Jim Garrett (no relation as far as I am aware), Senior Director, Product Strategy & Planning, HARMAN Luxury Audio told StereoNET:

The Nº5805 and Nº5802 were created to deliver all of the performance and quality expected from Mark Levinson while implementing state of the art features and efficiencies gained from decades of superlative audio engineering and technological advancements. Proudly designed, engineered and precision crafted in the USA, the 5000 series looks great, sounds amazing, and is re-defining performance expectations.

The foundation of the Nº 5805 is its patent-pending, fully discrete, direct-coupled, dual-monaural line-level preamp circuitry. A unique single gain stage mated to a digitally controlled resistor network for volume adjustment maintains maximum signal integrity and widest possible bandwidth. Each of its three stereo line level inputs—one balanced XLR and two single-ended, using custom Mark Levinson RCA connectors—has its own individual high-reliability signal switching relays. Like the 500 series components, the Main Drive headphone output employs a preamp output stage designed explicitly with the current and power capacity to drive headphones directly, in Pure Class A, without a separate headphone amp. The № 5805 also includes newly developed MM/MC phono stage with front panel selectable gain levels and infrasonic filters, and rear panel capacitive and resistive loading settings.

Building upon this excellent analogue platform, the Nº 5805 adds equally outstanding digital audio capability through the Mark Levinson Precision- Link II™ DAC. The latest generation ESS Sabre 32-bit D/A converter with jitter elimination circuitry and a fully balanced, discrete current-to-voltage converter form the heart of the digital audio processing stage. Additionally, there are four digital audio inputs: one coaxial and two optical S/PDIF, and one asynchronous USB for playback of high-resolution PCM (up to 192kHz/32 bits) and DSD (up to DSD 5.6) files. A powerful XMOS USB audio processor also decodes and renders MQA-encoded files.

The № 5802 is an all-digital integrated amplifier featuring the same Precision- Link II DAC expanded to six digital audio inputs: One AES, two coaxial and two optical S/PDIF, and one asynchronous USB for playback of high-resolution PCM (up to 192kHz/32 bits) and DSD (up to DSD 5.6) files. The Nº 5802 includes MQA (Master Quality Authenticated) technology, which enables playback of MQA audio files and streams. A Bluetooth receiver equipped with aptX HD allows the highest quality Bluetooth playback available.

Both amplifiers feature fully discrete, direct-coupled, class AB amplifier channels powered from an oversized (500+ VA) toroidal transformer with individual secondary windings for the left and right channels. Connected to the output stage is a voltage gain stage that employs a topology directly descended from the acclaimed Nº 534 amplifier; this comprises two high-speed driver transistors operating in class A and six 260V, 15A output transistors. Two Thermal-Trak devices in a unique configuration guarantee stable output bias regardless of load or temperature. Four 10,000-microfarad capacitors per channel, located directly on the output stage circuit board, easily provide enough current for a conservative 125W/channel at 8 ohms, 250W/channel at 4 ohms, and stable operation down to 2 ohms.

System integration and communication ports on the 5000 series models include Ethernet, USB, RS-232, IR input, and 12V trigger input and output. Also, bundled in with the Nº 5805 is a newly designed, solid aluminium IR remote. Finally, an internal webpage allows setup, import and export of configurations, and software updates using a PC and standard web browser. Additionally, drivers will be available for major third-party control systems.

You can find Mark Levinson at Stand Bristol 12 and in the Empire 2 Suite on the Ground Floor.

For more information, head on over to Mark Levinson.

The Bristol Hi-Fi Show

The Bristol Hi-Fi shows runs from Friday 22nd February through Sunday 24th February 2019. The show will be held at the Marriott City Centre Hotel, Bristol.

To book your tickets for the show head to the Bristol Hi-Fi Show site.