2. amps-preamps
  3. 1172001554

Mark Levinson 26S: analog vs. digital preamplifier

I want to know your opinion about the ML26S preamplifier. Could you compare with ML digital preamplifiers.
Last week a friend brought to my home the ML 26S. It sound wonderfull.
As my experience the old analog preamplifier sound with more live than the news with digital volumen control. I had similar experience with Audio Research and Classé preamplifiers.
Please let me know your experience and opinions.
Thanks
elduende14
nsgarch's avatar
nsgarch
2,524 posts
 
I will NEVER give up my 26s! Or my 25s phono pre for that matter. The only issues are the Camac inputs which require adapters, if you want to use good cables. And it doesn't have remote volume control (but my DAC does.) These are functional things though. The sonics of a 26s, with the teflon boards etc, are absolutely unsurpassed by anything. If I had LOTS of money, I might consider the new version, the ML326s.

Personally, I don't like the "hiss" associated with tube preamps and phonos, but I DO like the harmonics of tubes, so I run a tube amp (tube amps don't hiss) to drive my electrostats.
.
charlie4350
40 posts
 
Elduende, which preamps are you referring to when you say digital preamps. I am not aware of any.
elduende14 OP
51 posts
 
Charlie,
when I said digital preampliers I referred to preamplifiers with digital volumen controls such ML 38S, Sonic Frontiers Line Seriers, Classé CP60 or Omega.
Preamp. with analog volumen control: ML 26S, Classé 6, Sonic Frontiers SFL-2.....
I hope this help you.
thanks
More to discover