Mark Levinson No. 28 compared to other ML Pre-amps

Dear Everyone: I am the Very Happy owner of a Mark Levinson No. 28 Preamp + PLS228 Power-Supply. To make a long story short, I before this, have had varios pre-amps, both much more expensive as well as cheaper ones, but in the end, I chose the No. 28, which gave ME the Highest Satisfaction.

The first time I Became Aquainted with the No.28, was when I had just received my Completely New Pass XA160.5 Class A Monoblocks, but still hadn't received my Pass XP20 Pre-amp, which supposedly should be the natural match for the XA160.5's. In the meantime, the Danish Pass Dealer (I'm from Denmark), told me, that he had just gotten a No. 28 in to his shop, as part of a deal for some other gear. I have always wanted a No. 28, since it is mostly made to be a Line-Preamp and has No Tone, Nor Balance Controls and thus to ME at least, it has always seemed like a more "No Nonsence" Pre-amp, than compared to for instance the No. 26.

Anyway, it was a lot cheaper, than I had expected (6500 Danish Kroner (Around $1000 USD)) and since it had Balanced In- and Outputs, then it was the perfect temporary partner, until the XP20 Arrived, since my cables are All Pure XLR. It replaced my Audio Research LS26, Also Bought From New a few years earlier, for the sum of 50.000 Danish Kroner (Around $7700 USD) in Denmark. Now the LS26 is from 2009 and was supposed to be a scaled down version of the, at the time, Very Highly Renowned Reference 3, where a lot of the technology and parts used in the Ref. 3, had trickeled down into the LS26. Now the No. 28 is from 1993, if I am not mistaken and so there therefore is around 15 years between the LS26 and The No. 28 and thus you would think, that the LS26 EASILY, would give the No. 28 a Run for its Money. But NO...Absolutely Not. When I hooked up the No. 28, after having lived with the LS26 for a couple of years, It Was Definately one of, if not THE MOST Revelating Audio Experience I've EVER had in my Entire Life. I had NEVER EVER Heard Guitars and other String Instruments, Reproduced with Such Precicion, Delicacy and Air Around Them. The Depth and Width of the Soundstage, was Simply Outstanding and thus the No. 28 gave the LS26 SUCH a Beating, that it actually became kind of embarrassing.

Now Remember, the No. 28, was only supposed to be a Temporary Pre-amp, until the XP20 Arrived and when it did, then Yes it was perhaps a Little More Detailed, than the No.28, but in my opinion, did not nearly have the same Caressing of the Instruments and it did not have the same Warmth and Passión, that the 28 had. So Although I did sell the No. 28, after having received the XP20, thinking that the XP20 eventually would come around, after breaking in and thus thinking, that it was not fair to compare a completely broken in preamp, with a completely new one. But during the 1½-2 years I had the XP20, it just never grew on me, the way the No. 28 did and so after about 2 years, I sold it and bought another No. 28 and there again, was that Magic, that I had so longed for. I later sold the XA160.5's, due to economic reasons and NOT because they weren't good, because they Certainly Were. Since though, I had grown such attached to the No. 28, I began to look for the "Right Partners" for it, which had ALWAYS been one of my HOTTEST and MOST PASSIONATE dreams audio-wise, Namely The Famous and Very Renowned No. 20.6 Monoblocks. I found an Original Pair Finally in 2014, with Original Boxes and Manuals (Very Rare!!!) and THAT I Certainly Haven't Regretted!!! This Combination of The No. 28 and The No. 20.6 Monoblocks, is in my opinion, just what dreams are made of. It Is By Far The Most Crystal Clear Reproduction I Have EVER Heard, with a Soundstage Depth and Width To Die For. In My Oppinion, I Have a Set-Up, which in My Mind Can Compare with Practically Any Gear, At Least That I Have Heard in Audio Exhibitions and Shows, No Matter The Price.

Now back to my Core Question: Having heard the No. 28 and It Basically, in my opinion, being able to Compeat with almost any new pre-amp today within at least $10.000 USD, then I wonder, where does other ML Pre-amps stand in comparison to it??? I've read some comments, saying that the No. 26 and 26S sounds MUCH Better and can't even compare to the No. 28. Another guy, I talked to, had the No. 52 of all preamps and he said, that he had had The No. 28, 26S, 32 and thus latest the No. 52 and he said, that He LOVED His No.28 and that although the No. 52 clearly beat it, he still missed the special sound, that the No. 28 had and that apart from this he said, that NONE of the other ML Preamps, that he had had (The No. 26S and The No. 32), beat the No. 28. That was NOT to say, that the No. 28 BEAT THEM, but just to say, that in his opinion, NEITHER the 26S, NOR The No. 32 was AN IMPROVEMENT over the No. 28 and that he thus Preferred the No. 28 over those two, only did he prefer the No. 52 over the 28, since it in his opinion here clearly was a significant improvement. To me it therefore seems, that he, like I with both the LS26 and the XP20, Thought that the 26S and the 32 would be a significant improvement over the No. 28, but with time, he apparent must have realised, that neither just never really did and that the No. 28 stood its ground very firmly.

I also want to ask a curious question. I read in a japanese website, that ( don't remember the numbers exactly), but that the No. 26 and 26S as well as their respective PLS226 Power-Supplies, weighed LESS than the No. 28 and its PLS228 PS (7 kg for the PLS226 in comparison to the around 10 kg of the PLS228). I therefore ask: If the 26 and 26S were supposed to surpass the No. 28, then why are their Power-Supplies and Preamps Respectively Leaner and Less heavy than The No. 28 and The PLS228???

Any and All Comments and Experiences are Welcome. I would also like comparisons to the 326S, both to the No. 28 as well as Other Ml Pre-amps, if anybody have experience with one or more.

Have a Great Audio Day.

Sincerely Thomas.