WOULD IT BE DUMB TO BUY A MARK LEVINSON NO 23.5

I sent my Levinson 23.5 to Pyramid Audio about 2 weeks ago because the left channel was popping and crackling, and even going out completely sometimes.  They just called yesterday to confirm the issue from their diagnosis and that it is time for the full rebuild.  Time is about 30 hours of work over the next 3 weeks, and I should see it shipped back to me in about a month.

Shipping is a pain of course due to the weight and bulk.  I invested $300 in a heavy duty Pelican hard case to pack it in with soft foam, and then an outer box around the Pelican case.  And shipping was about $200 as well, so this all in, is not a cheap investment and a lot of time packing/shipping/repairing for a 30 year old amp.

Thanks, I will have to take a look but honestly it isn't just about the sound with me, it is also the design aesthetic of this era of Levinson.  And I also like having two of the "S" version components in my system.

Thanks for sharing that info.  Pyramid told me the same about not needing to replace the big capacitors.  I haven't heard an update from them yet on the repair.

My gear:
Levinson 23.5
Levinson 37 transport
Levinson 360S d/a 
Levinson 380S preamp
Energy Veritas 2.8 speakers
XLO wiring throughout 

I read this thread with a lot of interest and appreciated all of the responses, even the naysayers.  I bought a 23.5 last Fall as part of the system I put together that was purposely vintage 90's gear (380s preamp, 360s dac, 37 transport).  My goal was nostalgia for when I worked at a high end store during 1994 and 1995 in high school and couldn't afford this stuff.  My other goals were sound quality and build quality.  Although I didn't cross compare other gear like Krell and Classe (i knew from the get-go that i was seeking out vintage Levibson gear) I have still been very impressed and satisfied with my investment.  Jeff congrats on getting your 23.5 and it is great to hear your impressions so far.  Like you I will also be planning a tune up and electronic component work on mine and you know what, I'm fine with that.  It is worth keeping going another 20-30 years with a $2k or so investment.

The question is, what will I use for an amp while my 23.5 is out for repair?  Maybe I'll buy something else that I can use for a while but still easily resell.