Mark Levinson Unveils New 5000 Series Integrated Amps

Mark Levinson is a legendary audio brand with a strong foothold in the luxury audio market. When you buy a Mark Levinson product, you’re paying not only for high-quality engineering, but also for robust build quality and sumptuous finishes, with everything designed and manufactured here in the United States. These are desirable traits to be sure, but they’ll cost you. The least expensive preamp and power amp combination currently on offer from the company will set you back $23,000. Budget-minded millionaires might opt instead for an integrated amp, such as the № 585.5, which sells for “just” $16,000. If you have less than $10k to spare for your amplification needs, you’re out of luck. Or at least, you’re out of luck until the first quarter of 2019, when Mark Levinson will ship its two newest and most affordable integrated amps: the № 5802 ($7,000), and the № 5805 ($8,500). The № 5802 is designed for digital-only audiophiles, while the № 5805 adds analog source capability via fully discrete, direct-coupled, dual-mono class A preamp circuitry, plus a built-in phono stage.

Mark Levinson № 5802 Integrated Amplifier

Mark Levinson’s parent company, Harmon Luxury Audio, chose the recent Rocky Mountain Audio Fest in Denver to unveil the new amps, which were presented by Senior Global Production Manager Terence Dover, and Senior Product & Strategy Director, Jim Garrett.

“The № 5805 and № 5802 were created to deliver all of the performance and quality expected from Mark Levinson, while implementing state-of-the-art features and efficiencies gained from decades of superlative audio engineering and technological advancements.”

- Jim Garrett

Both new amps feature fully discrete PurePath circuitry and dual-mono class A/B amplification, delivering 125 watts into 8Ω. That figure doubles to 250 watts into 4Ω loads — ideal behavior for an amp. The amplifiers are driven by 500+ VA toroidal transformers with individual secondary windings for the left and right channels. The voltage-gain stage was derived from Mark Levinson’s № 534 power amp, which sells for a cool $20,000. Both the № 5802 and № 5805 integrated amps employ two high-speed transistors (which operate in Class A), and six 260-volt, 15A output transistors. Their output stages also include four 10,000-microfarad capacitors per channel. According to Mark Levinson, a pair of Thermal-Trak devices “in a unique configuration” guarantee stable output bias no matter what kind of load is presented to the amp, and regardless of fluctuations in operating temperature.

The № 5802 and № 5805 integrated amps both contain what Mark Levinson calls a “Precision-Link II DAC,” based on a 32-bit ESS Sabre processor chip. The DAC section can handle PCM up to 32 bits/192kHz, and DSD up to 5.6MHz. The DAC can also decode and render MQA files and streams. A bluetooth receiver equipped with AptX HD is on board, though it’s hard to imagine using a smartphone as a source with an amplifier of this caliber. A newly-designed 5000 Series aluminum remote control is included with both amps, while built-in ethernet, RS-232, IR inputs, and 12-volt trigger inputs and outputs allow for integration into home automation systems. (Drivers are available for Crestron, RTI, Control 4, Savant, AMX, and URC.)

The all-digital № 5802 includes six digital audio inputs: one AES (XLR), two coaxial (RCA), two optical (Toslink), and one asynchronous USB. The № 5805 has only four digital inputs: one coaxial, two optical, and one USB. But the № 5805 adds three line-level analog inputs, one balanced and two single-ended. These inputs use custom Mark Levinson XLR and RCA connectors, and each has its own individual signal-switching relays. In addition to the line-level inputs, the № 5805 includes a built-in phono stage with adjustable gain levels and infrasonic filters, and capacitive and resistive load settings. According to Mark Levinson, the newly-designed phono stage features “a hybrid gain topology, mating key discrete components from the acclaimed № 500 series Pure Phono stage with low-noise integrated circuits for high performance at lower cost. A hybrid active/passive RIAA equalizer employs precision resistors and polypropylene capacitors for exceptional accuracy and sonic clarity.” All analog inputs are routed through a patent-pending, fully discrete, direct-coupled, dual-mono preamp circuit, in which a unique, single gain stage is mated to a digitally-controlled resistor network. This design reportedly allows for precise volume adjustment, while maintaining maximum signal integrity and the widest possible bandwidth.

With the new № 5802 and № 5805 integrated amplifiers, Mark Levinson hopes to reach a wider audience by bringing its aspirational sound and build quality down to a (somewhat) more affordable price point.

Has the company succeeded, or is the price of admission still too high? Share your thoughts in the related forum thread below.  

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