I haven't been around the Levinson website since Harmon took them over during their dark days when they lost all their dealers and one couldn't find parts or repairs anywhere. I still have my amazing Levinson No. 32 Reference preamp and it continues to define "neutral". It retailed for approximately $15k including the phono section. My No. 32 is sans phono because my system was all digital. I paid about $12k. It was a lot for me to spend back then. But today, $12k seems like a bargain.
After all the hype surrounding the science behind a two-box design (No. 32 and others), Levinson comes out with the 326s as a single box unit that did sound comparable, though not as dead silent. It was $10k with phono. Other units that followed this pattern were: No. 30.6 to No. 360s; No. 30.5 (separate power supply in huge chassis) to No. 37; The myriad monoblocks vs. their sister "dual-mono" configurations, etc, etc.
Ultimately what made Levinson matter to me was their 5 year warranty, first-rate USA build quality, incredible performance that was priced less (if you can believe it) than some other manufacturer's stock which may or may-not have sounded superior, and the fact that one could upgrade his unit to accept evolving technological advances. I upgraded a few Levinson pieces and they still sound good.
This No. 52 seems to have evolved somewhat compared to my No. 32 that is endowed with Arlon curcuit boards. Arlon was all the rage 15 or so years ago and sought after for its quiet nature. I'm out of the loop so I don't know specifically all the specs on all this newer build material (Teflon boards?) or the other inner workings inside Levinson gear today. But this No. 52 appears to have moved the bar up some. The inside of it looks similar to the No. 32 and I would love to hear them A/B'd side by side. This newer No. 52 preamp is formidable.
Like my No. 32, the No. 52's build quility is stunning and no doubt, its weight is substantial. You have to see it to understand its quality but at $25k, I ask myself, "is the No. 52 substantially better than my No. 32 ?" Only a dedicated A/B test will tell at a Levinson dealer who is willing to help out like my dealer did back in the day. I'm thankful that Harmon has revived the brand and stayed with their original commitment to hiring notable talent who in turn, is creating fabulous gear.
I should note through the years, my gear was fed via the usual wall AC at 15 amps. Those lines were typically shared thoughout the home so I made sure my gear was plugged into my Chiang Reference Lightspeed. My amp (Levinson 336) was plugged into the wall. I swapped 3 dedicated 20 amp lines terminated into hospital grade cryo recepticles (surge protection at the box). That inexpensive upgrade was the single most revealing change made to my system's overall sound. It literally woke up my midrage that had apparently been more laid back. The 32's presentation was more silent and the characteristic adjectives audiophiles used to describe Levinson gear began to come to mind such as "deep soundstaging, silence, smoothness and detailed." My 32 wasn't exactly liquid-like and I wasn't used to the dramtic change at first. I think I had gotten used to the veiled sound of the power-robbing Chiang. It was livlier overall, the bass was much more defined and vastly more powerful, yet more controlled, the way a 336 should sound. Just a first rate upgrade as if I had bought a newer amp. At almost 10 years old, my No. 32 began revealing itself all over again with an almost tube-like signature. This No. 52, as any amazing preamp, would benefit with big, clean power.
Why did I wait this long? Eventually I understood the argument by fellow enthusiasts clamoring for others to get dedicated lines. I recommend any audiophile to do this upgrade first if possible and avoid conditioners and/or dirty, common 15 amp house current. There is a big difference. It's also convenient. I shut off the circuit breakers when I leave for vacation.
