Are new Mark Levinson Preamps better than old?

I feel I can add something to this conversation. For a reference point I own a fair amount of ML gear.  I know the local Harmon Karddon rep here in the Tampa area and buy my stuff straight from him.
My main system is a pair of ML 50 mono blocks with an ML No 526 preamp. I’m sending that to Revel F328BE speakers.  The amps are as advertised and have an incredible foundation. The clarity in the system is pretty amazing.  The 526 preamp is very good and the soundstage is to my liking, to say the least. I will say this since we’re talking about ML preamps - the rep sold me an ML No 5101 SACD player/streamer and told me in passing that the DAC in the 5101 is newer and better than the DAC in the 526.  The system’s performance while running a remastered SACD is on another level, depending on the material and the remastering, of course.  Streaming sounds great too through Qobuz and Tidal.   I don’t have any vinyl so that’s not part of the conversation. I guess my point is that the 526 and the 5101 both sound amazing & perform very very well and Levinson does seem to improve their gear as they release new models, in this case, most notably with the higher end DAC in the SACD player.  My two cents.

willcycle - did you ever hear the difference between the ML 380 and your ML 380S?  I wish I had purchased a a ML 380S all those years ago, but it was too costly for me at that time, and if I were to get one used it would be as old as my ML 380, so it would have to really bring better sound to be worth it.

triwhiz - thanks for the info on the ML 526.  I actually have an ML 5101, and I am very happy with it.  Since I already have the ML 5101 DAC and since I do not listen to vinyl, do you think the ML 523 would work as well?

I have not compared the 380 to the 380S so I can't comment on sound differences.  I have fully recapped my preamp about eight years ago.  Considering the unit's age and enclosed chassis a recap at this time is advised.  

More Primaluna gear. Yes!

@triwhiz

You mentioned upgrading ML DACs.  Are you talking about migrating from a DAC1 to a DAC2 module?  If so, can you provide a little detail about the ways in which the DAC2's SQ was an improvement? And in retrospect, do you consider that difference to have justified the cost & hassle of a circuit-board upgrade?

For context, I'd probably be using the upgraded component with a pair of $10-20K Vivid speakers.

Thanks for any insight you can provide.