Esoteric C03 preamp or Mark Levinson 326S preamp- ANY and ALL FEEDBACK / HELP PLEASE

Thought I would update my preamp choices...

- Owned the Mark Levinson No.326s preamp for about a year and really liked it. After that for a while I tried a Pass Labs XP-20 and liked that also. Liked it a bit better than the 326s but probably had more to do with it matching better with my Pass Labs X350.5 amp. Nelson's synergy I guess. He's a pretty bright chap - although Coburn does most the preamp work but I am sure Nelson puts in his 2 cents. 

- Recently had a chance to make a change and went for it. Purchased a Simaudio MOON Evolution P-8 Preamp and honestly wasn't prepared for how much better it is.

- It is not only the best preamp I have ever owned it is so much better that my system changed like it never has before.

I mean the others are pretty good preamps and the P-8 isn't the latest model but man it is an absolutely insanely good preamp. I just thought the reader should know if they ever get a chance at one of these I am not sure there is anything better under $20,000. I am dead serious it is that good. Blown away good. Better than Pass XP-30, ARC REF 5SE and the latest Vibe with new litho power supply. I got to hear these in my system. All were great and different but the Simaudio blew me away.

So quiet and dynamic and transparent yet with sheen and light dashes of warmth. That just so right warmth that is so light handed and airy and open and extended its that uber touch it transparency we all crave and it is so vivid with grip and control yet with elasticity that the music has this tube like feel but so much transparency and air and space as it is so quiet its nothing like tubes but has the tube feel enveloping feel that i have just never got from SS. I am past tubes and into SS now but to get the tubeness with all SS we love is just unlike any other preamp I have owned. Man, I just had to share - hope this helps someone be as happy with their rig as I am today.   

I would purchase a pair of Kubala Sosna Elation interconnects, ( you are missing out if you don't ) balanced and plug them in to the Bricasti DAC. Now if you want to try out a preamplifier you know it had better sound better with it then without it. I doubt most will. 

Yeah I bet the Kubala Sosna Elation Interconnects are utterly amazing.

I mean my loom of Kubala Emotion's are really expensive. What does a 1M XLR of those things cost?

There always has to be a line and especially with the cable rabbit hole. I try and get the best I can afford that are still real good cables but there are always much better I'm sure but I love the Emotions so the Elation's must be incredible. I would love to upgrade my Magico S5 to MKII status also but again only so much doe to go around. I have an auto hobby too that siphons out a lot of funds also :)

I would love to know how much the 1M XLR Kubala Sosna Elation Interconnects are though? Maybe trade a pair of XLR 2M Emotion's pair toward a 1M Elation pair?    

fs

Let me know if you would like a Kubala Sosna price list. I am not a dealer any more  but I would be happy to send you the price sheet. You might consider upgrading your Emotion Speaker cables and they have a terrific upgrade policy. Check it out on their website. 

I am not at all sure that upgrading to the MKII is going to give you the increase in " enjoyment " that you might hope for. 

You would like Wilson Benesch much better....

Go for the ARC Ref 10 linestage preamp. It will probably have better synergy with your Pass amp and Magico S3.

I had this ARC Ref 10 linestage pre paired with 2 pairs of D’Agostino Momentum M400 monoblock amps driving the Wilson Audio Alexx before in my setup and was wonderful overall.
But I have since changed and upgraded my setup and system altogether.

I highly recommend the ARC Ref 10 linestage pre. PSU is in separate compartment. Outstanding linestage pre and I think it will pair well with the rest of your equipments. Better than the Simaudio Evolution P8 preamp IMO.

However. I'm still using the ARC Ref 10 phonostage pre for my Kronos Pro turntable. One of my favorite phonostsge pre for my Kronos Pro turntable. 

Soundsrealaudio 
Have you ever heard the S5 MKII?
In my opinion they are amazing - expensive and heavy but an absolute amazing speaker - just need to save my pennies. 

Sold my Pass LabsX350.5 amp and bought a new pair of GamuT M250i mono blocks. The dealer top me they are the only unsold pair in the US. They don’t ship many over but I’m pretty excited. I find GamuT much like Pass but quicker and more transparent and dynamic with more air and space but warm and rich as well. Can’t wait! 

The Mark Levinson is a very natural sounding preamp with Ultra-low noise and in fact, any power conditioner messes the sound up. Not hi-fi'ish and in your face, but once you listen for a while it sounds like how real music sounds, forceful when called on, bass and its dynamics the same. Once you get what it's doing it is hard to listen to in your face preamps while sounding flashy at 1sy wears thin as time goes on.

The 326S is a masterpiece when 2 channel audio was still king and the preamp was so important for 2 channel sound. The late '80s and '90s were the golden eras of 2 channels and companies really focused on getting the best out of it. Still, be class "A" today. 

Yup I ended up buying and owning both. Not sure which one I preferred. I liked the Simaudio P8 better then both. Now using Ypsilon Phaethon Integrated which I’ll never switch. Well shouldn’t say never but highly doubt it as I have never no found other component by anyone I know of that nails just enough tube love with solid state precision and slam.