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Mark Levinson 331 or McCormack .5 Rev. A

I am planning on either upgrading my McCormack DNA 0.5 to Steve McCormack's Revision A ($1,000) plus add Balanced Inputs ($400). Or sell my McCormack and purchase a used Levinson 331. Does anyone have experience with either of these two amplifiers? Just looking for some good advice...Thanks and much appreciated.
jla
jla OP
231 posts
 
Thanks Craig and Albert for the advice. I really appreciate it...John
charlie4350
40 posts
 
In my experience with the 331, I've found it to be a fantastic amplifier. In reply to Garfish's response, I've found that whatever is upstream of the 331 is what you get. Differences in cables, preamp, and source are easily identified and very audible. A lack of focus, I think could probably be attributed to the cables in the system and find the focus of all the 300 series Levinson amps to be superb. If a Levinson works in your system as well as in mine, you'll look no more. Chuck
jla OP
231 posts
 
Thanks Chuck, Do you leave your 331 on standby when not in use or does it run to hot. Also, if I decide to go with a 331 I will only have a little over 3" left in my rack for top ventilation. Will this be enough. One last question I heard the 331 will not accept Nordost Z-plugs or any cable that is terminated with bananas...true?
garfish
1,840 posts
 
Hi John; The 331 actually runs pretty cool-- Don't remember about use of banana plugs though. Re: Chuck's comments on the 331. I shouldn't have made it sound like I was bashing the 331, which I didn't intend to. The 331 is a beautiful well built amp, but in my system, the McCormacks were just more musical. At the time I had a Sony XA7 CD player, Muse Model Two DAC, SF Line 2 pre-amp, and very good Syn. Res. ICs and spkr. cables. As I now have ML 37 transport and 360S DAC, the 331 may work better, but I'm so happy with the DNA-2DX that I'm not motivated to try anything else. Hopefully you can audition the 331 and let your ears be the judge. Cheers. Craig.
kweifi
46 posts
 
Hi Jla - I am not familiar with the McCormack amplifiers, but I have been using two M-L 331s in bi-amp mode with Vandy 3A Sigs for a number of years. I think that this set-up works very well. Certainly, the Vandys liked to be bi-amped: base, resolution and soundstaging all improved. I always left my M-Ls on standby when not in use. It is true that the M-L amps take spade lugs; they have some very nice plastic handled knobs that are great to use in tightening without over-tightening.
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