Robb Report: Mark Levinson components have occupied the top rung of two-channel audio for years, long before Harman International Industries acquired the brand in 1990.

Mark Levinson components have occupied the top rung of two-channel audio for years, long before Harman International Industries acquired the brand in 1990. The eccentric audiophile, whose name became synonymous with high-end sound, began his music career as a stand-up bass player with jazz pianist Paul Bley; a career that doubtless informed Levinson’s audiophile ear when he founded his eponymous brand in 1972. Today, the only thing that connects current Mark Levinson gear with that of the past is the logo, though the commitment to performance and build quality takes the same square aim at state-of-the-art sound as it did nearly 50 years ago.