Luxman D-10X Follow up


Over a year ago I sought advice here about CD players.  I ordered a Luxman D-10X as a result of the conversations.  It took a year to arrive.  Chips.  Slow ocean transport.  The world today.  Anyway, as promised I am reporting back.  It required a long break in.  At first it sounded a bit sharpish I think is the best way to put it.  200-300 hours later it has a very pleasant sound on all formats.  No surprise on SACD, DSD, and MQA, but the real bonus is that it really works quite well with PCM too.  That is a real plus for me because I listen mostly to jazz and a lot of the things I want are not available on vinyl, or the vinyl is old, out of print, in lousy condition, or absurdly expensive.  I am not inclined to pay several hundred dollars for an old mono Blue Note, sight unseen, coming from Japan, when the same recording can be had on a CD for just a few dollars.  With this D-10X the sound is acceptable.  So, I am happy.  It was worth the wait.  Thanks for all who offered advice.

billstevenson

@billstevenson 

one of my audio buddies in town has the Luxman dac 

he has had a bunch of dac’s in rotation to try over the last year 

he picked the Luxman and it sounds very nice

I have a question on your phone pre from CJ , what sq do the SUT’s add to the sound ?   I thought the TEA already had an onboard SUT on the high gain side 

Jeff 

 

good pick 

billstevenson 

 

Thank You for the Cabling follow up.   Happy Listening!

greginnh

 

Good to see you. Can you talk about the sonic difference(s) between a D-05u, D-08 and D-10x players? PM me if you do not wish to divulge the information here.

I would like to add a Luxman to my collection.

Happy Listening!

All wires are from the Canadian company Audio Sensibility. All Silver as far as I can remember, it has been a while.  Picking wires with this company is a process.  To get started a big box showed up with several different wires representing gradations of performance.  Instructions with how to evaluate them included.  And that was just for the amp to preamp interconnects. Also, interconnects were done in stages based on which ones were deemed to make the greatest difference first.  So for example, power supply cords for primary equipment, and interconnects were given priority over secondary sources.  Speaker cables were last.  This all took perhaps 2-3 months to accomplish.  It all sounds good of course.  I have no idea of a basis for comparison.  I don't suffer from audiophile nervosa.

Congrats on the D-10X.  It is a great spinner.  I have owned mine for about a year.  Much different sound compared to the D-08u.

nomorelandings

 

I recently enjoyed a little demo time with the Luxman D-03z player. It is a very fine spinner with DAC/MQA capabilities. In fact, the dealer/retailer had a Bluesound Node connected as described above. This machine at $4K retail demonstrated excellent playback commensurate in the Japanese top-tier electronics.

 

Happy Listening!

Hi Bill,

congratulations on a fabulous Luxman player - I love my amp. A left field idea. The d 10X accepts MQA through spdif &usb as does my TEAC ud701 streamer/DAC - a rarity. I have a Bluesound Node which can output Radio Paradise MQA streams and to my ears sounds superb. An inexpensive extra source of music. 
the TEAC took 9 months to arrive in Europe from product announcement and I was quoted over six months for the Luxman d 03x. 

billstevenson

 

Nice sentiment. I feel the same way about my System as well. What brand(s) of Cables/Cords are you enjoying?  Sony is here to remind us Audiophiles that they are still a major Player. The SS-AR1 loudspeaker is a Statement product and the next Evolution from the 1990's ES series speakers.

 

Happy Listening!

Thank you for the kind words jafant.  Oddly enough I don't consider myself much of an audiophile.  I do enjoy listening to music and consider myself a music collector and jazz lover first.  The system is one that has evolved over time and it is good and I am grateful that I have reached a point in life where it is possible to have such.  The Sony speakers are really very good.   

billstevenson

You own an incredible system! Not many Audiophiles purchased those Sony SS AR1 Reference speakers. Well done.

 

Happy Listening!

rpeluso

 

Good to see you here and enjoying the D-10x. Check your email and reply.

Thank You.

 

Happy Listening!

denon,

During the first 2-3 weeks I just let the D-10X play on repeat without listening to it critically at all so I can't really help you.  All I can say is that when I first turned it on it sounded just a bit on edge.  After 2 or 3 weeks of constant play it sounded much more pleasant. 

Mayoradamwest,

I live in Florida USA.  I am quite sure that we have streaming here.  I am just not interested in streaming. 

Bill

Billstivenson, great info. I also have luxman d-10x after having esoteric k-01x, accuphase dp-750 and some others. I decided not to run any brake in cds and just brake this player by playing music when I listen to it only. So for now it has about 100 hours on it. What I noticed with my unit that during first 50 hours the sound was inconsistent: one day analytical ,than after couple days musical and organic, than all of a sudden having too much bass or having lesser soundstage. Now at around 100 hours the soundstage and imaging are 3D and with proper hight and depth, bass firmed up, the whole presentation is dynamic and musical without any fatigue with great amount of details. Great player especially for jazz and classical. In my system it sounds as refined as accuphase dp-750 but more open and dynamic.
Did you noticed any shifts in sound during braking?

 

I guess you live in a country where streaming isn’t available. I’m sorry to hear that. This is a fine CD player indeed. 

Congrats billstevenson...the d-10x will only get better and better with more burn-in time!  Report back when you pass 1000 hours...if at that time you can get out of your listening chair...😁

 

System brief: The new Luxman D-10X.  Conrad Johnson ART150 amp, GAT 2 pre, and TEA 1/III phono with Conolidated Silver SUT (a couple of other SUTs).  VPI HW40 TT, SoundSmith Experion.  Technics SL1200 GAE, VAS Mono, among a half dozen other cartridges in rotation.  McIntosh MR78. Sony Z1ES.  PS Audio P20 power supply.  Sony SSAR1 speakers.(2) REL SX212 Subs.. 

I, too, have this player. I did not have to wait a year. Once I decided to make the leap I found one in Arizona and had it sent to me. This was just about 2 months ago. I agree with what is said here about this player, and after the usual break in it simply plays music, on all formats. Its the first one I have that is MQA-able, so I bought a few of these discs. I replaced a Luxman D-05u with this one, and use it in a system with the Constellation Audio Integrated driving the marvelous Perlisten S7t speakers. I have a TT in the system too, but rarely use it. I am no jazz fan, its mostly rock-type of music for me, or singer/songwriter, a bunch of classic country too, and the occasional classical. But rarely, if ever, jazz. That, of course, is just a matter of taste, and that differs from person to person. Tony Bennett and Frank Sinatra sound amazing here too.  Jafant knows all of this already, so this is really for the other members here who might be curious.  

billstevenson

 

Excellent! You are very fortunate to own a D-10x. What other gear is in your system? I am looking forward in reading more impressions and thoughts as you massage this reference player into your roon/system.

I am a big Jazz fan as well.

Happy Listening!