I had the same dilemma passed on getting a ML. The repair cost exceeds what I would spend. Get a new and enjoy/embrace modern amps.
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THE ML-331 REPAIR IS NOT COMPLICATED. THE ORGINAL PHILIPS 44000uF 75V 2 INCH DIAMETER CAPS CAN BE REPLACED WITH CORNELL DUBILIER OR UNITED CHEMICON. ALSO REGULATOR CAPS 1900uF 150V CAN BE REPLACED WITH CDE 1900uF THE POWER SUPPLY CAPS ARE THE PROBLEM. ALSO THERE IS AN UPDATE WITH FEW SMALL CAPS AND IC CHIP . I HAVE THE SERVICE MANUAL FOR 331. HARMAN IS NOT ORDERING ANY NEW PARTS FOR 300 SERIES.
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I said this before and I am going to say it again. 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. Are the needed parts available and will the Tech be able to ensure that all the other parts are working correctly to ensure it continues to sound great?
The availability of the original caps are a concern and, if not, what is the impact on the sound quality if other caps are used. Some of the posts above said the Techs are available but are they skilled enough to repair a 25-year old power amp? I do not know.
Your Mark Levinson 331 power amp is 25-years old and maybe it is time to replace it. I suggest you review this repair with the above repair shops and ask for their opinion and the cost to repair including a complete check of the entire amplifier. After this, you should be able to make a decision. please keep us posted. Thanks.
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The filter caps for the 331 were made by Philips. Some people have used replacement caps from CORNELL DUBILIER that some say are as good if not better than the original Philips ones. I am not sure if these are still available. But, from what I know, it is a major job to dissemble the unit enough to replace the caps. If you find someone to repair a 331 make sure to have a discussion about what caps are being used. It does matter.
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markny - I never said that Samsung ownership has no impact on Harmon Kardon and thus Levinson. I simply said the Harmon Kardon is a pretty well respected company.
The issue with 3xx series amps is that they used specialized filter caps that ran at very near tolerance. Those caps eventually fail. Those caps are no longer available, although there have been some replacements available from other sources. But experience has shown that many of the replacement caps also fail. There is a design issue with the amps and a supply issue for the caps. A $2,000 repair with parts you do not trust is a bad business decision. There is more to this than just that Samsung is cheap. Not having replacements parts is a pain, but it is not unique to Levinson and Harmon Kardon and Samsung, as in my Thermador/Bosche example.
That said, I will never buy a Samsung appliance because I do not trust their service. But Samsung phones are all I buy.
EDIT : Samsung bought Harmon Kardon in 2017. This issue of getting Levinson 3xx amps repaired predates that purchase, for the reasons stated above.
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if you like the amplifier (this is not the most complicated device) - it can be repaired ... an experienced craftsman does not necessarily need a circuit - some resistor may have burned out ... Yes - capacitors often dry up with veterans and you will not find the same ones for sale ... BUT - they were made during the dinosaurs - technology has gone ahead and you can choose an alternative (the sound can change - but this is also a plus - you can adjust the sound even better for your room ...).
For example, I specially bought an ML DAC - it was completely checked on test stands, the capacitors were replaced ... I am very pleased with the sound - thick analog ... modern DACs are most often sterile, they give an unnatural sound ... Look for the master (this applies to any components in this hobby ) .
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DTC …..
To say that Samsung ultimate ownership has no impact in Levinson is like saying I don’t have my head in the sand.
I work in international Mergers and Acquisitions. I have worked for Samsung and LG. I mostly work for Asian companies buying companies in the US and Europe. Have done a lot for Japanese and Chinese companies as well.
All Korean companies impart their Asian business methodologies and philosophies on western companies they acquire. It may not be obvious - but the first thing they do when acquiring a company is put in their own Chief Financial Officer. That persons job is to not just manage finances but cut out waste. Every Asian company believes that western companies are filled with waste !! They cut it to improve profits. So while they may not say - let’s reduce our customer service - they do say - we see our customer service department has 8 people and we believe we don’t need more than 5.
They will cut anything and everything until they are convinced it is hurting sales.
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Call Chris Johnson in Burlington Ontario he owns parts connection and he will get it fixed. He is one of the largest dealers of hi fi parts in the world.
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@raggah. I don't believe that you contacted George Meyer AV repair facility in Los Angeles, CA.
They are an authorized Mark Levinson repair facility and a simple call would confirm this.
I have had two Mark Levinson 23.5 amps repaired and one ML3. Also many Audio Research pieces.
Also, just for your information regardless of whether a technician is authorized or not, a good technician can diagnose and repair. Unless the parts are simply not available.
I know for certain they repair 331 amps.
Their website list the following.
Authorized Audio Research Service and repair
Authorized Levinson Service and Repair
Authorized McIntosh Service and Repair
Authorized Krell Service and Repair
Authorized Wadia Service and Repair
Authorized Hegel Service and Repair
Authorized Jadis Service and Repair
and if you click on their link, they list about eighty brands they repair.
Also, speaking to their technicians, they stock hard to find parts.
Anyway, I'm not affiliated with them other than being a many times customer, but it is good to know of a repair facility that I can trust.
enjoy
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The company is very different than when those amps were build. And pretty much all of them need the caps replaced and quality parts have been hard to find. It is frustrating but not too surprising that they will not fix the amp.
I have 20 year old Thermador double wall ovens and the lower one does not work. The control board is not available, so I am out of luck using the bottom oven. And that company is still very much in business. It happens, unfortunately.
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Thanks
Thanks to all in this forum who took the time to read and respond to my issue. I did call all the authorized repair agents given to me by ML and they all said the same thing, they don't have the parts to do any repairs on this amp. they also said under no circumstances will they provide the schematics even if the unit is discontinued. I think i will sell the unit as is for parts as its not worth the headache. I own several Mcintosh amps which are just as old or older than the ML and can have them repaired just about anywhere where i live with no problem Mcintosh gave us the all the schematics for the amps in question, I think i will continue to buy their equipment. MC2300 X2 MC2205 X1 MC 275 X1 and a MA230 all working.
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Every company provides different levels of customer service. My 16+ year old Ayre Acoustics AX-7e integrated amp stopped working (no sound). I returned the amp to my retailer. He confirmed it was not working (checked the fuses, etc.) and shipped it back to Ayre for repairs.
My repaired amp was returned about a month later. My repair cost was zero (they paid shipping both ways). Ayre repaired the amp, never told us what was wrong and restored it to factory specs. I thanked both my retailer and Ayre.
This is an example of excellent customer service. I was very impressed.
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Mark Levinson is owned by Harmon Kardon which is owned by Samsung. Harmon Kardon is a respected name in consumer and professional audio. Levinson has certainly had issues with customer service in the past but to compare them and Harmon Kardon to washing machines and cell phones is not exactly fair.
PS Audio is a separate, privately owned company founded by Paul McGown. McGowen left the company for a while in the '90s but went back and, as far as I know, is still there. I have no idea what your service problem was, but they are a respected audio company.
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It may come as a surprise to many people - … but Samsung is the current owner of Levinson. Not exactly a firm that is aligned with a high end audiophile service philosophy.
this is also not a unique policy to Levinson. I personally had a 12 year old PS Audio power plant that went bad. They diagnosed the problem as I described the situation as some bad caps - but said their policy was not to provide service because they could no longer get the exact capacitors that were originally used !
I wouldn’t buy a PS Audio product again.
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If you contact me directly, I will happily provide you with an outstanding Mark Levinson experienced repair person. I will not do this on the forum because the person is already swamped with high-end stuff that needs to be completed. If you're not in a rush, you'll have the most exceptional work done imaginable.
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Again, George Myers AV is an authorized Mark Levinson Service Center.
I've had a few Mark Levinson Amps repaired there. Along with Audio Research projects.
They are excellent.
Give them a call.
enjoy
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The 331 is a very nice amp. worth sending it in to George Myers. It punches above its weight when running properly. They can fix it.
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Glad I own Bryston amps. They will fix any amp they built.
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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.
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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.
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Pyramid did excellent work on my Lev 33H and 336 about a year or 2 ago.
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Carousel music Dothan Al should be able to do it if anyone.
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@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.
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Most any electronic component that hasn't been run over by a truck can be repaired. The problem is finding a competent tech that is willing to do the work. Shame on ML for such shoddy response! That wasn't the attitude of the original company!
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Whoever you spoke to gave you bad information. ML has three authorized service centers: Pyramid Audio (TX), United Radio (NY) and Technetron (NYC). All of them have the schematics for your amp.
I would first contact Pyramid, their owner was a tech at the old Levinson brand. As for whether or not it's worth repairing a 25 year old amplifier, a deciding factor is that to get the same performance from a new amplifier, you would most likely have to spend ten times the repair cost.
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So authorized service centers won't and can't get the schematics?
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George Meyer AV in Los Angeles.
Give them a call. They are authorized Mark Levinson repair facility along with several other brands.
excellent work.
enjoy
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This is a very difficult situation. Please search on mark Levinson repairs and see what comes up. For examine, I found:
Please see this link
i suggest you investigate these repairs shops and determine if the cost to repair is worth it. In some cases, you repair something and shortly after that, something else breaks. I do not know the age of your #331 amp. You have to evaluate the repair cost vs. the reliability of a new amp.
IMHO, Based on the response from Mark Levinson, I suggest you look for a new amp and a company that supports your purchase.
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