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

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 ...

My understanding is that Mark Levinson remains top tier. I haven’t heard it in a while. But it was never my cup of tea. But my impressions mirror @erik_squires. It has never moved me. Great specs and dynamics… just to clinical to me.

I had no534 for a few years. Sounded great until I tried a similar type amp that was much less expensive and easily sounded better. This was with Focal Scala evo speakers 

Doesn’t help that their products are so rarely reviewed.  You’d think if Harmon believed in the products and wanted to get them more exposure they’d reach into their deep pockets and do some advertising.  To many other stellar options out there for me to get interested in a relative unknown, especially at their price levels. 

I never considered ML to be top gear. There is far better. I remember their disastrous sounding first digital amp for a lot of $$$. Could take your ears off. I rushed out to hear it as I was very interested. One of the brightest and driest sounding amps I ever heard. Even the salesman admitted he didn’t like it.