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Thread: My CD player's twice as good as Jesus

  1. #1
    Join Date: Nov 2020

    Location: Leics

    Posts: 207
    I'm David.

    Default My CD player's twice as good as Jesus

    So the Mark Levinson 390 has risen from the dead for the SECOND time !!

    I got some great advice from this forum a few years back when it's right channel would intermittently cut out after anything between 45 mins and three hours. Ultimately nothing helped and after several weeks it was playing solely through the left side.
    I took it to two specialists recommended here but neither felt it worth investigating further after brief checks failed to identify the issue unless I was a lottery winner. Neither charged, which was incredibly kind.

    I kept it in the rack as I love the look of it. It's beautifully made and I genuinely get a thrill from just watching the paper thin drawer sliding silently and majestically in and out. (anyone else get bored during lockdown ?). During that time I decided to hook it up again on the off chance a miracle had occured, and it turned out that was the case.
    I got a good few months more out of it working perfectly before the issue reared it's head again, so back to the Audiolab which isn't a great hardship despite costing 1/20th of the price.

    Last week I tried it again, and Praise The Lord (for it is He) !!

    This is day five. Dunno how long it's gonna last, but blimey it's sounding sooooooooooo good.

    Sweepstake, anyone ?
    Mark Levinson 390 CD / Croft 25RS Special Preamp / Croft 7R mono Amps / Neat Ultimatum XLS Speakers

  2. #2
    Join Date: Aug 2009

    Location: Staffordshire, England

    Posts: 37,774
    I'm Martin.

    Default

    You know I've had that happen to me and I read somewhere what the technical reason is why they can (briefly) come back from the dead - but I don't recall what it was now.

    I think it is to do with solder joints or the circuit board tracks.
    Current Lash Up:

    TEAC VRDS 701T > Sony TAE1000ESD > Krell KSA50S > JM Labs Focal Electra 926.

  3. #3
    Join Date: Jan 2009

    Location: Essex

    Posts: 31,848
    I'm openingabottleofwine.

    Default

    I use a Levinson 390s player (along with other ML electronics), and have to say that despite the hype, ML gear is not as reliable as one would like. I had a ML preamp which developed a fault. It took about two years, during which it was sent back to the US for ML specialists (Madrigal were not interested in repairing it) to have a look at it and eventually fix the problem.

    https://theartofsound.net/forum/show...=Mark+Levinson

    Unfortunately Mark of the High End Workshop is no longer interested in servicing/reparing ML gear, owing to problems in obtaining spare parts, though he might still do the odd 'one off'. So I would suggest you either contact Karma AV (https://karma-av.co.uk/service/) or Fanthorpes Hi Fi (https://www.fanthorpes.co.uk/service-repairs/).

    Let us know how you get on.
    Last edited by Barry; 02-10-2022 at 20:25. Reason: spelling
    Barry

  4. #4
    Join Date: Nov 2020

    Location: Leics

    Posts: 207
    I'm David.

    Default

    It definitely adds an element of jeopardy to the listening experience.
    Currently listening to The Concretes (think a melancholy Pogues fronted by a medicated Bjork, singing pop songs), an album I know well but now with a piano line I've never picked up before.
    Mark Levinson 390 CD / Croft 25RS Special Preamp / Croft 7R mono Amps / Neat Ultimatum XLS Speakers

  5. #5
    Join Date: Nov 2020

    Location: Leics

    Posts: 207
    I'm David.

    Default

    Hey, thanks Barry. I bought it second hand probably a decade ago so really can't complain and due to reduced circumstances wouldn't consider paying big bucks for a third revival.
    I'll see how long this incarnation lasts and will keep your suggestion handy. If I do go through the repair process I'll be sure to let you know.
    So far this time I've been running it as a transport only through a Soncoz Dac but if I get a couple of months out of it I'll try the internal DAC out.

    To clarify, the initial problem occured regardless of using it as transport only or with the internal Dac.
    Mark Levinson 390 CD / Croft 25RS Special Preamp / Croft 7R mono Amps / Neat Ultimatum XLS Speakers

  6. #6
    Join Date: Jul 2012

    Location: dunfermline

    Posts: 664
    I'm martin.

    Default

    I had problem similar with a tv, there was a tiny crack in the pcb and when warm/hot it could interrupt the flow of power, it could also be disturbed if the unit got a knock, big magnifying glass job? HTH.
    Please take good care of your S2k keep it by your side for long and enjoy it from the bottom of your heart and share the quality and legacy of the S2k with many friends so that the legend of the S2k will continue for long. Shigeru Uehara Designer Honda S2000.

  7. #7
    Join Date: Apr 2009

    Location: Near Saffron Walden, Essex

    Posts: 7,087
    I'm Dave.

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Barry View Post
    I use a Levinson 390s player (along with other ML electronics), and have to say that despite the hype, ML gear is not as reliable as one would like. I had a ML preamp which developed a fault. It took about two years, during which it was sent back to the US for ML specialists (Madrigal were not interested in repairing it) to have a look at it and eventually fix the problem.

    https://theartofsound.net/forum/show...=Mark+Levinson

    Unfortunately Mark of the High End Workshop is no longer interested in servicing/reparing ML gear, owing to problems in obtaining spare parts, though he might still do the odd 'one off'. So I would suggest you either contact Karma AV (https://karma-av.co.uk/service/) or Fanthorpes Hi Fi (https://www.fanthorpes.co.uk/service-repairs/).

    Let us know how you get on.
    What a shame - how the mighty have fallen. When we stocked Levinson, the products were pretty well 100% reliable and we did sell a lot of it. On the rare occasion when a fault occurred they were never repaired as such but a replacement module would be fitted within 24 hours or, if not in stock, it would be sent overnight from the US and fitted the same day.

    When the company was bought by Harman, it went to pieces. The factory, without staff, was relocated across the US and nothing produced for over two years. I believe that when they started manufacture again it was in China and it was nothing like the original except for the styling.

    Is ML still imported ?

  8. #8
    Join Date: Oct 2012

    Location: The Black Country

    Posts: 6,089
    I'm Alan.

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by archiesdad View Post
    I had problem similar with a tv, there was a tiny crack in the pcb and when warm/hot it could interrupt the flow of power, it could also be disturbed if the unit got a knock, big magnifying glass job? HTH.
    The truth of modern electronics and faults is that 80-90% of faults are mechanical in nature.

    Yes that's right, it's either a crack in the pcb (as above), a dry solder joint, a loose connector, a corroded connection, a broken wire or similar.

    The mechanical design is sometimes suspect, I had a unit in with a number of dry joints around the power output devices. The design problem was that on each operating cycle the heatsink and pcb would have a very small differential movement due to heat expansion. Over time this broke the integrity of the solder joints.
    I love Hendrix for so many reasons. He was so much more than just a blues guitarist - he played damn well any kind of guitar he wanted. In fact I'm not sure if he even played the guitar - he played music. - Stevie Ray Vaughan

  9. #9
    Join Date: Nov 2020

    Location: Leics

    Posts: 207
    I'm David.

    Default

    Well it's still going strong and sounding *F*A*B*, so I'm loathe to open her up to investigate. Greatly appreciate the feedback, though.
    I'm not in the slightest bit techie so wouldn't know what to do if I was to stumble across the problem.
    I'm itching to try it through the internal DAC but VERY nervous about instigating the issue, whatever it is.
    Mark Levinson 390 CD / Croft 25RS Special Preamp / Croft 7R mono Amps / Neat Ultimatum XLS Speakers

  10. #10
    Join Date: Jan 2009

    Location: Essex

    Posts: 31,848
    I'm openingabottleofwine.

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Stranraer View Post
    Well it's still going strong and sounding *F*A*B*, so I'm loathe to open her up to investigate. Greatly appreciate the feedback, though.
    I'm not in the slightest bit techie so wouldn't know what to do if I was to stumble across the problem.
    I'm itching to try it through the internal DAC but VERY nervous about instigating the issue, whatever it is.
    It shouldn't be a problem - just disconnect the digital output lead, and move the two audio leads from the DAC to the analogue outputs on the back of the 390.
    Barry

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