More than a number

“Our challenge with the 5000 Series was to develop a product line which — although at a lower cost than the 500 Series which came before — still delivered the full Mark Levinson experience for our customers. We had to innovate.”

So said Todd Eichenbaum, Mark Levinson’s Director of Engineering, streaming to our office from Connecticut for a special 5000 Series event last October. By then the company already had two 5000 Series amplifiers on the market, including the № 5805 integrated amplifier we’re reviewing here, plus two sources — the № 5101 streaming CD player, and the rather exciting № 5105 turntable. A 5000 Series pre-power combo is also imminent, making a six-strong line-up. Given that there are only seven other products in the entire Mark Levinson line-up, this new series, tucking underneath that seven-strong 500 Series, is clearly a vital focus for the company’s latest evolution.

And certainly when it comes to high-end amplification, few brands are as