Who heard the Mark levinson 53 monos?

have not heard anything newer the the 400 series amps but still consider myself a Levinson fan. guess i'd have to be a fan as a current owner =). fell in love with the 33's and 300 series way back when. 400's only reinforced the feelings. dark or whatever you'd like to call it, Levinson amps (400's on back) have always sounded fantastic imho.

then came the 300's cap issues, crazy repair bills and turn around times. horrible customer service all around, from almost everything i've read. it's a shame what "they" have done to the brand. as a happy owner, i still dread the day if/when my 432 needs work. so far it's been fantastic (please knock on some wood for me). but if i ever have to go through the hell others have described.....i'll be done with the brand too.

cheers
Lev

If you need service on Levinson products contact Alpha Tech on St. Louis, MO. (314) 645-5250
Mike can fix just about anything.
Happy listening,
Steve

I just noticed this thread and thought I would add some perspective. First, I empathize with those who have had "nightmare-like" experiences with various companies (i.e. Harman). I have had my share of nightmare-like experiences with a variety of different companies which include banks and financial institutions, automotive manufacturers, insurance companies, airlines, and yes...audio manufacturers. I have canceled policies, dropped product lines, and have taken my business elsewhere. In some cases it has led to the demise of the company or product, but in other cases it has led to people's butt's being kicked out the door and has led to the reorganization, restructuring, and the rebirth of a company and/or product line. I believe Harman has realized this and has already taken steps to take the Mark Levinson and Revel brands to the next level. I am personally very impressed by the new ML 500H series amps, but moreover, the new direction these brands are taking under the Harman umbrella. I would also feel some reassurance that they are under Harman. Just take a look at the marketshare and the awesome product offerings available under Harman on the pro audio side. Anyway...just some perspective.

All nice , but i am waiting for some listening experiences .
If i had 50K $ laying around i might buy em , I m not interested in repair bills (which might be a distr/dealer problem i dont know ), bad press , things what people say, no im just interested in shivverproducing soundreproduction and nothing else .

I finally herd the allusive 53 s in the Harman truck , ( called sound that stirs the soul ) . The bass in a converted tractor trailer was less than optimal , but in my personal opinion the 53, Salon combo was the best I have heard , bar none .But I dont think a 2 hour demo qualifyes me to make A purchasing decision of this magnitude . In the back half of the Harman event truck they had A JBL synthesis home theater system , oh my god , Im A strict 2 channel guy , but what I heard there totally blew me away . Any audiophile worth his salt must seek out the Harman event truck and give it a listen , its unforgetable . MAX