chrisj@emx.utexas.edu (Chris Johnson) (03/11/91)
I've been looking for a good amplifier for some time as I slowly accumulated the necessary money. I've found two dealers in Austin that carry amplifiers in the $5-$6K price range that I settled on a while back. One dealer recommends the Mark Levinson No. 23, while the other one recommends the Jeff Rowland model 5. Neither dealer appears to carry anything else in this price range, however. So, what I'm wondering is this: does anyone have any relevant experiences with either of these amps. or their manufacturers? Alternately, are there any bits of indispensable advice I should be armed with in this situation, or other products so wonderful that I absolutely, positively have to take a look at them even I have to drive a couple hundred miles to do it? Ultimately, of course, I need to get both of these amps. setup in my system at home and just listen to them, but any information or thoughts anyone would like to pass on would probably come in handy, just the same. By the way, I'll be using this amp. with a pair of Magneplanar MG IIIa speakers. Thanks, ----Chris (Johnson) ----chrisj@emx.utexas.edu
freda%tekig5.pen.tek.com@RELAY.CS.NET (Frederick A Azinger) (03/12/91)
In article <10125@uwm.edu>, ut-emx!chrisj@emx.utexas.edu (Chris Johnson) writes: > One dealer recommends the Mark Levinson No. 23, while the other one recommends > the Jeff Rowland model 5. Neither dealer appears to carry anything else in > this price range, however. > > By the way, I'll be using this amp. with a pair of Magneplanar MG IIIa > speakers. As an owner of a No.23 I can highly recomend this amp...however the new and improved No.23.5 is now out (I saw the dealer white paper and price sheet, If you need to know I think I can find out what a No.23 should now be "dumping" for) The new No23.5 is supposed to match the No.27 in midrange clarity while maintaining it's superb base. Sounds like a real winner...I'd love to upgrade but the upgrade price is ~$3300!!! (Also, check out the No 28 pre-amp...a real steal for the buck$) The above in mind, Don't fail to listen to the Rowland (especially the Magneplanar's) as well as Krell's. A home audition is a must for these amps at this price range. Also, FYI: the best discount on a No.23 was %18...and that was a "bulk" purchase. Happy Listening, Fred Azinger Tektronix, Inc.
jwd@cs.brown.edu (James W. Durkin) (03/13/91)
In article <10125@uwm.edu>, ut-emx!chrisj@emx.utexas.edu (Chris Johnson) writes: |> |> I've been looking for a good amplifier for some time as I slowly accumulated |> the necessary money. I've found two dealers in Austin that carry amplifiers |> in the $5-$6K price range that I settled on a while back. |> |> One dealer recommends the Mark Levinson No. 23, while the other one recommends |> the Jeff Rowland model 5. Neither dealer appears to carry anything else in |> this price range, however. |> |> So, what I'm wondering is this: does anyone have any relevant experiences |> with either of these amps. or their manufacturers? Alternately, are there |> any bits of indispensable advice I should be armed with in this situation, |> or other products so wonderful that I absolutely, positively have to take |> a look at them even I have to drive a couple hundred miles to do it? |> |> : : : : : : |> : : : : : : |> : : : : : : If I was going to spend this amount of money on an amp I would definitely audition more than just the Levinson and Jeff Rowland. There are many good amps in this price range. I would really try to listen to the Krell KSA-250. It is a whole lot of amp (about 140 lbs.) for the money ($5700). I've heard it driving a set of Wilson WATT/Puppies and the sound was excellent. It will drive any speaker you can think of (I don't know if the Maggies present a difficult load). You can get much the same sound for less money (~$3900) with the KSA-150. You might also want to look at a pair of Classe DR-8's in bridged mode (about $5K list) or better yet a pair of DR-9's (more than $6K list, but you could probably cut a good deal on two). I suspect that there is also a Threshold e-series in that price range worth checking out. I believe Levinson has just introduced the No. 23.5, with a price increase from $5300 to $5900 over the No. 23. If you really like the No. 23, you might want to grab one before you get stuck with a $600 price hike. :.: James W. Durkin (jwd@cs.brown.edu)
klm@cme.nist.gov (Ken Manheimer) (03/14/91)
While i don't have any information to contribute re the extremely
refined amps you mention, i am doing something with my MGIIIa's that
you might want to consider as an alternative.
I finally, not too long ago, migrated from my old (and very weary)
MGIimproved's to Magnepan MGIIIa's. I concurrently added a Velodyne
ULD15 powered subwoofer, also, and am *extremely* pleased with the
arrangement. The Harmon Kardon Citation 22 amp i use performs
splendidly with the support of the Velodyne 400 watt dedicated amp
taking the bass load. By experimenting with the location of the
subwoofer i was able to get a nearly seamless integration with the
panels, and i am exceedingly pleased with the sound of the setup over
the audible spectrum. (While i became a member of the dipolar camp
once i was exposed to them, i've yearned for additional bass volume
from any speakers dipolar's i've auditioned, regardless of setup
tweaks. Now i'm happy.)
I guess i should concede in advance that i may not be getting the most
out of my speakers with this arrangement - i don't know that i
couldn't do better with some other amp taking care of the panels - i'm
just trying to say that my appetite for high fidelity sound
reproduction is so well satisfied by this setup that i don't feel any
need to push the issue. (However, if anyone happens to want to bring
over a fine Mark Levinson or Jeff Rowland (or whatever) amp to try
out, i might not be opposed to playing with it:-)
Incidentally, it so happens that i got all of the equipment i mention
used, at different times and from different places. I bought the
speakers from a used audio dealer, and the other equipment from
individuals, either over the net or via AudioMart. I've been really
happy with what i could get that would have been beyond my price range
otherwise.
The only problem i've had with anything i've gotten used is with a
Citation 21 preamp (which i got together with the amp i mentioned).
It was apparently faulty from the factory - some of the connections
from the circuit board to the preamp-out jacks were unsoldered, for
instance. Even after i corrected the output jack problem the amp
still had some weird problems with sibilants. I still feel i came out
ahead, and never took up the issue with the seller, as the price i
paid was so good. For an additional $85 i got it fixed at a (great)
local audio repair place, and it still, net, cost drastically less
than anything that i think performs as well would cost new...
Ken
Ken Manheimer Nat'l Inst of Standards and Technology
klm@cme.nist.gov (301)975-3539 (Formerly Nat'l Bureau of Standards)
Factory Automation Systems Division Unix Systems Support Manager
I like time. It's one of my favorites.ed@maxed.amg.com (Ed Whittemore) (03/19/91)
In article <10125@uwm.edu> ut-emx!chrisj@emx.utexas.edu (Chris Johnson) writes: > >I've been looking for a good amplifier for some time as I slowly accumulated >the necessary money. I've found two dealers in Austin that carry amplifiers >in the $5-$6K price range that I settled on a while back. > >One dealer recommends the Mark Levinson No. 23, while the other one recommends >the Jeff Rowland model 5. Neither dealer appears to carry anything else in >this price range, however. ... Neither of these amps comes close to the Krell KSA-250 in resolution, soundstage, and "tube-like" mid-range. The Krell is $5900.00, or you can get much the same sound for less money with the KSA-150. I haven't heard this amp with Magneplanars, though--if they sound a little bright you can use a cable with less top octave, like MIT, or Kimber, than some others. -- Ed Whittemore uunet!maxed!ed ed@maxed.amg.com American Micro Group, Inc. 201-944-3293
ih8rlf0p@serss0.fiu.edu (jim stafford) (03/19/91)
In article <10125@uwm.edu> ut-emx!chrisj@emx.utexas.edu (Chris Johnson) writes: > >I've been looking for a good amplifier for some time as I slowly accumulated >the necessary money. I've found two dealers in Austin that carry amplifiers >in the $5-$6K price range that I settled on a while back. > >One dealer recommends the Mark Levinson No. 23, while the other one recommends >the Jeff Rowland model 5. Neither dealer appears to carry anything else in > (deletions) >By the way, I'll be using this amp. with a pair of Magneplanar MG IIIa >speakers. > >Thanks, >----Chris (Johnson) >----chrisj@emx.utexas.edu I worked as service mgr in a Levinson shop for 8 yrs; I have little experience with Rowland. The 23 is a great amp if you need the power, although the highend is on the grainy side, which you will definitely hear on the Maggie ribbons. Unless you have a large room, I'd go for the 27 instead. The factory rep did just about everything but tell us that the 27 is sonically better, and what I heard bore this out. It's also cheaper! Madrigal, the parent company of Levinson (Mark Levinson has had nothing to do with the company for 6-7 years) I would rate as about a 7 in terms of "taking care of business" on service problems. Their turnaround time wasn't the best, although virtually all their later stuff is extremely reliable. The 27 had an early problem with front panel LED's burning out, but this was solved. The only thing I don't like about the amp is from a servicing standpoint; the amp is very densely packed, and the subassemblies aren't too easy to get out. If you have the $$ you might consider getting two of them and biamping your maggies, but this also doubles your cable cost. (Whatever you do, dont use the little capacitor box (XO1) that may have come with the MG 3's; it sucks) One other bit Levinson trivia: save your box! they'll nail you for $125 if you need a new one, and if they have it for service they may no warn you of that. That reminds me of one of few Roland experiences, imagine what a wooden crate for an old R 7 would cost! Now double it!! Jim Stafford