| Model: | No. 29 |
| Category: | Amplifier (SS) |
| Suggested Retail Price: | $unknown |
| Description: | 50 Watt dual monaural power amplifier |
| Manufacturer URL: | Mark Levinson |
| Model Picture: | View |
|
Review by Tuvan on June 08, 2001 at 22:05:54 IP Address: 209.105.155.54 |
Add Your Review for the No. 29 |
Writing about the sound of a stereo system is like miming the flavor of a meal.The Mark Levinson No. 29 is an old style basic black amplifier. The white Levinson logo and model designation is centered on a thick front panel framed by heavy handles. Beneath the logo is a rocker switch and a single small red LED that lights when the unit is powered. The No. 29's appearance is simple, clean, understated, and businesslike.
Two pairs of binding posts for each channel's output are provided on the back panel. Connections to a balanced source are made through XLR sockets.
My No. 29 directly drives Klipschorn K-77 tweeters covering frequencies above 6.3 kHz. Klipschorns are extremely sensitive, low in distortion, and dynamically expressive. They are usually characterized as bright and aggressive, especialy with digital sources and solid state amplifiers. In my experience, these undesirable attributes can be mitigated by eliminating the Klipsch AK-2 passive crossover. I've chosen to implement the same corner frequencies, slopes, and levels with a Yamaha D2040 active crossover. The Yamaha's AES/EBU digital input accepts the output of a Mark Levinson No. 37 CD transport. A Mark Levinson No. 331 amplifier drives the midrange and woofer on each side. This is the context in which the No. 29 is considered.
If the system's purpose is to illuminate the music, a bright overcast spring day in New Hampshire is the No. 29's light. Colors seem to have infinite gradation. Shifting focus allows the listener to examine the texture of an individual voice or instrument within a mass of voices or instruments. Percussive attacks are fully formed and harmonically rich. The amplifier's character is lusciously feminine and completely dignified. It exhibits poise and grace even when playing processed, compressed, and sterile recordings. It has by far the cleanest, most musical top end of any amplifier I've heard.
What does it sound like full range? Well, it played through a pair of PSB Alpha AV's for a while and was magnificent.
| Product Weakness: | Can't think of any. |
| Product Strengths: | Unflappable musicality. |
| Associated Equipment for this Review: | |
| Amplifier: | Mark Levinson No. 331's |
| Preamplifier (or None if Integrated): | Yamaha D2040 , NAD 116 converts single ended sources to balanced for the D2040's analog inputs |
| Sources (CDP/Turntable): | Mark Levinson No. 37, Icom IC-R8500 tuner with TV-R7100 stereo decoder |
| Speakers: | Klipschorn |
| Cables/Interconnects: | Whirlwind AES/EBU, Canare balanced, No Name RCA |
| Music Used (Genre/Selections): | Jazz, blues, rock, folk, classical |
| Room Size (LxWxH): | 22 x 14 x 8 |
| Room Comments/Treatments: | Strategically placed diffusers on the walls |
| Time Period/Length of Audition: | 15 years with the speakers, 3 years with the electronics |
| Other (Power Conditioner etc.): | Perma Power conditioners for everything but power amps |
| Type of Audition/Review: | Product Owner |
| Your System (if other than home audition): | Life support for Klipschorns. |
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