Mark Levinson No. 31 Top Loading CD Transport w/ No. 30 Reference Digital Processor + PLS-330 External Power Supply

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General:
This is an amazing Mark Levinson digital stack from the early 1990's. Still considered one of the best DAC's of all time.

This set would have cost a small fortune at the time, approximately $50k when adjusted for inflation in 2025. Not far from what a full digital stack would cost today by a top manufacturer (such as dCS, T+A, etc).

We've  been fortunate in the past to have sever No. 31 transports come into the shop, but we have NEVER have never had the full set. Especially not in this incredible  condition where all of the buttons even respond and feel like new.

Best of all we serviced the power supply for another 30 years of reliable operation.  

The laser in this CD transport is about the most reliable we've ever seen and have yet to come across a failure. Used in avionics and medical, they were built for decades of reliable operation. 

Included in this listing:
- Mark Levinson No. 31 Top Loading CD Transport - MSRP $8,500 (1990's)
- Mark Levinson No. 30 Reference Digital Processor (DAC) MSRP - $13,950 (1990's)
- PLS-330 Power Supply (For the DAC)

The No. 31 is a formidable CD Transport and arguably one of the coolest ever made. It was made to a very high standard that was pretty out of this world even today.

On the back you'll find a highly regarded ST Glass Fiber interface of the 150 MHz variety. If you're lucky enough to have a DAC with this sort of input - be sure to use it. There are also Toslink (optical digital), Coax (coaxial digital) and AES-EBU (XLR terminaton) digital connections.

Flanking the unit you'll notice two large power supplies in their own housing. It’s essentially a three-piece transport with all pieces attached together. I challenge you to find a similar unit in design and extravagance. Shipping weight is a staggering 62 lbs!

The No. 30 is a very cool dual-mono Digital Processor (DAC). It has a whopping five AES-EBU (XLR) digital inputs out back, plus, two toslink optical inputs and one AT&T ST-type optical jack. It uses two UltraAnalog C009 dual 20-bit DACs custom-made for Madrigal. Overall, it's an incredible unit.

The stack is finished off with the No. 30 matching power supply, the "PLS-330". Perfect for supplying the DAC with regulated and reliable power across three different connections as shown in our photos (Right Analog DC Out, Left Analog DC Out, and Digital DC Out)

Included with the three pieces will be their matching manuals, CAMAC interlink cables, angled IEC power cable, plus the original remote control for the CD transport.

SkyFi Cosmetic Notes:
Some small marks on the tops and sides of the units. Overall extremely  good shape.

SkyFi Technical Notes:
The remote was not functioning properly on arrival. In order to restore operation of the play button we swapped the response mechanism from the d/a polarity button. d/a polarity is no longer functional from the remote and the play button itself has a melt mark on the left side. The remote has been fully tested and works well for all features aside from d/a polarity. d/a polarity is rarely ever needed or used.

We noticed upon visual inspection of the PLS-330 power supply that one channel had been serviced in the past. In order to keep both analog power supplies as equal as possible we replaced all of the electrolytic caps on both channels with identical parts.

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.

Ownership:
Second Owner

Connections:
XLR, AES/EBU,

General Sound:
Smooth, uncolored, undistorted natural and clean

Cosmetic Condition:
9/10 = Excellent. Perfect physical condition, gently used. 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.

Included:
Unit, remote, manual, accessories, and power cord.

Packing:
Will be packed using our highly developed in-house process and custom packing materials.Original MSRP:
$22,500.00

Specs:
No.30 Digital Processor:
20-bit digital/analog converter
Inputs:
- Five AES/EBU on XLR connectors
- Two Toslink (EIAJ) optical inputs
- One AT&T ST-type optical input
Digital Outputs:
- Two AES/EBU on XLR jack
- One optical on Toslink jack
Analog Outputs:
- One unbalanced stereo pair on RCA jacks
- Two balanced stereo pairs on XLR jacks
D/A Conversion: Two custom 20-bit DACs
Digital Filter: 8x-oversampling
Analog Filter: Bessel-tuned low-pass, linear phase to 40kHz
Frequency Response: 10Hz–20kHz, +0dB, –0.2dB
THD (Total Harmonic Distortion): 0.003% at 1kHz, 0dB, A-weighted
Dynamic Range: 98dB or better
Signal-to-Noise Ratio (S/N): 105dB
Channel Separation: Better than 110dB
Intermodulation Distortion (IM): 0.005%
Low-Level Linearity:
- Deviation unmeasurable to below –70dB
- Approximately +1.7dB below –90dB, undithered, referenced to 0dBFS at 1kHz
Output Impedance: 6 ohms

No.31 CD transport. 
Outputs:
One AES/EBU on XLR jack (110 ohms), one S/PDIF on RCA jack (75 ohms), one HP ST-Type optical (AT&T–compatible), one EIAJ (Toslink) optical.

Additional inputs and outputs:
Slave in and slave out (for communication with other Mark Levinson digital products).

Additional inputs and outputs:
Slave in and slave out (for communication with other Mark Levinson digital products).
Dimensions:
No.30 (19" W by 7.5" H by 15.5" D) No.31 (19.375" W by 5.56" H by 13.726" D)

Weight:
130 lbs.

Approximate Age:
1992

Recommended Cables:
Kimber Kable - RCA Interconnects - Better

Kimber Kable - RCA Interconnects - Best

Kimber Kable - BALANCED XLR Connectors - Better

Kimber Kable - BALANCED XLR Connectors - Best

Kimber Kable - Coaxial Digital Interconnect

Kimber Kable - Optical Digital Interconnect

Kimber Kable - Digital AES/EBU Interconnect

Kimber Kable - Power Cords - Good

Kimber Kable - Power Cords - Better

Kimber Kable - 14AWG (Gauge) Power Cords - Best

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.

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. 

After the visual inspection we connect the DAC's 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 are equipped to test optical, coaxial, and USB inputs at Redbook CD Quality.

We start with a test signal to verify signal lock and proper output on both channels. If the DAC has balanced outputs these are also tested at this time. If the DAC has multiple Optical and Coaxial inputs they are all checked for proper lock. USB inputs are tested with a MacBook Pro. 

After proper function is verified, we setup the DAC for a listening test to evaluate general audio reproduction quality and monitor for clicks, pops, or any other audible signs of issues related to dropped signal lock or failing audio output stages. We often connect the DAC under evaluation to our long term test rig for a long test stint to verify stability under real world operating conditions.