A $10,000 Record Player for Vinyl-Obsessed Audiophiles

Founded in 1972 and acquired in 1990 by Harman International Industries Inc., Mark Levinson is synonymous with high-end sound. Its eponymous founder, an aspiring musician said to have built a stage mixer at Woodstock, jump-started the craze for premium home audio equipment. To commemorate its 45th anniversary this year, the brand teamed up with another top-rated manufacturer, turntable maker VPI Industries Inc., to create its first record player, the No. 515. A 20-pound platter rotates on an inverted bearing to make it the most precise deck on the market. The reinforced base tamps down resonance to create a warm, clear, analog sound.

At $10,000, the Mark Levinson No. 515 has been measured to be 0.01 percent better at reproducing pitch than VPI’s own top-shelf $6,000 Prime Signature turntable. Both have a massive aluminum alloy platter and layered plinth design, but flourishes such as a 3D-printed tonearm and Levinson’s trademark black anodized chassis give the 515 more polish. McIntosh Laboratory Inc. makes the platter for its $6,500 MT5 out of 5 pounds of glow-in-the-dark silicone, but aluminum’s fidelity, over time, tends to be better. Technics, the Panasonic brand behind the SL-1200, a durable DJ favorite, is expected to release a new player next summer.