As with all Mark Levinson Reference products, it goes without saying that the primary function of the Nº53 is to reproduce sound at the purest level possible. Following in the tradition of such Mark Levinson solid state power amplifier products as the ML-2 and the Nº33, the new Nº53 continues to prove that solid state electronics can rival the best sounding tube-based designs. More specifically, the Nº53 is the first ever switching power amplifier from Mark Levinson. Despite their numerous advantages - increased efficiency, more power, compact dimensions, less weight and less heat dissipation than their linear counterparts - switching power amplifiers have generally been viewed with skepticism from the audiophile community, due to the technical limitations inherent in switching designs and assumptions about the resultant sound quality. The Nº53, however, is the end result of an extensive R&D effort to find ways to emphasize the advantages of switching power amplifiers while overcoming their weaknesses, creating a landmark product truly worthy of the Mark Levinson Reference designation.