Mark Levinson Repairs


I own a Mark Levinson # 331 Power amp and recently the right output channel failed. I called ML service dept to get a quote for repairs and and was shocked when i was told they don't do repairs on this amp anymore and even if they did there are no parts available. They also told me that a 3rd party service center would not be able to help either because they will not have the schematics and they will not give it out to anyone. this was more shocking as based on this information the amp will never be fixed, i do blame myself for not doing research on this company policies prior to buying the amp if i did i would not be in this situation. I own several Mcintosh equi[tment that cost the same or less and older than the ML 331 and i have had them repaired at Mcintosh or my local tech shop i even bought the service manual for one of the amps. 

Does anyone here has the same issue and if so how did you get your amp repaired, any suggestions will be appreciated FYI when the amp was working it was excellent quality sound so the equipment is good just the service sucks !

Thanks for reading.   

raggah

@gs5556 is absolutely correct. I’ve had various ML equipment for 30 years and had occasion to use Pyramid as well as a local shop on older gear without a problem. 

However, on more than one occasion, I’ve also found the company techs to be ill-informed and had to request a call back from management. 

I do not know if it is worth repairing a 25 year old amplifier.  Obviously, you have to get an estimate to repair your current Levinson 331 amp.   

This raises several questions.  Are comparable parts available to make the needed repairs and, if repaired, how long will it last?   Does the Tech have the needed skills to make these repairs.   Will the amp require additional repairs in the short term.  Are the other parts in the amp, wires, caps, etc. okay or do they also need work.  Your estimate needs to a complete checkup of your amp. Will the repaired amp sound as good as the original amp?  

If you decide to purchase a new amp, will you get better performance and how much will it cost.

The most common problem with these amps is the capacitors. This is a very well known problem. Over time they leak and need to be replaced. If the leaking is bad, that may cause problems with some of the boards. Sourcing high quality replacements has been an issue over the years.

There is also a rubber damping strip that can melt over time and leak onto components, although the caps are the most common problem.

Call the authorized repair places above and get estimates. Sometimes it is a flat rate, sometimes it is a flat labor rate plus parts. Shipping is also not trivial. My information is several years old, so give them a call and get the current situation.

 

If you search on Levinson equipment for sale there is a guy who buys non-working equipment.