The pursuit of perfect amplification is a well-known theme in high-end audio. New technologies present new approaches, while looking to the past provides inspiration for the future. It was in that spirit that the Mark Levinson® № 536 amplifier was developed: a design advised by the traditions and art of classic Mark Levinson amplifier designs, and with a specific target sound: a deep, expansive soundstage, accurate image placement, extended low bass response with good pitch definition, and detailed high frequencies free from “etching.” To that end, the Mark Levinson engineering team started with the following requirements: – Harmonic distortion <0.02% at 1kHz and <0.2% at 20kHz – Bandwidth extending from 0.2Hz to 120kHz, and beyond if possible – Critically damped square wave response, with leading and trailing edges free of any slewing artifacts, and a slew rate of at least 100V/µs – Maximized open-loop linearity and bandwidth, with global negative feedback in the range of 12-20dB and without nested feedback loops
Nº536 Highlights
Pure Path discrete, direct coupled, fully balanced, monaural signal path
Expansive, fine imaging, extended low frequency response/pitch, and natural high frequencies
Painstakingly optimized, little negative feedback, bandwidth, slewing, and open-loop linearity
Fully differential class-AB architecture, operates in class A for most listening condition
Custom-designed, low noise toroid with separate secondary windings for each output stage
6000-series aluminum chassis, extremely high precision, exceedingly low tolerances
System-integration connectivity: Ethernet, IP, RS-232, triggers, web monitoring and control
Designed and handcrafted in the USA
Input connectors: one XLR Balanced, one RCA Unbalanced • Speaker connectors: two pairs of Hurricane loudspeaker out- puts with banana-plug sockets (except on 230 VAC version) • Control connectors: Ethernet, RS-232, Trigger In, Trigger Out,
USB-A, Mini USB
• Rated output power: 400W RMS @ 8 ohms, 800W RMS @ 4 ohms, 20Hz to 20kHz at <0.3% THD, full output from 2.83VRMS