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-5Modified 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. He is a

longtime student of Ali Akbar Khan, and probably the only musician in the world

adept at playing Indian music on the double bass. Mark’s double bass, made in

1680, is one of the masterpieces of Italian string instrument making.

Levinson’s mastering equipment has been used to make CD reissues of

recordings by artists in every imaginable genre. He personally remastered Miles

Davis’s seminal recording Birth of the Cool for the Capital label. Among the

cognoscenti, Levinson recordings are as revered as Levinson electronics.

In 1998, he was supervising engineer for the three-CD set of performances by

virtuoso violinist Elmar Oliveira, included with The Miracle Makers, a

commemorative reference book about Stradivari and Guarneri violins, produced

by rare instrument dealer Geoff Fushi, founder of the Stradivari Society. The

Stradivari Society has assisted many top artists early in their careers, including

Sarah Chang and Midori.

The Miracle Makers

The book and recordings enjoyed a gala debut at Steinway Hall in February

1999, where Oliveira played an assortment of rare instruments, the tone of each

chosen to match the mood of a particular composition. The event was covered by

television news crews from Italy, Germany, Holland, and Japan, and was

recorded for posterity by Levinson.

Mark in engineering mode 1998

When Sony decided to develop the Super Audio Compact Disc, they needed

reference recordings to demonstrate the new technology. They also needed

expert recording engineers to prove its value to the music industry. Sony

equipped Mark Levinson with one of ten prototype DSD (direct stream digital)

recorders. He used this gear to make Live at Red Rose, one of the best-selling

SACDs of all time, and the sole demonstration material used by Sony and Philips

in their rollout of the format.

Levinson was one of the most enthusiastic backers of SACD, personally hosting

15 demonstrations per day for 3 days at the Consumer Electronics Show. Live at

Red Rose was subsequently reissued as a Burwen Bobcat-processed CD for the

LG Reference Recordings Collection.

Levinson has also made contributions as a humanitarian. In 1976, in an industry

rampant with prejudice, he took the position that employees were welcome

regardless of race, religion, ethnic background, or sexual preference. This was

long before such policies were common in the workplace or encoded in the law.

Music Maker Relief Foundation

Levinson is also a tireless supporter of indigenous American music. In 1994, he

helped Tim and Denise Duffy found the Music Maker Relief Foundation

(www.musicmaker.org ) which assists elderly destitute blues and folk artists

primarily in the Southern USA. Music Maker gives money, pays for medical care

and expenses, provides instruments, and arranges for performances at clubs and

music festivals in the USA and overseas for its artists.

Music Maker uses a Mark Levinson-designed portable recording system to

capture their music with astonishing fidelity. Using this equipment, Tim Duffy has

made field recordings equivalent to those made in state-of-the-art studios. Music

Maker is now endorsed by BB King, Eric Clapton, Bonnie Raitt, and other music

celebrities. The first Music Maker Relief Foundation compilation CD remastered

by Mark Levinson from Tim Duffy’s early field cassette tapes was designated R-1

in the LG Reference CD Collection.

Daniel Hertz S.A.

In 2007, Levinson started Daniel Hertz S.A., in Neuchatel, Switzerland, to

combine his audio engineering expertise with Swiss-made quality. Located in the

historic town of Neuchatel, Daniel Hertz S.A. is working with artisanal companies

to create a new breed of audio products. Neuchatel is the birthplace of

watchmaking genius Louis Abraham Breguet, the most highly regarded

watchmaker of the 18th century, and home to many of the greatest names in

Swiss watchmaking today.

Switzerland has the world’s highest manufacturing standards. With a team of

exceptional craftsmen, Daniel Hertz will bring legendary Mark Levinson sound to

a new generation of music lovers.

An Unparalleled Life

Mark Levinson’s life has combined music performance, music recording, music

playback equipment manufacturing, humanitarian assistance to destitute

musicians, and considerable conceptual advancements to the industry’s

knowledge base. His phenomenal contributions have no parallel in the audio

industry. Yet despite his greatness, Levinson remains humble, attributing his

success to his many brilliant associates and collaborators.

This is the legacy that Mark Levinson brings to LG Electronics.

Red Rose Music Revelation loudspeaker

In 2007, Mark Levinson was invite by Korea-based giant LG Electronics to assist

them in upgrading their audio quality. Since then, LG products tuned by Mark

Levinson have received the best press and have won coveted industry awards

each year.

Team Effort = Strength in Business

Mark is often asked why he decided now to focus on working with LG. His simple

answer: “In today’s economy, we need a very special team effort. It’s the perfect

time to combine my expertise with the power of a big company like LG that is

committed to excellent products, affordable prices, and strength in business.

“I am terrifically happy to work with the LG team because I believe in CEO Nam’s

vision. I believe in the LG team, and am excited about bringing the joyous

experience of the finest possible musical reproduction to people throughout the

world. I believe that by making a contribution to the worlds of music, home

theater, and other audio, we are providing a valuable service and have a bright

future.”

Mark with LG Rhapsody

High Praise from Music Industry Professionals

As a small indication of where LG is headed, note this expert comment about LG/

Mark Levinson demonstrations at the January 2008 Consumer Electronics Show:

“My friends and I all feel that the sound of your (LG/

ML) audio systems is the best at the show, regardless

of price. There are systems selling for 20 times the

price or more that do not sound as good. Your

systems simply sound more like real music than any

others.”

- Rob Fraboni, record producer for Eric Clapton, The

Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, Bonnie Raitt, Joe Cocker,

Bob Marley, etc.

Above: Jazz legend Lee Konitz, CES 2008. Below: Mark recording Lee Konitz, CES 2008.

Four Decades of Contributions

A partial list of high-performance audio products developed by Mark Levinson:

1970’s – Mark Levinson Audio Systems (MLAS)

LNP-1 Preamplifier

LNP-2 Professional Preamplifier

JC-1 Moving Coil Cartridge Preamplifier

JC-1AC Moving Coil Cartridge Preamplifier

JC-2 Straightline Preamplifier

LNC-2 Electronic Crossover

ML-1 Preamplifier

ML-2 Class A Mono Amplifier with regulated power supplies

ML-3 Stereo Power Amplifier

ML-5 modified Studer A-80 professional tape recorder with custom electronics

ML-6A Dual Mono Preamplifier

ML-7 Preamplifier

ML-7A Preamplifier

ML-8 Microphone Preamplifier

ML-9 Power Amplifier

ML-10 Preamplifier

ML-11 Preamplifier

ML-12 Power Amplifier

The world’s first tri-amplified reference system for music listening: The HQD

system – 2 x Hartley 24” woofers, 4 x QUAD electrostatic midranges, 2 xDecca

ribbon tweeters, powered by six ML-2 amplifiers and two LNC-2 Electronic

Crossovers, with custom pure silver interconnect cables and custom speaker

wires.

HQD system

From 1974 to 1978, Mark Levinson Acoustic Recordings produced a series of

LP’s that set new industry standards for sonic quality in recordings. The series

included LP’s of artists such as organist Myrtle Regier, pianist Lois Shapiro,

percussionist Bill Elgart, classical guitarist Eliot Fisk, and organist Charles

Krigbaum. Levinson’s classic 1978 recording of Eliot Fisk (Bach and Scarlatti)

has been reissued as part of the LG Reference CD Collection.

1980’s – mid 1990’s: Cello

Cello Audio Palette, world’s first no-compromise analog equalizer

Cello Audio Suite

Cello Performance Mono Power Amplifier with regulated choke power

supplies, 6,000 Watts @ 2 Ohms in bridged mode.

Cello Encore preamp

Cello Encore 1MΩ preamp

Cello Encore Mono Power Amplifier

Cello Duet 350 amplifier

Cello Amati loudspeaker

Cello Premier loudspeaker

Cello Master loudspeaker

Grand Master Reference loudspeaker

Cello Serafin active monitor loudspeaker

Cello Legend loudspeaker

Cello Strings cables and interconnects, industry first with Litz construction,

Teflon dielectric, and Swiss-made Fischer connectors.

Cello Reference Digital to Analog Converter

Cello Duet 350 Amplifier

1990’s – mid 2000: Red Rose Music

Red Rose Music Model One Reference amplifier

Red Rose Music Model Two amplifier

Red Rose Music Model Three preamplifier

Red Rose Music Model Five integrated amp

Red Rose Music Passion amplifier

Red Rose Music Affirmation amplifier

Red Rose Music Rosette amplifier

Red Rose Music Rosette Two phono stage

Red Rose Music Spirit integrated amp

Red Rose Music Genius integrated amp with inboard USB digital-to-analog

converter

Red Rose Music Revelation loudspeaker

Red Rose Music R-3 loudspeaker

Red Rose Music Rosebud loudspeaker

Red Rose Music Rosebud II loudspeaker

Red Rose Music Classic loudspeaker

Red Rose Music M1 Multi-Channel Power Amplifier

Red Rose Music M2 loudspeaker

Red Rose Music M-3 subwoofer

Red Rose Music Meditation loudspeaker

Red Rose Model 5 Integrated Amp

EarSav

Mark Levinson’s mother became hard of hearing. At 93, she still drove her own

car, took airplanes, and was as astute as at 50. Hearing loss began to damage

her life, and Mark wanted to be of help to her and others with hearing

impairment. Through EarSav, he hopes to help people using portable music

devices avoid hearing loss.

About the author:

Barry Willis worked for almost two decades as Contributing Editor for

Stereophile magazine, the premier audio journal in the United States. He

was simultaneously a prolific contributor to Stereophile's sister

publications Ultimate AV, AudioVideo Interiors, Home Theater, and their

respective websites. In 2005 he joined The Absolute Sound as news

editor, and its sister publication The Perfect Vision as section editor for

custom installation. He was also a frequent contributor to DTV Magazine.

Since 2007 he has been the American correspondent for Hi-Fi News, the

oldest and most respected audio journal in the United Kingdom. He also

writes about art and theater for two newspapers, the Marin Independent

Journal and the Pacific Sun, and occasionally contributes to Food Arts, the

international journal of the fine dining industry. In 2006, he was Food Arts

nominee for a James Beard Award in Journalism.