Is Mark Levinson still considered up there with the best of the best?

The newest ML gear is certainly expensive enough to place it in the upper tiers of high-end gear. Can it compete with the likes of CH Precision, DartZheel and Soulution? These are six-figure components!

Fear not …. It is still top-shelf …full stop.

John Curl designed a number of early Levinson products.

im with bdp24, john curl now of parasound was the chief designer of mark levinson. when he left things changed drastically.  when they were brought out by harmon kardin it has been a disaster.  they have had nothing but design and durability problems since and the sound has changed with it.    

Not had a chance to do very much auditioning, but I heard them with Magico 3 years ago while ago and was not moved the way I was for Luxman or D’Agostino or CAT which I heard about the same time.

Another brand I like a lot after a short audition is the Vandersteen amps. I don't mention them cause they are too rich for my blood, but since we're talking ML ...