Mark Levinson 53 owner manual Introduction, Product Description

Mark Levinson

	Introduction
	Thank you for purchasing the Nº53 Reference monaural power
	amplifier. Totally redesigned and incorporating patented new
	technologies, the Nº53 outperforms even the esteemed Nº33 in
	both audio presentation and power performance.
Product Description	The Mark Levinson® Nº53 Reference monaural power amplifier
	elevates amplifier performance to an entirely new level of
	excellence. After extensive listening tests and exhaustive
	measurements, the Nº53 demonstrates a phenomenal level of
	performance capability with a larger dynamic range, cleaner
	operation, and higher power levels through our proprietary
	Interleaved Power Technology (IPT). The Nº53 can pass a musical
	signal with utter integrity, regardless of how demanding that signal
	and the loudspeakers used might be.
	The Nº53 is capable of generating truly phenomenal power levels
	into virtually any speaker load to support both instantaneous and
	continuous demands. More impressive still, the Nº53 accomplishes
	this feat without the slightest change in performance capability.
	Unlike most amplifiers, the Nº53 has superbly efficient power
	management, maintaining a constant thermally-balanced operating
2	temperature no matter how hard or long the amplifier is driven.
	The Nº53 design incorporates the best qualities of traditional Mark
	Levinson power amplifiers while adding our new IPT technology for
	vastly superior sonic performance and a noise floor so low, it must
	be experienced to be believed. From the isolated input circuitry to
	the unique Mark Levinson binding posts, special care was taken to
	minimize the introduction of noise. The input board is in a separate
	compartment, totally isolated from the other circuitry. Whether the
	input signal is single-ended or balanced, the input stage treats all
	incoming signals as balanced to maximize the rejection of common
	mode signals, preventing introduced noise from being applied to
	the amplifier.
	The low-noise toroidal power supply features an oversized 2.8kVA
	transformer with four 47,000µF low-ESR capacitors for more than
	ample energy storage capacity. A separate, dedicated power supply
	for the control circuitry provides double isolation between the main
	audio supply and the noisier, digital control circuits. The second
	power supply also contributes to more efficient power management
	as the main supply is shut down during power save mode.
	The chassis is comprised of four separate internal compartments to
	provide shielding and isolation of critical circuitry. The power
	supplies are placed in the bottom compartment, isolated and
	shielded from the rest of the amplifier, to reduce interference from
	magnetic fields and high current devices. The middle section
	contains four amplifiers arranged symmetrically and mirror-imaged