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Esoteric C03 preamp or Mark Levinson 326S preamp- ANY and ALL FEEDBACK / HELP PLEASE

Esoteric C03 preamp or Mark Levinson 326S preamp 

ANY FEEDBACK - THOUGHTS - IDEAS would be so appreciated.

I am in the middle of total system re-fit and have made many changes - I am sure too many but I am quite happy now and now have my preamp choice down to these 2-preamps.

Can you guys provide any feedback about either of these. I like to hear from you guys. I read all the reviews on both and those are all well and good but I always get the real ho-down low-down from you guys - good or bad.

                                                ** Back Ground info**

** Room is 
14 x 24 w/Cathedral Ceilings - 16 Foot a peak

** Music likes:
Assorted Music no metal or loud hard rock anymore really - not much Large Scale classical either but everything else.

** Likes / Priority: 
Transparency - Delicate - Linear - High resolution - microscope but not sterile not etched or lifeless - I know there is a fine Line here but I'm looking to walk the line as close as I can - real see through into the music - transparent to the source because I love my DAC - extended and to remove as many layers without being clinical - image and sound stage lover - tight bass - hate flab - like speed and transparency but needs to be musical. 

** Perspetive
Just had a BAT VK32SE brand new tubes / certified pre-owned, mint same as new preamp. Wrong match. Just looking to go total other way. Not what I am looking for.

** More Perspective - I have been running my Bricasti Direct M1SE to my Pass Labs X350.5 amps and really starting to love it. I want to expand on this sound a bit. Little more depth, width of stage, bass, dynamics but don't want to add veils or give up a lot in transparency - I know I will give up some vs direct in doing so. That is why I am looking for the very best SS preamp I can get in my range and have come up with these two choices and wanted to know your thoughts. 

System: 
https://systems.audiogon.com/systems/5160

Magico S5 Loud Speakers

Bricasti M1 Special Edition DSD DAC 

Pass Labs X350.5 Balanced Stereo Amplifier 

PS Audio P10 Power Plant Regenerator 

Kubala-Sosna Emotion 2.5M Speaker Cables 

Assorted IC's Balanced and Single ended.

Digital PC based front end that I have been tweaking and evolving:

Transport: microRendu 1.4 and Full Suite of UpTone Audio Premium Power Supplies (2)x LPS-1 and (1) JS2 LPS - (2) Regens - the new ISO and an Amber and all powered with premium/custom Canare / Oyide DC cables for all power supplies plus the great Tellurium Q Black Diamond Reference USB cable and a Curious Regen Link USB Cable.   

Really appreciate any help you can provide on these 2-preamps. If you would like more info please let me know - all comments and feedback are most welcome and deeply appreciated :)


Thanks guys/gals 

Fsmithjack 



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tecknik
481 posts
 
 I would stay away from ARC because they are at their limits working with the Pass Labs amps. So 

ARC Pre and Pass Amps are legendary together, were did this come from. I ran the original ARC Ref 1 with the Pass 350 years ago and it was fantastic. Their are many many happy threads on this combo.

Try the ARC Ref 5SE.

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almarg
9,670 posts
 
I suspect that Ralph’s statement about ARC preamps being "at their limits working with the Pass Labs amps" refers to the fact that most ARC preamps and line stages have a recommended minimum load impedance of 20K, as can be seen in the specs for a great many of their models that are posted at arcdb.ws. Although ARC's specs don't make clear if that recommendation applies to balanced or unbalanced interconnections, or both. While many Pass amps have input impedances spec’d at 20K unbalanced/30K balanced (although the input impedances of most or all of the latest Pass models are much higher).

So I believe Ralph was referring to impedance compatibility between many ARC and Pass models as being marginal. Of course, "marginal" probably means that a reasonable case could be made both for and against.

Regards,
-- Al

sksos1
387 posts
 
A good customer bought the Esoteric C03 and after listening to it in his system thought it actually broken b/c it lacked air, dynamics and just had no life. He brought it to my place and it collapsed the soundstage and he was right it took the life out of the music. Based on this he sent it back to Esoteric to verify everything was fine with the unit, got it back and no change in sound. So based on using this pre-amp in 2 different systems I would not recommend it although it does get excellent reviews.
I too use the Bricasti M1SE and also an Atmasphere MP1 but full disclosure I'm a dealer for each but have found no better YMMV. Have never heard the ML 326S.

(Dealer disclaimer)
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fsmithjack OP
712 posts
 
sksos1 thanks for the information. 

I have heard from more than a few people the C03 can be a great preamp but many think it is sort or bright, etched and can be flat if there is nothing else in the chain to round out the lower mid-bass ie, tubes, warm cables,etc. 

Glad to hear from a fellow Bricasti owner. The only thing I have had left over from my old system that I have no desire to change at all.

There may be better out there but each change I have made in my system it has advanced with this being my source. It seems to have no ceiling or at least at the level I am operating at. I am sure there are many that have much better systems than me and for them maybe they expect more but I have been extremely happy with my Bricasti from day 1.

So I a deciding on a new preamp on Monday and basically everyone on here has told me they think the Mark Levinson 326S is the unanimous choice.

Anyone else. I have until tomorrow when I am going to decide so would love any/all feedback between now and then. No matter how little or whatever info is really appreciated.



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fsmithjack OP
712 posts
 
jafant

Thanks for the kind words of encouragement :)
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