Mark Levinson Repairs

markny - I never said that Samsung ownership has no impact on Harmon Kardon and thus Levinson. I simply said the Harmon Kardon is a pretty well respected company.

The issue with 3xx series amps is that they used specialized filter caps that ran at very near tolerance. Those caps eventually fail. Those caps are no longer available, although there have been some replacements available from other sources. But experience has shown that many of the replacement caps also fail. There is a design issue with the amps and a supply issue for the caps. A $2,000 repair with parts you do not trust is a bad business decision. There is more to this than just that Samsung is cheap. Not having replacements parts is a pain, but it is not unique to Levinson and Harmon Kardon and Samsung, as in my Thermador/Bosche example.

That said, I will never buy a Samsung appliance because I do not trust their service. But Samsung phones are all I buy.

EDIT : Samsung bought Harmon Kardon in 2017. This issue of getting Levinson 3xx amps repaired predates that purchase, for the reasons stated above.

The filter caps for the 331 were made by Philips. Some people have used replacement caps from CORNELL DUBILIER that some say are as good if not better than the original Philips ones. I am not sure if these are still available. But, from what I know, it is a major job to dissemble the unit enough to replace the caps. If you find someone to repair a 331 make sure to have a discussion about what caps are being used. It does matter.

I said this before and I am going to say it again.  I do not know if it is worth repairing a 25-year old amplifier. Obviously, you have to get an estimate to repair your current Levinson 331 amp. Are the needed parts available and will the Tech be able to ensure that all the other parts are working correctly to ensure it continues to sound great?  

The availability of the original caps are a concern and, if not, what is the impact on the sound quality if other caps are used.  Some of the posts above said the Techs are available but are they skilled enough to repair a 25-year old power amp?   I do not know.

Your Mark Levinson 331 power amp is 25-years old and maybe it is time to replace it. I suggest you review this repair with the above repair shops and ask for their opinion and the cost to repair including a complete check of the entire amplifier. After this, you should be able to make a decision.  please keep us posted.  Thanks. 

THE ML-331 REPAIR IS NOT COMPLICATED. THE ORGINAL PHILIPS 44000uF 75V 2 INCH DIAMETER  CAPS CAN BE REPLACED WITH  CORNELL DUBILIER OR UNITED CHEMICON. ALSO REGULATOR CAPS 1900uF 150V CAN BE REPLACED WITH CDE 1900uF THE POWER SUPPLY CAPS ARE THE PROBLEM. ALSO THERE IS AN UPDATE WITH FEW SMALL CAPS AND  IC CHIP . I HAVE THE SERVICE MANUAL FOR 331. HARMAN IS NOT ORDERING ANY NEW PARTS FOR 300 SERIES.

I had the same dilemma passed on getting a ML.  The repair cost exceeds what I would spend.  Get a new and enjoy/embrace modern amps.