CD / SACD players and transports — Mark Levinson № 5101

The № 5101 is a CD/SACD player from Mark Levinson, an American manufacturer with a legendary reputation built over decades of uncompromising amplifier and digital source design, built around an ESS Sabre conversion chip with confirmed SACD support. The № 5101 brings Mark Levinson's considerable engineering pedigree to disc-based digital source playback.

Key specs that matter

The unit functions as both transport and player with confirmed SACD support, built around an ESS Sabre conversion chip. Output level reaches 6V balanced or 3V single-ended - substantial figures providing real headroom. Signal-to-noise ratio exceeds 94dB for both CD and SACD, with total harmonic distortion plus noise at 0.004% for both formats.

Sound and use context

Expect the refined, meticulously engineered character Mark Levinson's decades of digital source design experience is broadly known for, with the substantial 6V balanced output providing genuine signal strength for driving a downstream amplifier directly.

Pairing

The substantial 6V balanced output gives genuine signal strength for driving a downstream power amplifier or active speakers directly, and Mark Levinson's own amplifier catalogue offers a natural, brand-coherent pairing.

Alternatives

Mark Levinson's broader digital source catalogue offers alternatives for buyers wanting a different balance of features within the same considerable engineering pedigree.