Mark Levinson Nº 436 Monaural Power Amplifier

A 35-year tradition of excellence continues

Of all the gear I’ve had the good fortune to own over the course of the past two-and-ahalf decades, the Mark Levinson Nº 31 Reference CD transport, Nº 35 digital-toanalog converter and Nº 38S preamplifier easily stand out as some of the finest components to grace my listening room. Few will disagree that the Nº 31 was an absolute work of art when it came to both sound and build-quality. (Still makes me grin to think about how incredibly cool it was to show off that motorized lid to all my audiophile buddies.) In combination with the Nº 30 DAC (as well as the more affordable Nº 35), these two stunning pieces made for arguably the best CD playback available at the time.

The Nº 38S was also beautifully crafted, and while it embodied the same kind of sonic sophistication that has been the hallmark of Mark Levinson products since the company’s inception back in the early 70s, I found the preamplifier to be a bit less engaging than expected, and perhaps too polite. It was all-in-all still a nice unit, though, and one that I never had any remorse about buying. The only thing I did regret back in the earlyto mid-90s is that I never completed the system I had worked so hard to assemble with Levinson amplification.

So it was with much anticipation that I awaited the arrival of the Mark Levinson Nº 436 monoblock power amplifier for review. I was also quite excited at the prospect of hearing how these $12,500, 350Wpc brutes would mate with the stellar imaging and accuracy of a loudspeaker like the B&W 800D. Would my decade long wait to finally hear a pair of Levinson amps in my system meet my expectations? At the risk of ruining the ending for those who are actually able to resist reading the conclusion first, I’m afraid I knew the answer to that question nearly straight out of the box, and have heard nothing in the months to follow that would change my mind. The 436 is easily one of the best and most pleasurable amplifiers I’ve had in my system. The 35- year tradition of excellence continues.

One aspect of the Levinson’s performance I did have a change of heart about over time was whether or not this amp was as “laid-back,” as my initial impressions indicated. After first listening with the Focus Master 3 loudspeaker, I paired the 436 with the B&W 800D. While it still didn’t have the fireworks of, say, a Krell amp, the presentation seemed more dependent on the recording than on any inherent characteristic of the amplifier. Another contributing factor could very well have been the more up-front nature of the B&W versus the Focus Master 3. Whatever the reasons, the match between the 436 and 800D seemed particularly good.

Listening to Aaron Neville’s rendition of the Sam Cooke classic “Respect Yourself,” from Bring it on Home…The Soul Classics, [Burgundy Records], the last thing you’d describe this amplifier as being is laid-back. The 436 can crank with the pros. Even at the highest volume levels my ears could tolerate, bass control was absolutely rock-solid. Images were locked in place as well, with no hint of congestion or smearing. The equally impressive midbass was punchy and robust, while vocals were as full-bodied and textured as I’ve heard from this artist.

What I enjoyed most about working these amps hard was that I never felt assaulted afterwards. As contrary as it may sound, there was an overwhelming sense of effortless power that was invigorating yet relaxing at the same time. And I loved the precise definition, tight control, and authoritative dynamic punch in the deep bass as well as the midbass. The 436 seemed to make music “pop” from the loudspeakers. And when you’re talking about making a speaker like the B&W 800D “pop,” that is one special treat, indeed.

Shifting gears a bit, Aaron Neville was certainly fun, but it was Keith Jarrett’s The Carnegie Hall Concert [ECM] that impressed me the most, revealing the true finesse and sophistication of the 436 and its abilities to adeptly draw the listener into the music. Three-dimensionality was sensational. The wall-to-wall spaciousness was infused with a wealth of rich detail that didn’t seem to have a beginning or end, along with images as beautifully sculpted and layered as I’ve heard. Listening to track three, separation was superb; each key-strike of the piano was clear and distinct, effortlessly flowing as if on wings across the space in front of me. The first time I listened to this recording with the Levinson amp, I’ll have to admit to backtracking the Meridian 808 CD player at least a half dozen (or more) times just to verify I wasn’t imagining what I was hearing. This is the closest I’ve felt to recreating the wholeness of a live performance in my listening room. Makes me wish I could have been at Carnegie Hall to actually witness the event.