The Mark Levinson #38 or #380 is a truly ergonomic, attractive preamp. However, the #38 is particularly dark-sounding. The #380 is better in this respect, but suffers from compression and lack of high-frequency extension, particularly for transient sounds, such as cymbols and audience clapping. Both of these preamps have virtually the same design, with just a few parts differing between the #38 and the #380.
This mod truly transforms these preamps to make them dynamic, sparkly and extended as well as reducing noise and sibilance. Audience clapping, which was recessed in both preamps, sounds like firecrackers going off after the mod. You can hear the spit in the horns after this mod.
The mod consists of:
Replacing virtually all bulk capacitors with Black Gates and Nichicon Gold
Replacing virtually all high-frequency decoupling caps with high-quality
types
Replacement of Bridge rectifiers with soft-recovery type rectifiers
Re-layout of two amplifier stages in each channel
Re-design of feedback stages
Wiring harnesses added for power delivery
Wiring harnesses added for analog signals (Perfect Crystal silver wire)
After these mods, the preamp sounds truly spectacular, besting most more expensive stock preamps. You get best in ergonomics and the best in sound in a bullet-proof preamp. The mod makes the #38 sound virtually identical to the #380. We have yet to hear a better-sounding SS preamp. We use it as our reference.
Mod price - $2400
