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View Full Version : Mark Levinson 23.5, will it drive any JBL with ease?



lofi-ear
01-21-2009, 12:07 PM
The title says it all.

I could get a used one for a very nice price tag. It's from early 90's. How would it compare to today's high-end amps from the same company or others (Krell/McIntosh etc)?

garfan
01-21-2009, 04:22 PM
You should have no problems with this amp, most JBL's have a general impedance of 8Ohm, even though some Xpls & Tik have an impedance of 6 Ohms, but for this amp it has the capabilty of driving speakers from 8 to 4 ohm easily, here's the stereophile report on this amp http://www.stereophile.com/solidpoweramps/991ml23/index.html

and some owners reviews
http://www.audioreview.com/mfr/mark-levinson/amplifiers/no-23-5-/PRD_115909_1583crx.aspx

Good luck with your purchase!:)
Peace Gary

macaroonie
01-21-2009, 05:50 PM
Ml and JBL go together like your Reindeer and your Sled , a perfect match !!!
Madrigal group provide a complete care and maintainance service back up worldwide for all the ' obsolete ' products. You have nothing to fear.
Best wishes Mac

Triumph Don
01-22-2009, 09:01 PM
What are the JBL's in question here?

garfan
01-23-2009, 01:20 AM
250ti and other models in the range i.e. 240ti etc are 8ohm but some models of the 250ti, mine included have an impedance of 6 ohms and I have no problems driving it with bridged harman kardon signature 1.5's.
SVA2100( I have this as well) SVA1800 are all 8ohm, the tik10 & all models in this range are all 6ohms, XPL160,XPL200 are 6ohm, ti5000,3000 are 6ohm.
Most of the new range i.e. k29800,5800 & array1400,1000 & 800 are all 8ohm.
Most good quality high end amps, mark levinson,krell &bryston will be able to drive these speakers with ease, as nearly all of them are like my signatures high current and heavily over engineered beasts.

timc
01-23-2009, 05:14 AM
I haven't tested the No 23.5 but have used the No23 in my system and other systems for quite a while. A friend of mine lent it to me while he was building new speakers.

There is better sound out there but maybe not for the asking price theese days. When it comes to power.....Thoose 2x1.75KVA (i think) transformers kick all speakers arse. I tried to torture the ML with a variety of speakers. it never missed a beat. Soundwise it came up quite short compared to McIntosh MC402 and the newer ML No336, but that is not so strange really.

I can't really think of a speaker it won't handle. Apogee maybe........

A great amp for not much money. About $2200 here in Norway.


-Tim