Mark Levinson N° 320S

General: Mark Levinson was founded in 1972 as Mark Levinson Audio Systems by Mark Levinson. Today the company belongs to the Harman International Industries group, which also includes Harman Kardon and many other brands. Mark Levinson is a brand that has specialized in high-quality hifi and high-end products like no other.

The Mark Levinson N°320S: Preamplifier of the noblest kind. In various tests, the device was described as an almost ideal amplifier. In one test it was even said that the amplifier would behave like "an amplifying piece of wire" with volume control. This is how I would describe the device most accurately. An inherent sound is alien to the amplifier, it belongs, if you will, to the absolutely neutral genre. The device consists of only one housing. Internally, however, the power supply is strictly separated from the audio circuits. The power supply and the extremely complex filtering and smoothing for a perfect power supply of the sensitive amplifier circuits, which are completely separated for each channel, are located in a shielded box. In keeping with ML tradition, all conceivable requirements are actually met. For example, the seven inputs are freely configurable and freely assignable with names. Three of them are designed symmetrically. A special feature is the volume control, which was realized by means of a network of exact resistors. The phono modules are optional and of exceptional quality. They can be adapted to MM and MC systems and are beyond reproach. A Weilr there was the 320S prallel to the top model 326S. Both units are identically constructed, work the same and look the same, but differ in the circuit board material. Currently Nelco N4000-13 SI is used. Allegedly some components were also adapted to the new material, which should bring minimal sound improvements. But I could compare my 320S with a 326S once and could not notice any differences. If there could have been any, they were in any case smaller than the influence of power cables, because a change of these cables was audible, even if I could not describe the difference. In the meantime only the 326S is still available. The price starts at about 11,500 € plus phono modules (about 1600 €).