Mark Levinson No.512 CD Player---Opinions

On a slightly different note, I was wondering if anyone has heard the 512 compared to either the previous flagship model, the #51 or the famed Meridian 808.2. No one I've queried, including reps with Levinson or Meridian seem to have ever done either one of these comparisons, so I'm hoping someone out there has to aid me in my purchasing decision. Anyone out there heard the 512 compared to these other flagship models? If so, what did you think?

It’s two weeks later and I have reached my conclusions about the ML 512. First, it is very sturdy and uses a different remote than I have associated with ML.
After two weeks, some of the sounds are startling. First, the quiet is so quiet when it is quiet that I first thought something was wrong. There is no shrillness whatsoever; the highs are wonderful and believable. I heard instruments, not speakers or equipment. The strings were startling real. I loved the “bass strings” and certainly heard things I never heard before. I even felt the piano keys being hit.
My comparisons are with the ML 31.5/30.6 and Krell DVD players. I have trouble, I think, expressing this, but the ML combo gave me great detail, the new combo gives better fidelity. It not so much detail it is realism. It did take me a while to get used to that. I hope that makes sense. The soundstage was superb. I listened to classical music, opera, jazz and movie soundtracks.
I found it took ten days to two weeks to really warm up and play well. I left it on overnight and the music got better and better. We are certainly are in grade A territory, perhaps A plus.
I know it sounds silly, but I haven’t had the time yet to go through a lot of discs, that may take a while. The CD sound is so wonderful that the distance between that and the SACD is not humongous. Again, that is because it is playing the regular CDs so well, NOT because the SACD part is lacking anything. Again, it actually sound is taking me a while to get used to. It is so uncolored and natural (and quiet).

I've had a chance to audition the 512 against the Boulder 1021, Meridian 808.2 and the DCS Puccini and I had a preference for the 512 overall, although all 4 are excellent machines. The Levinson may certainly be the "best buy" of the lot, being "only" 15K!

I finally heard this player at a store just to see what some of the hype was & having owned some levinson players in the past.
Now I would have loved to have done a a/b with some players I have & others in our small group. Sorry to say the store would never allow that. I heard enough to render a opinion. This player although good, does not rate up there with some of the better players in the price ranges below, equal & more expensive. Styling has taken a step back also. Sound wise, yes improved over the 390s, but no where near the performance of some of the newer players. Still more of a darker colder sound than I prefer.
With the levinson recent track record of service I could not justify the 15k price tag.

i have to save the 15 k so i can get a couple dig.amps for 50 k.