Mark Levinson No.5805 integrated amplifier Associated Equipment

Sidebar 2: Associated Equipment

Analog Sources: Thorens TD 124 turntable (reconditioned by Schopper AG), Thomas Schick 12" tonearm; Ortofon Xpression cartridge.
Digital Sources: Intel NUC computer with SSD drive running Roon Optimized Core Kit; PS Audio DirectStream DAC.
Preamplification: Auditorium 23 Standard step-up transformer, EAR 834P phono stage, PS Audio BHK Signature preamplifier, Pass Labs XP-22 preamplifier.
Power Amplifiers: Pass Laboratories XA60.8, PS Audio BHK Signature 300 (all monoblocks).
Loudspeakers: Revel Ultima2 Salon2.
Cables: Digital: AudioQuest Carbon & Cinnamon & Coffee, Comprehensive Connectivity DXLRP-DXLRJ-6EXF (all USB). Interconnect: Auditorium 23, Clarus Crimson (RCA, XLR). Speaker: Auditorium 23.
Accessories: PS Audio Power Plant P10 power conditioner, Oswalds Mill Audio slate plinth (under turntable), Chilton's Durham media console in cherrywood with improvised supports, Auralex ProPanel Fabric-Wrapped Acoustical Absorption Panel (4' by 2' by 2", beveled).—Jim Austin

COMPANY INFO
Mark Levinson
Harman Luxury Audio Group
8500 Balboa Boulevard
Northridge, CA 91329
(888) 691-4171
ARTICLE CONTENTS

COMMENTS
mtrot's picture

So, how does the sound compare to the 585? One can now occasionally find a used 585 for a similar price.

MZKM's picture

For $8500, I expected better measured performance. It is about as good (better in some metrics, worse in others) as the $850 Outlaw RR1260.

Bogolu Haranath's picture

If you already have or, in the market for under $5,000 speakers, Outlaw Audio RR2160, which was reviewed by Stereophile may be a good choice :-) ...........

Long-time listener's picture

"That said, the Levinson No.5805 is cheaper than just about everything else in its class."

Really? The NAD M32, at half the price, offers more power, a DAC with higher resolution (20 bits versus 18) and lots of functionality. I'd choose the NAD (I did).

Ortofan's picture

... measured continuous power output as the M-L No.5805, plus it includes streaming capability and a room correction function - all for only $750.
https://usa.yamaha.com/products/audio_visual/hifi_components/r-n803/index.html
https://www.eisa.eu/awards/yamaha-r-n803d/
https://audio.com.pl/testy/stereo/amplitunery-stereo/2984-yamaha-r-n803d

The amplifier/DAC section is similar to that of the A-S801 integrated amp about which a TAS reviewer said:
"The Yamaha A-S801 looks good, sounds splendid, and has a long list of useful features at a price that makes it a flaming bargain! I suspect many readers are lifelong audiophiles like me, for whom system upgrades are a way of life, possibly even the purpose of life. But for lots of people who just want a good hi-fi to play their music on, a hi-fi may be a once-in-a-lifetime purchase. For those people, or for anyone who wants good sound with lots of flexibility at a reasonable price, the Yamaha A-S801 integrated amplifier would be my top recommendation. It may be the only hi-fi electronics purchase they will ever need."

mrkaic's picture

... then what isn’t?

It is expensive, but still offers a lot of THD per buck. :) Are they trying to emulate tube amps with solid state technology? If so, they are getting close.

Axiom05's picture

If ML was still owned by Madrigal this unit would probably cost $20K (but I think the performance would have been much better).

Archimago's picture

Yeah, that's quite a stretch to call this level of technical performance "excellent". Across the board we see measured results and FFT's with rather middling (eg. J-Test with spurious tones) if not poor (eg. >0.1% THD+N at 1W into 4-ohms!?) results.

$8500 is certainly not cheap at this level of performance even though it does have quite a number of features as an integrated amp.

Bogolu Haranath's picture

Although it has less number of features than 5805, it would be interesting to see a comparison review between 5805 and the new Krell K-300i integrated amps :-) ...........

Bogolu Haranath's picture

Don't worry, be happy with the PS audio Sprout and the ELAC speakers for $899 :-) ..........

Bogolu Haranath's picture

The above combo is available from PS Audio :-) ........

Robin Landseadel's picture

"One could argue, though, that Levinson's new No.5805 integrated amplifier ($8500 with DAC and phono stage) is a budget component"

But one would be wrong.

Bobber05's picture

Wryly amused by Mr Austin's comment about a waterfront cottage in the Keys with a flatsboat outback...New skiffs can easily run 6-10 times the cost of this integrated amp. A "cottage" in the Keys, more likely to be a mobile home on a canal and run you a quarter million.
Plus ungodly insurance. Dogs are still cheap tho....
Worth every penny when you get that first permit on fly.Especially when your dog is with you and says "good job,Ralph". Even tho your name isn't Ralph.

Jim Austin's picture
Grew up a bit north of there. Stuck in the '80s. Jim Austin, Editor Stereophile
Anton's picture

I am not sure if you would know, but is this amplifier circuit the same as the one used in Crown amplifiers?

They seem so similar, but I am not technically informed enough to know. (The brands have the same owners, so I wonder.)

Bogolu Haranath's picture

Most of the Crown amps are now Class-D amps, as far as I know ........ ML amps are Class-AB ....... In the (good) old days ML made lot of Class-A amps :-) ........

ML top model No.53 is some type of Class-D :-) ........

Anton's picture

Crown says...

"DriveCore's front-end drive circuits leverage the inherent efficiency of Class D output stages while also maintaining superb sonic characteristics. The end result is an ultra-efficient one-piece audio amplifier circuit that exhibits the exemplary audio quality of a highly evolved Class AB design."

I don't know if you could also call it class AB, or not!

Bogolu Haranath's picture

JA1 is lot more qualified to answer your question :-) ........

Bogolu Haranath's picture

So, Crown may be an 'I'ntelligently 'D'esigned Class-ID :-) ........

Bogolu Haranath's picture

Stereophile reviewed Crown Macro Reference power amp ......... It was a power house with impressive measurements :-) ........

Jim Austin's picture
I was told the No.5805 is class-AB.
jeffhenning's picture

Wow, I'm in the camp with the people that don't think that $8.5K is a budget component and that this box's measured performance is not exemplary.

You can buy a really nice phono pre-amp, a Benchmark DAC3 HGC and AHB-2 amp that will blow this away for the same price or less.

Another example of underachieving equipment getting a glowing review on this site.

Jim Austin's picture
Another example of underachieving equipment getting a glowing review on this site.
Have you heard it? Jim Austin, Editor Stereophile
Bogolu Haranath's picture

ML5805 is capable of driving 2 Ohm loads ....... See measurements ........ Lot of integrated amps have hard time driving that kind of low impedance loads :-) ........

ML5805 won't lose the 'grip', so to speak :-) .........

Bogolu Haranath's picture

ML5805 may work well with the Revel Performa F228Be loudspeakers ($10,000/pair) ........ Stereophile Class-A :-) .........

bunnybeer's picture

What’s with the signal to noise ratio measurement in the 60-dB range? Possibly a typo? Otherwise I would have expected to see a comment like “resulted in a disappointing 67.9 dB” rather than a statement to justify the result. That number does not seem like excellent measured performance for an $8,500 integrated amplifier by an esteemed company such as Mark Levinson.

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