2. amps-preamps
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Mark Levinson 380S or 320S ?

Hi, I have the oportunity to buy a Mark Levinson Preamplifier used. Both, the 380s and the 320s are mint and price is similar, but I can´t compare them.
Could you compare both ? I red many reviews and opinions about the 380s but nothing about the 320s.
I will apreciate your suggest and recomendations.
Thanks
elduende14
bar81
791 posts
 
320S hands down.
rossman
74 posts
 
2nd the 320S.... newer design with nicer boards & improved sonics for sure.
upgrade1394
1 posts
 
I am going against the flow BUT do consider the current Classe pre-amps, CP-500 and CP-700. Having owned both the 380S and 320S, my conclusions are the 380s is very dark (dulls the musicality) while the 320S (IMO) lacked solidity and heft in the bass notes (maybe on purpose?). In terms of value, the CP-500 easily bests the 380S while the CP-700 is the pinnacle in pre-amps from mainstream HI-END manufacturers (exotics are excluded). My reference is actually a Theta CB3 with Extreme D-2 DACs (for digital) and pure analog pass through for non-digital sources.
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