Mark Levinson No.36S Digital Processor

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General:
Incredible build quality, design, and component selection. This is the S variant of the 36 which was much improved over the original. 

Full dual mono internal construction for incredible balance and detailed channel separation.

Feels like it’s made from a solid block of steel!

This particular sample came from the original owner who placed it in the same spot since new where we retrieved it. 

It was bench tested in our lab and passed with flying colors.  The display is bright and legible, all capacitors are healthy, and it’s super quiet. 

Everything you see pictured in this listing is what is included (The DAC itself) and nothing additional.

SkyFi Cosmetic Notes:
Light signs of use, scuffs on side, good condition overall.

Brand Background:
After working in various recording studios and, as legend has it, creating the sound mixer for the Woodstock Music Festival, Mark Levinson began hand-crafting high-end stereo components. His first product, the LNP-1, was a rack-mounted system with two large VU meters and a high performance op-amp module. And with every subsequent product, the legend grew.

After working in various recording studios and, as legend has it, creating the sound mixer for the Woodstock Music Festival, Mark Levinson began hand-crafting high-end stereo components. His first product, the LNP-1, was a rack-mounted system with two large VU meters and a high performance op-amp module. And with every subsequent product, the legend grew.

General Sound:
Accurate to the recording

Cosmetic Condition:
8/10 = Very Good. Excellent front faceplate, one minor flaw on chassis side or top. See our detailed rating description here.

Working Condition:
Working perfectly and tested on our bench with both CD and DVD. XLR and RCA working as they should.

Specs:
Digital converter: dual differential 20 bit
Digital Inputs: Coaxial, AES/EBU, Optical
Sampling Frequency: 32, 44, 48kHz
Frequency response: 10Hz to 20kHz
Dynamic range: 98dB
Signal to Noise Ratio: 105dB
Channel separation: 110dB
Total harmonic distortion: 0.001%
Weight: 16kg
Year: 1995

Dimensions:
400 x 97.5 x 363mm

Weight:
35 lbs.

Approximate Age:
1995

Link to Manual:
Click Here

Recommended Cables:
Kimber Kable - RCA Interconnects - Better

Kimber Kable - RCA Interconnects - Best

Kimber Kable - Coaxial Digital Interconnect

Kimber Kable - Optical Digital Interconnect

Kimber Kable - Digital AES/EBU Interconnect

Testing Process:
We start with a visual inspection of all internal components to make sure that there are no signs of heat stress or damage. Capacitors are checked for telltale signs of predictive failure including bulging, shrunken wrappers, or physical leakage. We also inspect resistors and other passive components for signs of overheating. When the unit is first powered on we check the drawer mechanism function.

After the visual inspection we connect the CD Player RCA outputs to our Sencore PA81 Power Analyzer which simulates a real world input impedance and allows us to monitor the output on an oscilloscope. We start with a test CD with precision test signals to verify proper output on both channels. If the CD player has balanced outputs these are also tested at this time.

If this check passes, we move onto evaluation with actual music CDs. We listen for clicks, skips, and drops during playback. At this time we also check the transport functions including Play, Pause, Stop, Repeat Track, Next Track, Previous Track, Fast Forward, Rewind, and programming if applicable. If the unit has a remote control, all remote control functions are verified.

If the CD player is capable of SACD playback we test its ability to read SACD layers on multiple discs including standard and hybrid SACD's. At this time we also check the unit’s digital outputs where applicable. If SACD layers are being properly read we should see the digital outputs mute during playback. On redbook CD playback we verify that each digital output maintains proper lock on our bench DAC.

After bench testing is completed, CD players are set up for testing on our long term test rig. During extended testing we make sure that unit can play through several different discs from beginning to end with no skips or lockups.