Mark Levinson 23.5

Actually I measured it 2 ways. One using a Raytek infrared thermometer locating several different hit spots and the other using a Fluke 52 with a surface probe. The most hear is generated at the top of the rear heat sinks, which makes sense. But I can literally feel the temp difference with my hand. It's noticably different, much warmer.

I have owned a 27 and 27.5 and they never ran hot as you are describing.  Did your repair shop check the caps, resistors, etc?  Have you used Google to research this issue?  Personally I wouldn't use this shop any longer because they haven't found the issue plus I would be reluctant any way to take the amp back as they want you to trade up. To me thats a flag especially trading for a Bryston 4B. Not that it is a bad amp but the 23.5 IMO is quite a bit superior sonically. 

Samzx12, my 23.5 never ran hot either. Maybe a bit warmer when I pushed it harder. I may have worded my last post incorrectly about trading up. I was asking my dealer what should I do? In such a way like, wth, should I trade up or what are my options. This amp went back in to them 3 times in the last 4 months. Originally it has the left channel distorting which they corrected. I received it back with a short noise in the right channel which went away after 30 or 40 seconds. Either way it wasn't right, so it went back again. Immediately after I got it back is when I noticed it running hot. It went back again. It was suggested then in discussion and frustration that I asked wth I should do. That's when it was suggested the Ayre Acoustic amp would be my next jump up and sonically would wow me. It was also suggested I should audition the Bryston as technology has come a long ways through the years and I would be shocked that it supposedly out performs the Levinson sonically. That's a hard to me because I love everything about this amp including the classic BPA look. For now I have resorted to putting a 4" fan blowing on it to cool it plugged into it's own receptacle on a different circuit. It's actually a pretty quiet little fan and running this thing pretty hard is only about 115*. That's more like it use to feel. It just sucks because the original repair cost me over $800 and I know sensind it out east won't be cheap either. Sucks!!!

I loved the design and looks of the 23-27 series of amps and have heard the 23.5 was one of the better sounding of the series. OK I understand what your dealer meant now however, they aren't fixing the heat issue. It sucks your out $800 but it started running hot after they had worked on it. So I am not sure what your conversation was with the dealer are you sure they set the bias correctly and checked out everything else. I am guessing it sounds just like it did before?  Also, hopefully someone that knows amps can chime in here. 

Samzx12, yes, it sounds fantastic. I'm losing confidence in their repair shop. At one time pre-Harmon Ind days, they were a Levinson dealer and did a lot of service on ML equip as needed. It's just that since April, this amp was in their shop 12 weeks? The amp didn't run hot until they played with it. I may push that issue. The other option is I'll pick up the freight to have it go east for repair. They will absorb the repair cost. I asked them to check the bias when I brought it in last time. They said it was all ok when the checked it. I'm hoping someone that knows these amps may chime in as well. I may try to call Levinson myself and see if I could talk to a tech. I think that may be a slim to none chance but I'm going to give it a shot.