Mark Levinson ML-50 Monaural Limited Edition Amplifier Package

No more than one hundred pairs of this powerhouse will be available worldwide, the Mark Levinson ML-50 Monaural Limited Edition Amplifier Package, which Harman Luxury Audio is now presenting for the first time at CES 2022 in Las Vegas, and which is entirely in keeping with the 50th anniversary of the Mark Levinson brand.

Mark Levinson ML-50 Monaural Limited Edition Amplifier Package, already the name suggests that this is a very special, very exquisite solution, which Harman Luxury Audio now presented for the first time at CES 2022 as a new solution of the Mark Levinson brand. It is an exclusive amplifier package consisting of a pair of monaural amplifiers that combine reference-level performance with a premium design.

But what is truly outstanding is that it is a solution offered in a strictly limited edition of no more than 100 pieces worldwide, and is entirely in keeping with the 50th birthday that the Mark Levinson brand is celebrating this year.

Mark Levinson ML-50 – Based on the most important amplifiers in the company’s history

Mark Levinson was founded in 1972 and since then has strived to create world-class audio products that, according to the company, are aimed at passionate audio enthusiasts.

In developing the Mark Levinson ML-50 mono amplifier, the company looks back on some of the most important mono amplifiers in its history, each of which has influenced the design in a particular way.

The Mark Levinson No. 20 power amplifier and its successors, the Mark Levinson No. 20.5 and Mark Levinson No. 20.6, produced between 1986 and 1995, provided the inspiration for the large handles on the front panel of the Mark Levinson ML-50.

The Mark Levinson No. 33 (1994- 2003) and Mark Levinson No. 33H (1997-2007) reference amplifiers gave birth to the idea of the outrigger feet that form the solid foundation for the Mark Levinson ML-50 chassis.

The concept of the glass front panel and red backlit Mark Levinson logo on the new Mark Levinson ML-50 comes from the reference Mark Levinson No. 53 amplifier, which was produced between 2008 and 2019.

And the Mark Levinson No. 536 amplifier, which has been on the market since 2015, is also said to have served as a model for the first-class audio performance of the Mark Levinson ML-50.

The model name Mark Levinson ML-50 itself goes back to the first Mark Levinson power amplifier, namely the Mark Levinson ML-2, which was produced from 1977 to 1986.

Very striking design

The most obvious feature of the new Mark Levinson ML-50 is that on the one hand it has a very solid aluminium housing, but on the other hand the top is adorned with a glass plate that allows a view into the interior.

To enhance the visual effect of this trick, it was decided to install LEDs inside the Mark Levinson ML-50, which let the interior of the amplifier shine either in white or red light.

The front panel of the Mark Levinson ML-50 is of course particularly solid, also made of aluminium, whereby a glass insert is also used here, behind which the red backlit logo of the manufacturer is hidden. Even the standby button of the Mark Levinson ML-50 is made of aluminium and is also equipped with LED illumination, specifically with a red LED light ring.

The central glass panel is flanked by two silver aluminium handles, which are equally striking details of the design, but also serve a practical purpose for transporting the amplifier.

Circuitry optimised in every detail

The new Mark Levinson ML-50 is based on the design of the Mark Levinson No. 536 platform, which has been further improved to achieve even higher performance. Of course, the main focus was on the power supply, whereby the Mark Levinson engineers increased the capacity of the high-voltage supply – voltage amplification and pre-driver circuit – by about 50 per cent from 8,800 uF to 13,200 uF. This resulted in a further reduction in noise floor.

To increase dynamic performance, the main high-current supply was increased in capacitance from 169,200 uF to 206,800 uF, and newly configured Schottky rectifiers were used to provide a lower impedance path from the transformer to the filter caps.

Distortion has been reduced by doubling the bias voltage in the output stage, resulting in more than four times the Class A output. After all, 20 W into 8 ohms are available here purely in Class A.

According to the manufacturer, the new power amplifier from Mark Levinson achieves 425 W in classic Class AB operation on speaker systems with an impedance of 8 ohms.

In addition, Mark Levinson states that the electrical layout of all component boards has been optimised down to the smallest detail, thus achieving the shortest possible signal paths, which in turn leads to a first-class audio performance.

Solid construction of the cabinet

We have already mentioned that no effort was spared in the construction of the enclosure. In addition, the new Mark Levinson ML-50 rests on vibration-damping, mechanically insulating feet that are mounted in all four corners of the enclosure and thus provide it with a clearly defined distance to the ground.

This is essential, as the designers rely on convection cooling via the underside in conjunction with a new dual-channel ventilation system for the top, which relies on solid heat sinks as a central component.

The Mark Levinson ML-50, of course, has advanced protection and monitoring features for reliable operation even under the most demanding conditions.

Solid connectivity

Of course, the new Mark Levinson ML-50 offers all relevant connections, besides inputs and outputs designed as balanced XLR as well as unbalanced RCA sockets, especially massive Mark Levinson Hurricance speaker terminals are available. There are also 12 V trigger connections and an RJ45 socket for integration into control solutions.

“The ML-50 is a tribute to the products and technologies from the last 50 years that have made Mark Levinson one of the most respected brands for uncompromised sound that it is today. With only 100 pairs available worldwide, this amplifier package is an investment in the highest quality luxury audio equipment, on the market.” Jim Garrett, Senior Director, Product Strategy and Planning, Harman Luxury Audio

Pricing and availability

As just noted, there won’t be too many of this solution. For example, the new Mark Levinson ML-50 will not be offered separately, but only in pairs, and only 100 pairs worldwide, so this is called the Mark Levinson ML-50 Monaural Limited Edition Amplifier Package.

The package thus includes two monaural power amplifiers as well as two 3 m mains cables, a microfibre polishing cloth and white gloves for dignified installation. Should one come to enjoy this solution, it will be delivered on a pallet, this information is only given for orientation, so that one can already prepare oneself for it.

However, one still has to be patient, because according to the information currently available, the Mark Levinson ML-50 Monaural Limited Edition Amplifier Package will not be available before the fourth quarter of 2022. For this reason, the manufacturer is not announcing a price at this time.

Getting to the point

The new Mark Levinson ML-50 Monaural Limited Edition Amplifier Package is a statement Harman Luxury Audio is making to mark the 50th anniversary of the Mark Levinson brand. Concentrated power in the massive form of two mono blocks is supposed to be available here, but these are also properly staged, so that one speaks of a true work of art of amplifier technology.