Mark Levinson No 383 Brochure

EQUIPMENTREVIEW

Mark Levinson No. 383

Integrated Amplifier

by Roy Gregory

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
wouldn’t? 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 it’s 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 I’d prefer, most people wouldn’t
agree and you don’t 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

criticisms, while looking down
their noses as if to say “If you don’t
understand what we do it’s clearly
because you’re 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 can’t 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 Levinson’s 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 company’s cheapest amplifier,

the 383 integrated. Of course, cheap in
this case is a relative term, and the 383
won’t leave you much change out of
£6000. But before you throw up your
hands in horror, let’s 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
you’ll 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.
There’s no skimping in the hardware
department. Pick it up and you realise
that this is, definitely, a real Levinson.

Next, let’s consider the 383’s
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, f ar more

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