Power Amplifiers - Mark Levinson

A dedicated power amplifier and pre amplifier in a hi-fi separates system is an aspiration for many music lovers as this set-up usually offers superior performance over a single box integrated amplifier. We offer both stereo and mono power amps. Using 2 mono or 'monoblok' power amps instead of a single stereo model can offer even greater performance. You can even upgrade to 4 monobloks for bi-wirable speakers (two on either side powering each driver) or 6 monobloks on tri-wirable speakers. You can directly link a power amp to your music source if the source features built-in pre amp but a dedicated pre amp is generally recommended to also offer source selection and volume control. We also sell multi-channel power amps for home cinema. Need advice choosing? Please call us or email us for advice.

Mark Levinson is an American audio company that specialise in the design and manufacture of high end hifi equipment with products such as amps, turntables and streaming/CD players.

Mark Levinson, the original founder, made his name working as a bassist for jazz pianist, Paul Bley among others in the sixties and early seventies. Later in 1972, he founded the audio company, which was originally called Mark Levinson Audio Systems and ran it through to 1984. Mark Levinson Audio Systems used their expert knowledge to design and produce innovative high end hi fi separates, most notably, the LNP-2 preamplifier.

In 1984, Levinson parted ways with MLAS and founded another audio equipment company; Cello Ltd. But, due to the grounds that he was a working trade name, MLAS launched a lawsuit attempting to prevent Levinson from working in the audio industry. Ultimately, Levinson lost the right to use his name as a trade name on an audio product in the future. Since this incident, Mark Levinson products have no relationship to the original owner and are now owned by Harman International.

Mark Levinson focus on developing extremely high end hifi products from hifi amps, turntables and CD players and are designed to give you the very best sound for all your music sources so you can hear every note and feel every beat.

Some of the brand's most notable products include the No 5206 pre amplifier, from their flagship 5000 range, and the Mark Levinson No 536 power amp, from their other flagship 500 range. When designing hifi systems, Mark Levinson take style, performance and musicality into consideration and is a great option for any budding audiophile.

Using an individual power amp and pre amplifier is considered the pinnacle of audio and most premium systems and no expense spared hi-fis use separate power and pre amplifiers. Breaking down equipment into as many separate boxes as possible is a principle used in most aspects of hi-fi, due to the acoustic benefits that can be achieved. When using a one-box unit such as an integrated amplifier, power supplies for both the pre and power amp circuitry are housed within the same unit. Power supplies are typically “noisy” and can add unwanted resonance when poorly isolated. By separating these components as much as possible, the power supplies are also separated, preventing unwanted resonance from affecting the overall sound quality.

Power amps receive an input from a pre amplifier via RCA input, with some models offering alternative inputs such as balanced XLR. Output to speakers is then taken from the speaker terminals also known as speaker “taps”. Speaker terminals generally accept spade plugs, banana plugs as well as bare wire. However, some brands like Naim and Cyrus accept only proprietary BFA or banana plugs, so please check before purchasing if you wish to use existing pre-terminated cables with your amp. Most of the power amplifiers we offer are made for stereo use and suitable for driving a pair of speakers. Some power amplifiers can drive two pairs of speakers though if you need a multi-channel setup such as a home cinema surround sound speaker system, an AV Receiver may be more appropriate.

Power amps drive your speakers with output quoted in watts (e.g. 50W per channel or 100W per channel). When choosing a model, consult the recommended amplifier power for your speakers. Delivering suitable and appropriate power to your speakers is key to getting the best possible sound quality from them and your system. Using an amplifier with too little power for your speakers can result in a lacklustre and underwhelming performance, while an amp with too much power can result in overdriving your speakers and potentially damaging them. Some amplifiers, particularly those which are valve-based or Class A designs will be rated with a lower power rating, due to the nature of their designs and their efficiencies. Such amps can deliver stunning sound but can be harder to pair with speakers based on statistsics as a lower power rating may not equate to the same power rating on a solid state design. Feel free to get in touch to discuss pairing or to arrange a demonstration of one of these models.