Mark Levinson 20.6 Failing


hello, I recently acquired a pair of Mark Levinson 20.6 amps that seem to have not been used extensively (the heat sinks are still a dark black color)

After a year of using them, I encountered a problem yesterday where one of the amps started emitting heavily distorted sound and then shut down. I thought it was an overheating problem (both amps were very hot), so I turned off the gear and went to bed.

I tried turning it back on this morning and all went well for about an hour until the same happened. This time the amp started distorting heavily, but did not shut down. To my surprise, the amp was quite cold to the touch despite still being powered on.

Any opinions on how to diagnose the issue? I’m in Beirut, Lebanon, and servicing this amp would require me to ship it somewhere, so I’d like to fix the issue myself if possible.

Has anyone else encountered such an issue?
mariogee

Showing 1 response by st330

hello to all : me even possessor of mark levinson 20.6, (card AP5.5) the concern is hardly solvable ! indeed we know almost all, that the capacitors are not a problem if we accept all their limits and especially their limit of life. The most worrying point it seems to me, is of course the Teflon card on which is soldered the components! Indeed the tracks over time with the heat expand, and end up providing micro cut, those of course cause cuts in the sound. So what is the reliable solution? if it is not to agree that there is not, if it is not to accept the relative now of these marvellous devices! yes marvellous devices I say well, because it does not seem to me to find an equivalence to approximately 5000 or 6000 dollars. There is well the last cards AP6, which are not in Teflon, but on the one hand they are extremely rare and apparently of other concerns also come to be grafted.
Frankly, it's a pity that Mark Levinson didn't look more deeply into the problem ! because these devices are still worth it even now
cordially to the brotherhood