Luxman LX33 Integrated Tube Amp. YEAH? NAY?

Ah, the best made plans .... not so great when you are an idiot. After all the waiting, I rushed things in the end.

I got excited about the Luxman SQ-N150. Both MM and MC and it just so happens the MC setting (not adjustable) fits my AT33ptgII cartridge very well! 2 months old, great price, small (really small), 10 wpc tubes will not be too much heat in my small office, oh yeah.

Remote volume for PC, TT, R2R, whoopee.

Well, ALL the Vintage and fairly recent Luxmans I looked at had pre-out/main-in. Not this little one, I didn't pay enough attention.

So, that nixes my plan of pre-out to self-powered sub; sub minus low bass to main-in; 10 wpc no low bass to the somewhat inefficient wharfedales (87). Takes the work of low bass away from both the amp and the speakers. That is what let me take the risk of 10 wpc with 87 speakers. Lowest efficiency speakers I ever had, and now the lowest powered amp I ever had.

Luxman drove my very efficient 16 ohm horns/15" woofers wonderfully for 3 hrs last night. Amazing. Up here, we shall see. I will use the speaker wires in/out of sub, that does not give the amp a break, but the Wharfedale's don't try to make low bass, and I am only 6 feet from the speakers, no need for much volume here.

this little fella ends today, 57 bids already. 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/294148447011?ul_noapp=true

Tape Out/Tape In?

Good idea, but Nope. It really is minimalist:

remote: vol; mute

front: power; vol; meters; meter on but their lights off; phone jack; line straight which I use. (bypasses balance, bass, treble).

top deck front: balance; bass; treble; phono mc; phono mm; line: 1,2,3

that’s it. I cannot see the top deck from my chair, I forgot it had balance, I wish balance was on the remote. for the rare tweak some tracks need. I can always get that thru the Chase, but for now I’m skipping it. Balance is more important in the main system anyway.

It's gonna be fun to watch the R2R meters and the Luxman's meter's simultaneously, Tape deck showing content volume, Luxman showing related power needed.
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No matter, it has plenty of power for this room, and the sub takes the low bass prior to the wharfedales like before, a nice extended sound.

Received and listened to this here yesterday, from Slovania, a great test of bass blend/extension. Terrific.

https://www.discogs.com/sell/order/3064922-12135

Phono: the built in MC/MM a big reason I bought it. I’m loving it’s sound, and will get another AT33ptgII for up here for my birthday ...,

using AT440ml MM now with near virgin OEM Line Contact.

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I put the Chase RLC-1 back in, only for remote power, that way I can leave the Luxman and Sub on.

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Had I realized in my haste, I might have passed, so, it’s a happy/lucky mistake.