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Levinson 3XX Amplifier Repairs

Thought i would post this as it is hard to find any solid information online about the Mark Levinson 33x capacitor repair problem.

I purchased a 332 here on audiogon about 6 months ago. A few weeks ago it developed a loud hum in the right channel. i contacted Levinson (or what is left of them) and was informed that there are only 2 authorized repair shops in the US. Pyramid Audio in Texas and The Service Bench in Mass.

I called the service bench first and was informed that they charged a FLAT LABOR RATE OF $900 + parts! This was a crazy number so i called Pyramid Audio. They said it was a $100 diagonstic fee that would be applied to parts and labor. this seemed reasonable so i shipped the amp to them ($150 shipping).

About 1 week later i received a call from Pyramid Audio stating that my reapir was going to be $1600!!! They also gave me the option of abandoning the amp or having it shipped back!

I feel that i am getting gouged here but really have no choice so i went ahead and got the amp repaired. i'll keep everyone posted on how the repairs ended up.
gmoneyreece
drjoe
130 posts
 
Levinson as a company has deteriorated. What if your product needed a $50
part to fix. $900 plus parts to fix? I don't care how good their stuff sounds,
this kind of policy and poor support sucks. Only a fool would buy their
gear. Also they seem to have high failure rate. With this in mind I think they
just might go under.
Joe

PS...don't mean to insult Levinson owners, but I would really be pissed
at their lack of reasonable support.
9rw's avatar
9rw
318 posts
 
Jmcgrogan2: To say that's the price of playing in the high end is ridiculous. You'll never see that kind of treatment from companies like Audio Research, McIntosh and Pass Labs -- and many others. This makes Levinson products even more worthless than they were before.

Gmoneyreece: You should report Pyramid Audio to the Better Business Bureau. Its owners need to justify charging you that much.
usblues
1,217 posts
 
No choice is about it,bummer no doubt.Pity you didnt research as those series have been known for years to have major design flaws.So whats the next step,keep and play or sell ASAP?Your call or start another thread and you know what we'll say.Bastards.Good luck,Bob
entrope
482 posts
 
So the lesson here is do not buy anything you are not willing to abandon at a total loss?
usblues
1,217 posts
 
No lesson other than the timeless buyer beware.I forget the Latin version,much more elegant.
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