Mark Levinson N°5105 Turntable – precision meets uncompromising design

Mark Levinson now adds a solution for vinyl lovers to the Mark Levinson 5000 Series, setting the same high standards as the rest of the range. The new Mark Levinson N°5105 Turntable is nothing less than a statement of precision and uncompromising design.

The Mark Levinson 5000 Series, the product range that the US high-end hi-fi manufacturer Mark Levinson presented for the first time at the CES 2019 in Las Vegas at the beginning of last year, is now gradually becoming an extremely flexible, broad-based line. Initially, two stereo integrated amplifiers were available, namely the Mark Levinson N°5805 Integrated Amplifier and Mark Levinson N°5802 Integrated Amplifier. These days, other components will follow, with the focus on amplifiers, namely the Mark Levinson N°5206 Dual Monaural Preamplifier and Mark Levinson N°5302 Bridgeable Dual Monaural Amplifier. As if that were not enough, the Mark Levinson 5000 Series finally offers a source device for the first time, one of the finest in the industry, the new Mark Levinson N°5101 Network Streaming SACD Player and DAC.

This is now followed by another prank, in the form of a record player, the Mark Levinson N°5105 Turntable.

The new Mark Levinson N°5105 Turntable is intended to provide a solution that the manufacturer itself sees as a kind of statement, to the effect that the goals set for the Mark Levinson 5000 Series can also be achieved with a record player. Thus, the solutions of the Mark Levinson 5000 Series are supposed to offer all the outstanding features expected from the US-American high-end hi-fi forge, but at a particularly attractive price. Consequently, Mark Levinson describes the new Mark Levinson N°5105 turntable as a solution where precision engineering meets outstanding manufacturing quality and uncompromising design. The Mark Levinson N°5105 Turntable not only attracts attention due to its visual and acoustic excellence, but also guarantees an exclusive listening experience.

The fact that the same high standards are applied here as with previous solutions is demonstrated by the fact that the new Mark Levinson N°5105 Turntable is based on a solid aluminium base that is almost five centimetres thick and milled from a single glance. In addition, there is also a glass bead blasted, black anodised aluminium front, also around five centimetres thick, into which a tinted glass display has been inserted.

The turntable is also made of solid aluminium and weighs almost 6.5 kg with elaborate damping. It rotates on an axle made of hardened stainless steel in an ultra-precise bearing, according to the manufacturer’s protocol. This bearing relies on a special composite material and a sintered brass bush, making this solution maintenance-free and completely eliminating the need for oil lubrication.

The turntable is driven by an external belt and a 12 V synchronous motor with digital control for precise speed control. It goes without saying that the speed can be selected between 33 and 45 revolutions per minute at the touch of a button.

Once again, aluminium is used for the tonearm suspension, which is a two-axis construction. The 10-inch tonearm tube of the new Mark Levinson N°5105 turntable, on the other hand, is made of carbon fibre, but again ends in an aluminium headshell.

The entire drive rests on adjustable aluminium feet. According to the manufacturer, these are each equipped with an internal spring system made of different materials to guarantee optimum decoupling.

With the new Mark Levinson N°5105 turntable the customer has two options. On the one hand, he can purchase the turntable “naked”, i.e. without a pickup system. On the other hand, the manufacturer also offers the option of choosing a turntable that is ready to play almost immediately, i.e. to purchase a pre-assembled cartridge system ex works. This is a very high-quality model, namely an Ortofon Quintet Black MC cartridge system.

The new Mark Levinson N°5105 turntable measures 438 x 395 x 154 mm and weighs an impressive 34 kg.

“The No5105 turntable is an impressive demonstration of Mark Levinson’s brand claim that music must be heard in its entirety to be enjoyed to the full. It is our statement that our customers are also convinced that analogue music has a warmth and depth that cannot be created synthetically. This is true both in the seclusion of music rooms and increasingly in rooms shared with friends, family and like-minded people.”

Jim Garrett, Senior Director, Product Strategy and Planning, HARMAN Luxury Audio

The new Mark Levinson N°5105 Turntable is now available from specialist retailers. If you decide on the turntable alone, the recommended retail price for this solution is € 6.500,-. However, if you want the version with a pre-installed cartridge system, i.e. the Ortofon Quintet Black MC Cartridge, you will need to budget € 7,300 for this, according to the manufacturer.

Always included is a screw terminal, which is made of aluminium. A plate mat is also included, as well as all utensils for setting up the cartridge, above all a template for optimal alignment of the cartridge system.

Getting to the point

The new Mark Levinson N°5105 turntable is intended to provide a solution that the manufacturer itself sees as a kind of statement, to the effect that the goals set for the Mark Levinson 5000 Series can also be realised in a record player. Thus, the solutions of the Mark Levinson 5000 Series should offer all the outstanding features that one expects from the US-American high-end hi-fi forge, but at a particularly attractive price. Consequently, Mark Levinson describes the new Mark Levinson N°5105 turntable as a solution where precision engineering meets outstanding manufacturing quality and uncompromising design. The Mark Levinson N°5105 Turntable not only attracts attention due to its visual and acoustic excellence, but also guarantees an exclusive listening experience.