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.