Levinson No.32

[Uberbrown]

Anyone have this, or have used the No.32 preamp in the past?

I have read seemingly contradictory reviews about it, with some saying the soundstage is presented perfectly, some saying it is purposely designed to be a little further back than others, and some saying it is just too far back. It seems this is an aspect of preference and associated gear, but wanted to see if anyone had any experience?

[AudioNut]

I owned a #32 for several years and liked it.

I'll offer more when I get to a better keyboard. I have a difficult time typing on my iPhone.



Sent from my iPhone using A.Aficionado

[Still-One]

Originally Posted by jprice

I owned a #32 for several years and liked it.

I'll offer more when I get to a better keyboard. I have a difficult time typing on my iPhone.

Sent from my iPhone using A.Aficionado

Julian
Put the coke down and you will be able to keep one hand on the steering wheel while you type on the iPhone.

Jim

[Uberbrown]

Originally Posted by Still-One

Julian
Put the coke down and you will be able to keep one hand on the steering wheel while you type on the iPhone.

Jim

HA! I read this while merging onto an exit ramp!

[AudioNut]

Originally Posted by Still-One

Julian
Put the coke down and you will be able to keep one hand on the steering wheel while you type on the iPhone.

Jim

Thanks Jim but my fat fingers and old eyes have quite a time with those tiny letters - with or without a coke . . . . and now that I'm back at my computer . . . .

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Anyway, I did own a Levinson No. 32, as a part of a complete Levinson system, driving Avalon Eidolon and Magnepan 20.1 speakers for the most part, (although I did try other speakers during the time I had the #32.) I bought the No. 32 in the year 2000 and sold it in 2006, so I actually had it for 6 years.

The amps I used with the No. 32 were a Levinson No. 336 and a pair of 33H's.

Because I'm a little older than some of you, (well, all of you, actually) and can't hear some on the nuances of recorded music as well as you youngsters, (I'll soon be 70), the things I listen for and appreciate most are soundstaging, imaging, and the quality of midrange sounds. Obviously deep bass is important to me as are clear highs, although as you get older, more and more of the high frequencies are lost. (Example, others hear and object to "tape hiss" on some of my LP's, and I can't even hear it.)

That is a little background about what I'm looking for in my equipment and in my own system.

Well, you asked particularly about soundstage. It is true that the soundstage of the No. 32 was more recessed than some other preamps of my experience, but, to me, it sounded completely natural - like I was sitting at about row 8 or 9, in the center of a concert hall with an orchestra spread out in front of me.

The Avalon Eidolons (and the Maggies too) are champs at presenting wide, deep and high, three dimensional soundstages, and the Levinson Amp did a superb job in delivering everything either of those speakers could offer in that respect.

Some preamps tend to bring the stage forward, in front of the speakers, which to me seems unnatural. Orchestras don't sit in your lap. The Levinson presented a soundstage that began on a line about even with the front of the speakers and took it back 50 or 60 feet (way past the back wall) and extended to the right and left all the way to the side walls, - and with the Avalons, the stage wrapped forward around the walls until the sound was about even with you at your seating position. A quick answer is that soundstaging was superb.

Ergonomics of the No. 32 were also superb, and the sound was very, very good. I had the built-in phono stage in my unit and it was, IMHO as good as any external phono preamp I've experienced.

I was completely happy with the Levinson - until, in 2006, I tried my present preamp - the Spectral. The Spectral does everything the Levinson does - so far as imaging and soundstaging, but, honestly, it lifted veils from the sound of music that I hadn't even realized were there.

So I sold the Levinson at that point, and bought a Spectral DMC 30SL, which I hope will last me forever. I have just about decided that enough is enough and I'm not even going to try another preamp period.

Unless it breaks and can't be repaired, this Spectral is good enough and it will remain.

The No. 32 was, (and is on the used market,) extremely expensive but I enjoyed mine immensely, and heartily recommend it as a beautiful and superb piece of audio gear, built like a tank, built to last into the next couple of centuries. A great preamp.

Good luck.

Julian

[Dieselsy]

I have ml32 with ml431 driving my Dynaudio c2, ml32 is a great pre amp. So refined sounding, great sound stage, pinpoint imaging, black background and built like a tank.. I highly recommend it..
Go for it if you find one..