Mark levinson no 383 brochure

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criticisms, while looking down their noses as if to say If you dont understand what we do its clearly because youre incapable of proper appreciation. Of course, that response also conveniently avoids providing any answers to the awkward questions such irritating killjoys have a habit of asking. Not so Levinson: This is one company that goes to great lengths to explain what goes into their Reference products, why they cost so much, and how they do provide a genuine Reference for everything else the company does. The argument is that even those who cant afford the Reference products can still enjoy the benefits that filter down to the less expensive designs. Now, given the obvious audio lust writ large on the face of each and every visitor who experienced the Reference system chez Gregory, the idea of something embodying even some of the same qualities but at a price that somebody might actually be able to afford was simply too appealing to pass up. The fact that it also puts Levinsons claims to the test simply adds an extra piquant touch. And where better to start than at the opposite end of the spectrum, with the companys cheapest amplifier, the 383 integrated. Of course, cheap in this case is a relative term, and the 383 wont leave you much change out of £6000. But before you throw up your hands in horror, lets actually examine the bill of fare. This might be the least powerful amplifier in the Mark Levinson line-up, but it still pumps out 100 Watts into 8 Ohms and 200 into 4: Real output rather than fanciful optimism. Such power levels actually necessitate substantial components, especially in the power supply, and as a result the 383 represents an imposing physical bulk. Once again, pick it up (carefully) and youll be surprised just how dense it is. This is no large, empty box, but would be considered by most people as a two-man lift. 36kg is heavy, whichever way you pick it up. So, first things first: even though this is their cheapest amplifier, it still follows the company mantra of a simple circuit with a darn great power supply. Theres no skimping in the hardware department. Pick it up and you realise that this is, definitely, a real Levinson. Next, lets consider the 383s genetic links to its more illustrious, higher profile and much more expensive relations. Of course, the most important of these is the sound, but before we get to that there are other, far more 73 Mark Levinson No. 383 Integrated Amplifier by Roy Gregory EQUIPMENT REVIEW Back in Issue 11 I had my sensibilities trampled by a close encounter with the Mark Levinson Junior Reference System. Junior because I ended up with the half sized, but still enormous, 33H power amps in place of the electrical re-plumbing required 33s. I also had to slum it with the Revell Studio speakers in place of the even bigger Salons. Such are the hardships of life as a reviewer. Something else you have to put up with is a constant stream of visitors who are more interested in the latest product to arrive for review than they are in your conversation. With the Levinsons in situ that stream became a flood. As word got out, the world and its wife all wanted a piece of this particular action. But then, who wouldnt? Impressive pedigree, impressive price, impressive size and very impressive sound: the Levinson Reference system has it all, and we all want a bit, even if its only a case of rubbing temporary shoulders with these particular hi-fi glitterati. We come, we enjoy, and then regretfully we depart, for only a few can afford the cost of permanent residence. The complete Reference system costs as much as a very nice Ferrari, and whilst I know which Id prefer, most people wouldnt agree and you dont see that many Ferraris on the road. Of course, with any stratospherically priced products, Ferrari or otherwise, there will always be those who question their value and scoff at their price-tags. Most manufacturers simply ignore such

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apparent similarities. Its a bit like looks and personality. The kid next door might look like his dad, but what you really need to know is whether he behaves like his crazy grandfather. The 383 looks the part but how deeply does the similarity penetrate? First off, the casework, connectors and control knobs are all in the same style and built to exactly the same standards as the parts used for the Reference series products. More than that, the operational system architecture is inherited directly from the No. 32 pre-amp. That means that each of the five line inputs (two balanced) can be individually named and adjusted for channel balance, overall gain and whether or not the signal is routed to the record outputs. The level of muting can also be user set at anything between -10 and over -70dB depending on your preference. Once youve set those parameters you can defeat any inputs youre not using so that the rotary input switch only offers you the ones with sources connected. All this programming might seem like a chore but the Levinson software is so comprehensive and simple to use that even a technophobe like me was able to grasp the process in seconds. When a friends CD player failed, requiring total revision of the balanced and unbalanced inputs to accommodate a spare player, I was able to reconfigure her 383 over the phone, from memory. Of course, the whole process is helped enormously by the large alpha-numeric display, and can even be carried out completely from the nine button remote control! Incidentally, this new, compact handset is the best Ive ever used, with clear control layout, positive feel and exceptional range. It seems set to become the basis for all future Levinson handsets, so the company obviouslybelieves in trickle-up as well as trickle- down. I despise remote controls with a vengeance, failing to appreciate the minor benefits in convenience when the sonic costs are calculated. This is one exception to that rule. Not only does it actually work, and work everything from anywhere, but for once Im happy to accept that few if any sonic compromises result simply because Levinson have evolved the entire system architecture to incorporate it. This is no afterthought, but a carefully considered and essential element of the whole. Levinson arent the first company to do this, but they are the first to get it right. This is a functional extension rather than a programmable interface. Of course, its that too, but for once this is a genuinely user friendly and totally intuitive device. The other thing that comes straight from the No. 32 is the volume control graduated in precise 0.1dB steps. I said in the review of the Reference system that this is the nicest control Ive ever used, and its presence on the 383 simply confirms that fact. Anybody who feels that 0.1dB increments are inaudible just needs to listen for themselves (theyre probably the same people who cant hear absolute phase,and the Levinson lets you switch that too). Other than that, the 383 enjoys all the same interfacing and connection capabilities as the rest of the Levinson product range, allowing especially easy integration into multi-room systems, but again, like its big brothers, this operational convenience is achieved without compromising the sound. The only thing I miss from the big system is the double height display thats even easier to read from across the room. In use the 383 is just as unflappable, with power cuts, shorted speaker cables and other abuses leaving it totally unperturbed. Its big, heavy, totally silent in operation and a joy to use. Of course, play some music and youll quickly realise that the 383 lacks the sheer scale, power, solidity and unlimited dynamics of the Reference set-up. Less power and nearly a tenth of the price accounts for that. Mind you, most other systems lack those things too. However, it does share a number of the big systems less obvious but ultimately more musically important features, chief amongst them its uncluttered sense of organisation and clarity. The 383 brings a wonderfully unforced quality to a system, an effortless grace to musical reproduction. Along with it comes the same phenomenal sense of musical access that made the big system so memorable. When it comes time to EQUIPMENT REVIEW 74