What or Who is Mark Levinson..?

Both.

Uh, let me clear that up a bit…

OK, most of you at one point or another have heard the name Mark Levinson, and it was probably in relation to Lexus - a car commercial, a print ad, or something of that nature, relating to the stereo in the car.

The What: Yes, Mark Levinson is an audio company, but not strictly car audio. Actually, the automotive products are a small offshoot of what the company does.

Founded in 1972 as Mark Levinson Audio Systems, the company produces high-end home stereo components for the audiophile crowd. Everything from amplifiers and pre-amplifiers to CD players and now home theater processors come from the factory. All items are of very high quality, perform superbly and are well thought of by the audiophile crowd.

And now for the who: Is there an actual Mark Levinson? Yes. And as logic would dictate, Mark (also a musician) was the founder of this company. Unfortunately for Mr. Levinson, one of his business partners who happened to be a majority owner in the company forced Mark out in the 1980s. The company is now owned by Harman International. Mark himself has gone on to start up other audio companies including Cello and Red Rose Music.

We can’t speak for the man himself, but the audio products that bear the name definitely get a Connoisseur Corner Recommended rating. If you have opportunity to listen to these, whether it be in a Lexus or in a home, don’t miss out..!