In what ways is Mark Levinson better than Krell?

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....

I can't speak to the integrated amps, but I have owned both the Krell FBP 350MCX and the Levinson 436 Monoblocks. Even though I kept the Levinsons and sold the Krells, I did not come to the conclusion that the Levinsons were superior. Actually, they are very similar and both fabulous amps. Final decision between these, IMO, would be system synergy, not sound quality. Finally, I don't want to be rude, but the idea that late Levinson amps like the 436 are not musical is just plain ridiculous.

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Rsbeck,
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My comment about the later Levinson amps being not very musical is a relative pont. I am comparing them to the Levinson 23.5 specifically (and some tubed amps).
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What is your frame of reference ? Have you listened to a 436 and a 23.5 in the same system with the same recordings on the same day ? Have you ever listened to a good-tubed Amp vs. the 436 in the same system on the same day and A/B compared them ?
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When you have done any of the above (if you have), you are entitled to make your comment of "ridiculous". If you have not done any of the comparisons on the same system, you are not rude, just ignorant and your opinion is merely limited to you experiences.
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Rgds,
Larry
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I too own a Levinson amp.
I recommend that you get the Krell.
Why?
Because you listened to both units you are considering, and preferred the sound of the Krell.
Trust your own ears!

Good luck!