 360S DAC. The latter uses 4 PCM1704\u00a0multibit DAC chips while the 390S CD player uses 2\u00a0AD1853 chips, which are Delta\/Sigma chips, so essentially bitstream units. Naturally Levinson did not pick just any 1-bit DAC but opted for a special hybrid multibit Delta Sigma design.<\/p>\n

\"levinson-37-transport_550pix\"<\/p>\n

See also the The almost complete Philips CDM range of CD Mechanisms<\/a> for lots more info about the CDM12 IND module<\/p>\n

\n

Mark Levinson no.31<\/h3>\n

1992
\nRetail price 8495USD<\/p>\n

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\"levinson-31-transport-open-klep_550pix\"<\/p>\n

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When it was introduced, the 31 amazed even the most seasoned listeners. Stereophile’s John Atkinson was so smitten with it that he purchased the review sample and Robert Harley found it to be vastly superior to every other transport he auditioned while also revealing just how weak a link the transport has been in terms of digital playback musicality. He added that even processors with very good input receivers and low jitter had their sound transformed by the No.31.<\/p>\n

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Based on a modified Philips CDM 4 industrial mechanism, the 31 is not just a pretty case around a standard CD mechanism – there are two independent power supplies, one feeding the microprocessor and filter, the other feeding the servos. Additional regulation is done downstream, precisely where needed.<\/p>\n

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The CDM4 assembly is encased in a lead sandwich and suspended on springs inside another lead assembly that itself sits on large foam-filled springs to make for a double-springed contraption. This assembly alone weighs 4KG!<\/p>\n

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The large lid meets a rubber ring surrounding the plate covering the transport mechanism, forming an acoustically isolated disc-playback chamber. This is said to not only provide a pitch-black environment for the optical system but also to prevent sound waves from reaching the disc which in turn is said to vastly improve the reading precision.<\/p>\n

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Below are the No.31’s two main boards: the SVO-31 Servo- and Digital Output board, and the CPU-31 Control board.<\/p>\n

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The digital output stage uses a mil-spec, temperature-compensated crystal oscillator. A pulse transformer couples the S\/PDIF digital signal to the final output jacks. Although this is a common technique, Madrigal uses an unusual trick to optimize the transformer’s performance. A DC voltage biases the transformer on all the time so that the digital signal doesn’t cross the ground transition. The reason why is unknown to me but the company says it found that this technique greatly improved the transformer’s performance.<\/p>\n

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The 31’s successor the 31.5 would offer improvements in various fields and it claimed “Reference Status” right until it was finally discontinued. Apart from the change from CDM4 IND to CDM12 IND, the 31.5 also improved on its forebear by offering whisper-quiet operation of the lid whereas the 31’s lid made a relatively loud grinding noise when opening and closing. Another notable improvement was the Crystal Oscillator that would now be mounted on a separate PCB and suspended from rubber belts.<\/p>\n

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See also the The almost complete Philips CDM range of CD Mechanisms<\/a> for lots more info about the CDM4 IND module<\/p>\n

\n

Mark Levinson no.31.5<\/h3>\n

1996
\nRetail price 15.750 euro<\/p>\n

\"levinson-315-333_550pix\"<\/p>\n

The No.31.5 was an undisputed and long-standing reference in several important audio magazines. When the more affordable 37 was launched after the introduction of the 31.5’s forebear the 31, it was said to actually sound better… Mark Levinson addressed this with the 31.5 which, was agreed by reviewers to again outperform the 37.<\/p>\n

The 31.5 has the same massive construction as its forebear but adds a floating crystal oscillator (suspended from rubber bands) and a change of CD mechanism, from the swing-arm CDM4 IND to a linear-tracking CDM12.4 IND. The core of this transport is comparable to the CDM12IND or CDPro mechanism used in the 37, 39, and 390S but with a more robust-looking spindle\/CD turntable similar to what was used with the CDM4. Of course, as with the 31, the transport assembly is sandwiched in lead and encased in another lead construction, suspended on springs.<\/p>\n

Loading a CD is very much a manual process akin to putting an LP on a turntable, but the 31.5’s lid does open super-smoothly at the touch of a button with a high torque motor. Unlike with the 31, the lid motor is whisper-quiet which greatly adds to the sense of luxury.<\/p>\n

\"levinson-31-transport-front-panel_550pix\"<\/p>\n

\"levinson-31-transport-rear_550pix\"<\/p>\n

A bit disappointing for me is the need to manually apply a puck on top of the CD, which, given the company’s brilliance, really shouldn’t be neccesary. Surely Levinson could also have incorporated the puck into the lid. Take the simple Rega players such as Planet and Jupiter or the certain Ayon models<\/a> as examples. What’s also annoying is that the damping layer of the puck creates a temporary vacuum seal that makes the CD stick just long enough to it to cause one to drop it along the way when removing it. Incidentally, the exact same happens with the Jay’s Audio CDT-2Mk2<\/a> which uses a puck that is obviously inspired by the Mark Levinson’s.<\/p>\n

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Above: Jay’s Audio CDT-2Mk2 damper\/puck, clearly inspired by (read: copied from) the Levinson original.<\/p>\n

\"levinson-31-5-transport-100524110300847776095825_550pix\"<\/p>\n

\"levinson-31-transport-inside_550pix\"<\/p>\n

31.5 inside: a marvel of technology. Underneath the transport mechanism, you can see the servo\/output board and the main control board. The left and right wings contain power supplies and pre-regulation stages.<\/p>\n

\"levinson-31-5-g_550pix\"<\/p>\n

Above: note the plastic spindle\/CD turntable, which does not look like the CDM12 IND and actually more like a CDPro, albeit with the optional milled aluminum centering hub, rather than the more commonly seen standard plastic hub.<\/p>\n

Since the original mechanism is pin-compatible with the later CDPro models, this player has probably been fitted with a replacement mechanism. Or maybe there was some variance in the production run of the CDM12 IND, and, thus, in the No.31. Or maybe, and this is probably most likely, there was variance in the mechanisms used in the Mark Levinson production run.<\/p>\n

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\"levinson-31-transport-button-panel_550pix\"<\/p>\n

Precision machined aluminum buttons<\/p>\n

\"levinson-31-transport-digital-output-board_550pix\"<\/p>\n

Digital output board with the clock part floating off rubbers – I love this kind of attention to detail!<\/p>\n

\"levinson-31-transport-disc-transport_550pix\"<\/p>\n

Philips CDM12 Industrial, the core of which is the same as used in the 37 CD transport. The version in the 31.5, however, is sandwiched in lead and has an outer lead casing surrounding it. Also, note the fully metal CD turntable, similar to the one normally found on CDM4 drives, as is standard for the CDM12 IND but was replaced with a cheap plastic part in the later CD Pro series.<\/p>\n

\"levinson-31-transport-disc-transport-bottom-philips-print_550pix\"<\/p>\n

The underside of the CDM12 mechanism. Eagle-eyed viewers may notice the TDA1305t DAC chip. This is integrated by Philips as standard but is, of course, not used by Mark Levinson.<\/p>\n

See also the The almost complete Philips CDM range of CD Mechanisms<\/a> for lots more info about the CDM12 IND module<\/p>\n

Ahhh, the good old days, when transports used to be over-engineered. How I miss those times! Even if a Meridian 808.3<\/a> looks the part and sounds marvelous, I feel that its plastic drawer detracts from the pride of ownership. I prefer a solidly made, smoothly working mechanism over a standard CD ROM any time.<\/p>\n

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More CD Mechanism Masterpieces<\/h3>\n

Accuphase<\/a>
\nBurmester<\/a>
\nKrell<\/a>
\nLinn<\/a>
\nMeridian<\/a>
\nMarantz<\/a>
\nPioneer<\/a>
\nSony<\/a>
\nTeac\/Esoteric<\/a>
\nWadia<\/a><\/p>\n

Read Also<\/h3>\n

The almost Complete CDM range of\u00a0CD Mechanisms
\n<\/a>Inside Pics of classic Philips and Marantz CD players<\/a>
\nClassic Philips and Marantz CD players compared
\n<\/a>Marantz DAC and Transport List<\/a>
\nPhilips DAC and Transport List<\/a>
\n<\/a>Marantz timeline
\n<\/a>Philips timeline
\n<\/a>Wadia Digital Company Special<\/a><\/p>\n

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