Music Man A Brief Biography of Mark Levinson A New Era Some audio historians consider the 1950s and 1960s the “Golden Age” of American hi-fi. Companies like Dynaco, Fisher, Scott, McIntosh and Marantz all made great products, some still sought by collectors today. By the late 1960s, these companies had largely exhausted their creative energies. Instead of continuing to push for better performance, they mostly sought to capitalize on their brand names by introducing cheaper products to compete with mass-market offerings from a burgeoning Japanese electronics industry. While this trend brought affordable audio to millions of music fans, it did so by compromising performance potential, a classic “race to the bottom” that created a void in the market serving discerning music lovers. Into this void stepped Mark Levinson, a young musician with a passion for music reproduction and artisanal workmanship. Mark Levinson Audio Systems ML-5 Modified Studer Professional Tape Recorder Already a legend at an early age—he was only 21 when he famously built the stage mixer used at the Woodstock Music Festival in 1968—Levinson set out to create no-compromise audio playback equipment that would come as close as possible to recreating the energy of live performances. He was uniquely qualified to do this, combining the musical ear of a lifelong multi-instrumentalist with the patient perfectionism required to do groundbreaking design and engineering. He was also fortunate to be associated with mentors such as Richard Burwen who encouraged him always to ask hard questions and never to settle for easy solutions. Founded in 1972, Mark Levinson Audio Systems (MLAS) was the unquestioned leader among many high-performance audio companies that started in that decade. Instead of designing to a price point, MLAS designed to exceed all previous known playback limitations. The company also employed the best available engravers and machinists. The results were products such as the LNP-2 Preamplifier that were both ahead of their time and timeless. Many audio authorities think MLAS products still look better, feel better, and outperform the best contemporary offerings from current high-end manufacturers. MLAS LNP-2 preamplifier These products were revelatory in 1974. That year, after hearing Mark’s LNP-2 Preamplifier (his first such product) at the Audio Engineering Show, Audio Magazine Associate Editor Bert Whyte told Mark: “I’m going to put you on the map. I did it for Tascam, and I can do it for you.” In his CES report, Whyte’s feature article on the LNP-2 Preamplifier concluded with this accolade: “Monetary considerations aside . the premiere choice.” Among the most ambitious audio products ever built, MLAS gear boasted technical specifications rarely equaled in the ensuing three decades. The LNP-2 preamp, for example, had a 140dB dynamic range, 110dB channel separation up to 20 kHz, and channel-to-channel tracking within 0.1dB. MLAS products were the first to use non-degradable metals such as rhodium, platinum, and gold, and the first to use Teflon as an insulating material. The result is that they are as good today as when they were new. The name “Mark Levinson” soon entered the common lexicon, synonymous with “ultra quality,” to such an extent that someone completely unfamiliar with audio might say something like “That’s a Mark Levinson motorcycle,” or “I love your Mark Levinson jacket,” meaning the referenced objects were not only of the highest possible quality, but were also exceedingly beautiful. In Europe and Asia, the general public is often familiar with the names of individual designers in many fields. This isn’t true in America, where corporations usually take credit for advancements. The association of Mark Levinson’s name with a high concept was a rare occurrence. The brand name came to have tremendous value. It was acquired and is leveraged today by Harman International in promoting its Mark Levinson-brand sound systems for luxury automobiles. Cello products With Cello, the company he formed in 1984, Levinson created radically new audio concepts at stratospheric prices. With gifted engineers Tom Colangelo and Richard S. Burwen, Levinson introduced groundbreaking products such as the Cello Audio Palette, the world’s first audiophile-quality, sonically transparent equalizer. Cello Palette Those who worked with Mark were in awe: “We feel privileged to have been involved with the creation of Mark Levinson’s products these many years, and own them ourselves. Mark is one of those rare people capable of bringing quality and beauty to a world where it is a rare commodity . He has the most demanding and uncompromised ideas of perfection we have ever encountered.” - Jack and Randy Weidner, precision machinists and engravers, East Haven, Connecticut Cello precision craftsmanship The Cello Grand Master Reference system included all components— electronics, speakers, and custom-made cables with Swiss-made connectors. Previously, companies built electronics, or speakers, or cables, or source units, but not all. Cello was first with a total system approach. The Grand Master system was the first in the industry capable of generating realistic concert-level sound pressure, while simultaneously conveying the emotional nuances of a live performance. Cello loudspeakers Levinson himself broke the mold with this complete no-compromise system approach. Cello systems were purchased by music lovers at the very top of the market, as well as by many musicians, mastering engineers, and recording studios. Reviewers were stunned. “I was speaking with Mark Levinson . hoping I would find something exciting to present to our readers and wondering if this visionary of the 1970’s was still able to run the leading edge. I did; he is. Levinson has shifted focus from individual products to a complete system concept aimed at performance goals which have been thought impossible to achieve – until now. Instead of listening to equipment, one quickly forgets about components and is absorbed by the music. The total effect . is so astonishing that it is not easy to convey without sounding far-fetched.” - Robert Serio, High Performance Review Cello Music and Film Systems A forerunner of what today is a major industry in the consumer electronics arena, Cello was among the first to incorporate high-performance video in custom-designed high-performance home theater systems. Cello home theater system “The results of Levinson’s efforts are so far beyond what we’ve come to expect from home entertainment, it saddens us that more people can’t experience them.” - Brent Butterworth, Video Magazine The world’s top professional musicians were equally in awe of Levinson gear: “I have wanted for a very long time to share my love for Bach with my listening public. Without Mark Levinson, I would never have considered embarking on this project . Because Mark’s equipment so perfectly and so honestly replicates the extraordinary depths of the sound from my double bass, I feel that I can now at long last, bring my dream of recording the Bach cello suites to fruition. What Mark Levinson offers the music world, in my opinion, is the opportunity to hear for the first time in reproduced form, music and soul as it really is. “ - Gary Karr, internationally recognized as the greatest living double bass soloist. Among the many music industry companies that purchased Mark Levinson- designed equipment were Atlantic Studios, DMP, MasterDisc, PolyGram, RCA, Sonomaster, Sony Music Studios, and Sterling Sound. Sony’s Mark Levinson- designed reference playback system was used for more than six years by world- class talent including Celine Dion, Harry Connick, Jr., Michael Jackson, Tony Bennett, and many others. At Sony, the mastering room with Levinson’s Grand Master speakers became known as “The Cello Room.” National Symphony Orchestra member and former Stereophile Contributing Editor Lewis Lipnick said this about his experience with Levinson gear: “What Mark Levinson’s equipment does has more to do with the re-creation of the metaphysical aspects of music and the emotional interface between performer and listener than with conventional standards of sound quality . .It’s the ultimate link between performer and listener, illuminating the very soul of music in a way never before possible.” Red Rose Music R-3 mini-monitors Red Rose Music In the late 1990’s, Levinson began a new phase in his career, characterized by a desire to bring no-compromise performance to a wider audience. Red Rose Music was a huge critical success, with amplifiers such as the Affirmation and loudspeakers such as the Rosebud MKII. Red Rose Music’s first power amplifier won the product of the year award from the most respected audio magazine in Italy. Red Rose Rosebud II speaker and Spirit amplifier It’s a tribute to Levinson’s obsession with quality that almost all the products built and sold by his three companies are still in use. They rarely come up for sale on the secondary market and when they do, are frequently the objects of bidding wars by music lovers eager to own them. Mark Levinson is the only audio company founder who is also a top-level professional musician. In his teens and 20’s, he played with Sonny Rollins, Paul Bley, Keith Jarrett, Chick Corea, Jimmy Garrision, and later with Stan Getz and most recently, alto sax jazz legend Lee Konitz. Many people in the audio community have musical backgrounds, but Mark Levinson is the only prominent one who has worked as a professional musician with some the greatest names in jazz. Mark playing bass Levinson is also a formidable recording and mastering engineer. During his almost four decades of designing and marketing high-performance audio products, Levinson also made legendary recordings of jazz, blues, classical, and other artists including some of the greatest musicians of Northern India.