Mark Levinson No36s

Hi Hellofidelity
Thanks for the confirmation on reliability of the No36s dac , I bought a Audio Synthesis dax last year as you may see from another of my posts , unfortunately it developed a fault with the ultra-analog chip and upon returning it to the dealer it was confirmed it was non-repairable , got full refund so no problems . Shame because it was a lovely sounding unit! , although i was a bit unsure of the build quality as the buttons on the front panel were not very solidly fixed and very light to touch , first rate sound though and i miss it! i hope the Levinson No36s would be up to the audio Synthesis in the sonic department if so i would be a happy camper

I owned a 36s original not upgraded. It was a nice unit but I preferred the Sony XA5400ES better. There were small little nuances which the 36s did not resolve. The 36s moved more air in the very low base better than the Sony. The last time I had the 36s repaired it was a minimum of $900 to work on by the service center. They also mentioned there were no more Teflon boards available if I had to replace one again. The 36 'S' version used special Teflon boards. I beleive the S version also had more DACs per channel than the regular 36.

Hi Coxhaus
It would be nice to try a M/Levison , I don't think the Sony XA5400ES is available anymore ? certainly not in Australia according to the Sony Australia website , infact no cd players at all listed!. The service costs and possible lack of parts are certainly a big factor for me to consider , i understand that a older product could need parts replaced and then comes the Question of newer products that would equal the sound and build of a second Levinson for similar dollars . but gee i like the look of the Levinson 36s but Boards no longer available that could be a big problem.

Any opinions on the matching No37 transport ? is the optical laser still available ? i guess that the No37 would be a perfect match ! Cheers for all your advice so far it is much appreciated .

When I owned my 36s I also owned the matching 37 transport for the ten or so years I owned the Mark Levinson DAC and transport. I never had a problem with the laser so I can not comment on the laser. Mine always worked. There were a few transports which had drawer problems. It would be a good thing to check.