Luxman 509x vs Hegel H390

 weare integrated  amp specialists 

we currently sell coda, Hegel anthem krell unison ta and we used to sell luxman

the coda csib and the krellwould outperform the luxman and the krells dac and streamer are amazing  and it would take a 5k external dac to beat the internal dac 

the coda is a bit more detailed then the krell but both are sensational the only product which beats all three is the  t+a 2500r 

Dave and Troy 

Audio intellect  nj

integrated  amp specialists

Im thinking of adding a luxman to hear what all the fuss is about. 

Don’t forget the Diablo 300 and Dag Progression int.

FWIW I've owned both of these and like them both a lot.  I would say Luxman sounds more natural tonally with a clean and clear presentation that is also sweet, liquid, and a touch warm.  Hegel also has a sweet, but a touch drier and meatier sound, a bit darker, more clearly defined soundstage, better control and bass authority.  Maybe a little too much control, meaning tone seems to be subtly lacking some harmonic complexity and natural decay compared to Luxman.  Luxman can sound a bit thin at times.  Still, Hegel H390 is a great piece and I can't think of a better complete solution at the street price of < $5k new.

I suggest you consider how much power you really need. I used to run a high power SS amp that was excellent.

Now I find that 1.5 watts sounds much better than I thought anything could. Of courses, synergy, listening preferences and the partnering equipment you already own will shape your search. 

I have a friend who runs the 509 lux. IT is superb. Most of the time he doesn't even use full one watt of its capability. I mention this because at normal listening levels a low powered single ended triode is hard to beat.  

FWIW I’ve owned both of these and like them both a lot. I would say Luxman sounds more natural tonally with a clean and clear presentation that is also sweet, liquid, and a touch warm. Hegel also has a sweet, but a touch drier and meatier sound, a bit darker, more clearly defined soundstage, better control and bass authority. Maybe a little too much control, meaning tone seems to be subtly lacking some harmonic complexity and natural decay compared to Luxman. Luxman can sound a bit thin at times.

Good description eugene81. Although I do not have experience with Hegel amps, your description pretty much mirrors mine with regards to the Luxman in my case L-590AXII vs a dozen other assortment of amps both integrated and pre/power. The Luxman excels in reproducing the nuance and fine detail in the music. It’s a more delicate sounding amp in comparison to other alternatives which may sound bolder, more dynamic or with more impactful bass etc. But in turn some of the nuance and fine detail are masked or not reproduced as effectively as the Luxman.

The speakers that will be matched to the amp will play a huge role too as the speaker-amp interface is of utmost importance. Different speakers, different result. Nevertheless, generally in my book :

LUXMAN (L-590AXII) - clean, refined, delicate, detailed, sweet and slightly warm at the top

OTHER SELECTED AMPS - slightly hazy, not as clean, refined and detailed with a less nuanced delivery although music may sound bolder or more dynamic with punchier bass etc.