Voodoo Audio makes a cable with a right angle IEC connector. I've never tried any of their cables so I don't have any opinion on their performance. You can find their website in the directory on the Audiogon home page.
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ESP makes a 90-degree IEC connector that "fits Mark Levinson components with the IEC jack under the unit." Sounds like what you want, might be $550 or so. ESP = Essential Sound Products, P.O. Box 81998, Rochester, MN 48308-1998, (2488) 375-2655. Most of my components now have ESP cords, and I am very pleased and impressed with the quality of performance. Larry |
I use a Synergistic Research Reference Master AC coupler that has a 90 degree IEC plug to cd transport.Also this was a great upgrade from a SR Master AC coupler cord.Soundstage and dynamics really increased.I plan on buying a Shunyata Research Black Mamba II cord soon to replace it which is also available with 90 degree IEC.I would recommend the Shunyata pc's.I was very pleased with the King Cobra V2 to my DNA-2 amp and a Viper V2 to my dac. |
I would just get rid of the Levinson as if the engineering of the IEC connector is that bad to hide it under the unit just think what a mess they have made of the rest of it! That probably isn't an option so be advised that all the accessory power cord makers are familiar with the needs of the Levinson and offer right angle cords..... |
Now, Bob. I have one of these preamps and it is a really excellent design. I believe the reason that they put the power cord there was two-fold: 1) there is not much room on the back-panel for an IEC connector 2) it allows the signal paths to be even shorter by removing the power-supply stuff from the back-panel area BTW, I doubt if an improved power cord will make much difference. The PS inside is undoubtedly a good design. |
Your two arguments make no sense whatsoever.......They should make room for the IEC and the shorter signal paths that we hook yards of input and output wire onto?.........Do a search on Audio Asylum as some cords make a significant difference used with this unit.....What makes the Levinson power supply design so good? |
I dont know how good it is. I tried some different cords a long time ago and they didnt seem to make a huge difference. Maybe your cord or my new cord would. And for the signal paths - the reason that they need to be short is because the intermediate stage drivers are not designed to drive capacitance. Only the output drivers are really designed for this. Also, the FR4 circuit board has poor dielectric absorption compared to air and Teflon used in most good cables as dielectric. |
A low inductance/high capacitance power cord will do wonders for the Levinson which uses a toroid tranny as I recall......This is due to capacitive coupling between primaries and secondaries on toroids as all the high frequency crap is passed right on through with this tranny design.....Regarding circuit paths vs signal paths your point is well taken and few designs use real wire for signal paths as God and Miss Lily intended.....Costs too much and is tedious to put together a unit this way using small circuit boards and lots of real wire.....Some old timers still build things this way :-) |
I would try my new cord on it, but I have retired my ML pre for the time being, besides, I need a right-angle connector. Cant seem to find one with a good strain-relief. Maybe after I move to central OR. BTW - just got a solicitation to try a new IEC with gold-plated contacts - from the far east. Have you tried this one yet? |
Schurter makes two right angle IECs, but just one of them will fit under the Levinson gear.....Furutech is a good connector with the 15a coming apart like the 20a clamshell most make.....They sure aren't afraid to charge for them is about all I will allow....I like the modified Schurter and P&S myself.... |
Alright, let me try to unbury this thread with an update. I recently got my own 380S, and have been trying a few PC's. The first thing I did was to call all the local Levinson dealers to see what they recommended with a right-angle plug. The all told me the same thing: "The power supply in the Levinson is so great, the stock cord is all you need". Well, not only did this sound a touch too convenient, considering the scarcity of appropriately-configured replacement cords, it sounded downright rehearsed, as if ML preps their dealers how to respond when hit with this obvious query. So, with my BS detector telling me that none of the local guys had ever actually *tried* an aftermarket PC on their ML preamps, I began calling out of town dealers. Finally, the guy who owns Ambrosia in LA (clear across the country from me - was his name Larry?) gave me the straight scoop - yes, it can make a difference just like on anything else, even though it's true that the built-in AC prefiltering in the 380S is exceptional, so the differences may not be quite as big. Emboldened, I realized I didn't have to order a right-angle version of something without auditioning first - I simply jacked up the preamp on top of my VTL monos' removed tube cages, leaving the middle of the underside clear for the cord. The short answer is that the cord can make a difference. Not the kind of difference I've heard with the preamp I'm replacing, and neither is the 380S anywhere near as positively affected by my feeding it balanced AC from my Power Wedge Ultra, sounding very nearly as good with the AC in regular mode, but small improvements were still to be had. I don't have any big-bux PC's around, but I tried the Synergistic Coupler, the Harm Tech AC 11, and the Shunyata Sidewinder, and all made subtle but worthwhile improvements. Right now, my plan is to go with the Sidewinder and send one back to be reterminated with the right-angle plug - this cord gave the best overall improvement, with quicker-sounding response, more extended top end, and tauter bass, with slightly less veiling and texture overall, more open and airy. Midrange 'richness' might be perceived by some as being greater with one of the other cables (or the stock cord), but none of them placed me quite as much in the presence of the performers as did the Sidewinder, although the other upgrade cords also lend a smoother sound vs. the OEM. The Sidewinder makes the whole presentation just a little more exciting and 'live'-sounding, as if a thin veil has been pushed aside. As for the preamp, it's clearly the best I've yet owned, which ain't saying much taken out of context, but I plan to do some bypass testing to let me know where I stand in more absolute terms. I just need to get the cord squared away so I can integrate the thing in its proper place in the rack before being able to proceed with the necessary connections. But it's got a good rep, and I love the ergonomic flexibility and I/O capacity. Plus, I can finally connect my DAC in balanced mode, which is noticeably superior to single-ended (with the levels equalized), despite my having to revert for the moment to a since-superceded interconnect choice for its XLR's. So to anyone with an ML pre out there who may be wondering whether they should bother with trying to find a right-angle cord, I say hoist up your preamp and try some of your straight ones out for yourself. The difference may not bowl anyone over (or maybe I just haven't tried good enough cords, but they've produced bigger results on other gear), but I think it's worth it if you're going to have this much invested in your preamp to begin with. |
Marinco offers a right angle adapter for their 320 IEC and other same size AC connectors. It would presumably work with the Wattgate 320 or 350 as well . Scroll down on this webpage to "15RA": Marinco rt.angle adapter You would need about 1.5" clearance, not including the male portion of the IEC, to fit under the preamp using this connector. If this works for you, any cord maker who can use a Marinco connector should be able to reterminate a cord with this adapter. The adapter costs less than ten bucks. |
