Placette Passive is the most transparent piece of gear I've experienced in my 20 years in this hobby. Sonically it is essentially the same as going DAC directly to power amp. This can be a positive or negative depending on what you like. I prefer an active preamp.
I disagree with McIntosh only sounding good with bright speakers. This is entirely up to taste. I like McIntosh with Sonus Faber, which are both well known to be warm and "slow". I've owned Wilson Tunetots and demo'd Sasha DAW and and I think McIntosh would be a fine match.
If you crave lively and exciting, Mac ain't it. If you like to savor the tone and texture of acoustic instruments, it's hard to beat as far as solid state goes. Luxman generally strikes a middle ground. It's clean, sweet, and very smooth with a touch of warmth and excellent precision and detail. MY OPINION