In what ways is Mark Levinson better than Krell?

I agree w/ Larry. There is a stable of Madrigal/Levinson "Golden Age" components. I've had my 23.5 amp for 14 years and more recently nailed a 26s preamp and a 25s phono preamp. They are all in a class by themselves, which I would say is best described by the word "invisible." And if you're used to describing quality audio components, that's not a description you hear very often.

Oh, and a word about service. If a Levinson, Krell, ARC, Rowland, McIntosh, CJ, Crown or any quality component from a manufacturer of similar longstanding reputation fails (other than from user torture) it is going to be in the first 100 hours +/- and will most likely be due to a small circuit board device like a resistor, capacitor, or diode, which was just too costly to use the military grade version, and over which the manufacturer had no direct control. After that first 100 hours though, these manufacturers products can last a lifetime with little more than retubing in the case of valve gear. They are over-engineered and built like tanks, which is why they are so hard to find used, and carry high resale values. It's also a good reason not to bitch when one does occaisionally require repair. At least what comes back is a Levinson, not an Aiwa!

Every time I see the name 'Krell' I think of that 1983 Sci-Fi movie called 'Krull' - At least with Mark Levinson, you are getting equipment made by, well, a guy called Mark Levinson (real name Morris Levinstein)

just kidding about that last part...

I respectfully disagree with Cello on the newer Levinson
products. I've owned a #23 and 27.5 amp, 26 preamp, 25
phono amp and ML-1 preamp. The #25 phono preamp was dry,
analytical and not very musical. The remaining items were
excellent, but not to the same level as my current 380S
preamp and 335 power amp. The earlier 3XX series was not
among their best but the later 334-336 amps were (are)
superb amps.

jvogt -- you are half right/wrong about your mid-nineties Levinson experience. The 27.5 is a pretty great amp, but the 23, 25, and 26 were all merely adequate, nothing special. However their successors, the 23.5, 25S, and 26S were (and still are) sonically lightyears ahead of almost everything (in amps and preamps anyway) that came after. I have not actually heard a 32 preamp, some say it finally exceeds the 26S. Frankly, at that price, it should grind it into the dust!!

Actually the name Krell comes from the 1956 sci-fi picture"Forbidden Planet"...its great,Bob...oh,they were a master race thar did amazing technological feats of building and had extremely high intelligence,but were killed by their Id....