View Full Version : Change of CD player and Preamp
They say trouble comes in threes, well it has for me.
The first to fail was my Mark Levinson ML 28 preamp. After years of faultless performance, it started to distort on the balanced inputs. So it has been replaced with a Levinson ML 26 preamp. This is more versatile, but is not fully balanced.
The second thing to fail is my Mark Levinson ML 360 CD player. The left-hand channel no longer works. It has been replaced with a Simaudio Moon 260D CD player. Can't say it sounds any better than the Levinson machine, but the controls are easier to use. However one thing that does annoy me is entirely cosmetic: The LED display showing the track number and time is red, as is all the power indication LEDs on my other gear, yet on the Moon the power indicator is blue!
The third thing to fail is a wall mounted TV, My partner accidentally switched it off at the mains, and now having switched it back on, it will no longer communicate with the remote, so it is useless. Had it for years, so probably is Nature's way of telling me to update the set - more expense!
Pigmy Pony
19-04-2026, 06:45
Tellies have never been cheaper - 25 years ago a 32" CRT might have set you back about £1,000, (over £2,000 in today's money), but now you have stuff like this:
https://www.google.com/aclk?sa=L&ai=DChsSEwiTpcTrpfmTAxWpl1AGHVVVAq0YACICCAEQHhoCZG c&ae=2&co=1&ase=2&gclid=CjwKCAjw14zPBhAuEiwAP3-Eb704Rs2KAmEKZyYwzipBZj0UrQIHqnSd5QCgFE64aEUBQDvR6 ggj6hoCPjMQAvD_BwE&cid=CAASJeRoIHCTON0wKGdqvgBzm_ud5daqMsP1yFDTIOvCRA rv_B5OGwY&cce=2&category=acrcp_v1_71&sig=AOD64_21vPEm786EiGkCn5LjGu-9lEZqrg&ctype=46&q=&nis=4&ved=2ahUKEwi0ur3rpfmTAxU0dUEAHTeBAwkQ9aACKAB6BAgLE BU&adurl=
Sorry to hear of your electrical woes Barry. Are you going to get the audio gear looked at? Decent kit like yours is probably worth doing.
As for TVs, as Steve suggests, they are cheap as chips these days and seem to get better and better, so probably a nice excuse for an upgrade.
What TV is it?
You might be able to pair the remore with it again.
Sorry to hear of your electrical woes Barry. Are you going to get the audio gear looked at? Decent kit like yours is probably worth doing.
As for TVs, as Steve suggests, they are cheap as chips these days and seem to get better and better, so probably a nice excuse for an upgrade.
Yes I would like to get the gear looked at. I have been recommended a repair agency by Madrigal (Mark Levinson) who might be able to help. It is just a matter of me pulling my finger out to get it done. The CD player is my priority, the preamp less so.
Regarding TVs, we have a second one upstairs, so I'm not without a telly. As you and Steve have said TVs are a lot cheaper these days and the largest size of screen we would want is 50", so not too expensive.
We have gone from this:
https://i.postimg.cc/W4DnMZ8P/P1010076.jpg (https://postimages.org/)
to a new setup:
https://i.postimg.cc/CxT6MmsZ/20260418-203453-1.jpg
(Still hate the blue LED on the CD player!)
Pigmy Pony
20-04-2026, 19:37
"Blue Moon LED, I saw you standing alone" :D
Just get a small piece of black electrical tape over it for a easy fix. It does look a bit prominent, to say the least!
I feel your pain, Barry. I, too have ML kit (a 37 and a 360S with red LEDs) currently paired to a Krell KRC-1 preamp that has two red LED banks but a central blue LED bulb. Effing irritating! So much so that I’m considering moving my Accuphase integrated over from system number two to keep a full bank of reds! The blue one just makes my teeth itch.
Peter
Re servicing the ML CD would a chat with Mark Dolbear in High Wycombe be worthwhile to see if he is still doing repairs? IIRC, he was ML’s presence in the UK in the 90s and his repair work is beautiful.
Re servicing the ML CD would a chat with Mark Dolbear in High Wycombe be worthwhile to see if he is still doing repairs? IIRC, he was ML’s presence in the UK in the 90s and his repair work is beautiful.
Yes, I have used Mark Dolbear in the past, and his work on Mark Levinson gear has been impeccable. Sadly he now longer works on ML gear since Madrigal took over the ML brand, because Madrigal are no longer willing to supply parts for early Levinson products, even those made under Madrigal ownership. You can't blame him - Madrigal have really buggered things up!
hifi_dave
05-05-2026, 16:48
Madrigal were the owners of ML, Proceed and Revel back in the 90s. They later sold out to Harman and the wheels fell off.
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