Mark Levinson № 515 Turntable Preview

For those of you looking for a high end turntable, your search is over. Premium stereo component manufacturer Mark Levinson recently released their $10,000 № 515 Turntable.  The № 515 turntable was designed and built in collaboration with recognized high end audio manufacturer VPI Industries. Although VPI designs and builds exceptional turntables in their own right, this is the first turntable worthy of the Mark Levinson name.

The № 515 is based on a highly damped vinyl-wrapped composite and aluminum sandwich main chassis. The chassis is supported by machined Delrin and Aluminum Mark Levinson feet with a vibration-damping polymer core. The solid aluminum platter rotates on an inverted bearing, which employs a hardened stainless steel shaft spinning in a phosphor bronze bushing for maximum rotational accuracy.

The № 515  also come with a powerful high torque AC synchronous motor that is mounted to a separate vinyl-wrapped composite and aluminum sandwich chassis and housed in its own mechanically isolated enclosure.

VPI Industries and Mark Levinson incorporate a precision-machined pulley and triple belt drive to the № 515 to provide smooth, quiet operation. The custom-designed analog oscillator and discrete class AB power amplifier will deliver power to the synchronous motor. Integrated electronic speed control gives the ability to deliver accurate 33 and 45 RPM operation at the push of a button.

The № 515 also features a gimbal-mounted, 3D-printed tonearm with integral headshell, stainless steel counterweight, and discrete internal cartridge lead routing. The tonearm is mounted to a rigid machined Aluminum arm base featuring a precision calibrated vertical tracking angle with on the fly adjustment. The Mark Levinson “knob inspired” stainless steel record weight and felt platter mat should ensure maximum stability of playback.

The № 515 turntable is shipping now and can come with or without a factory installed moving coil phono cartridge. Retail is $10k for the turntable and an additional $2,500 for the cartridge. This premium turntable is handcrafted in the USA to meet the exacting demands of the engineers and designers at Mark Levinson.

If this product doesn't make you want to dust off your own vinyl collection, we don't know what will. What do you think?

Unless otherwise indicated, this is a preview article for the featured product. A formal review may or may not follow in the future.