Mark Levinson Speaker Blown

[Dr. Amdahl]

During a particularly Sunny drive over the weekend I had the ML system wound right up to full when all of a sudden the sound from my centre front speaker became very distorted and crackly. After figuring out how to remove the speaker (luckily you just need to carefully prize off the grille and remove a couple of 10mm bolts) and testing it by connecting it to my home stereo I was relieved to discover it was blown and that the amplifier is ok.

Imagine my delight after calling Lex this morning to be told that the TINY little thing is £125! One hundred and twenty five quid for a midget of a little speaker (or is that £5 for the speaker and £120 for the Mark Levinson sticker attached to it?)

Needless to say I won't be having the volume on full again any time soon...... Not happy

[Bluesman]

Have you tried Mark Levinson direct? Mike.

[steve2006]

Or even direct Mike :)

Guess where the Mark Levinson website directs you to regarding their systems installed in Lexus cars?

Strangely enough to Lexus, so that will be retail price plus Lexus contibution plus VAT Sir, comes in at £125.00 :)

[Bluesman]

Or even direct Mike :)

Guess where the Mark Levinson website directs you to regarding their systems installed in Lexus cars?

Strangely enough to Lexus, so that will be retail price plus Lexus contibution plus VAT Sir, comes in at £125.00 :)

I do like to put these little "contibution" in to keep the fun factor up.

I should have known that's where they would send you, didn't know if it had a part number he could have ordered direct from them. Mike.

[chris_fletcher]

Since I doubt Mark Levinson actually manufactures speakers I suspect you could source a better quality same size driver, minus ML sticker for far less, check out Wilmslow Audio or Google Peerless, Vifa, Seas or Scanspeak drive units

[Dr. Amdahl]

Part number if anyone else needs it is 861600E030

[Romasato]

Found you one on eBay to order from US: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2006-RX400H-DASH-SPEAKER-86160-0E030-/351170286987?hash=item51c361558b

~£41.66 + shipping of ~£20. Don't think customs will need to be paid.

[Dr. Amdahl]

That's very kind of you to look, but I'd rather pay the extra for a new one. I know what the couriers are like and USA is a long trip for something that's seemingly a little fragile. I have already instructed and paid the Levinsonian Elves their fee and they are beavering away in the hills above Levinsonia expertly fashioning my new speaker out of lark's vomit and truffle oil. I understand they are distantly related to the endangered Bavarian Pixies that occasionally find the time to make little plastic bits for my classic 911 and bring them to Stittgart every 4 months (at a price).

I will be keeping my eye on eBay to see if any cheap ML speakers come up, that way I won't be scared to turn it up above 45...

[PCM]

Did the Elves work their magic?

[Dr. Amdahl]

They did a sterling job, even though they thought it would be a funny joke to put their masterpiece into a box marked TOY OTA. I obviously new it was not a toy, although not at all sure what an 'ota' is (must mean something amusing in Levinsonian) when I plugged it in all was well.

I blame Will.I.am for all of this......