Help with XLR between Luxman L-509X & Hegel HD30 DAC

@atmasphere  thanks for setting my mind at ease... wasn't sure if it would blow up my new amp or what, ha... good to hear that it's not that big of a deal.

@luxmancl38, very cool to hear you have the CL 38U SE. I am really curious how it would sound compared to my 35 year old CL-40, which underwent a total restoration at Luxman Japan in 2013.

The CL-40 is a real find - just shimmering sound and holographic imaging, plus the inset volume knob is an absolute joy to spin. There's no remote but I have no qualms about walking across the room to get my hands on it.

jsqt The tube layout is exactly the same. 3 12AX7's  for the phono preamp and 5 12AU7's for the preamp. In the SE they are using oil caps and the phono has 4 step up transformers 2 for MC high and 2 for MC low. Lp's have a lot of punch and are very quiet. I would venture they are quite similar. Hard to compare as Luxman only made 100 units so not a lot of owners around. This unit has a remote but it's very limited just volume and mute. Everything else you have to get up to do. By the way I'm using an RME ADI2 DAC w/this preamp. Very happy w/the combo. Art Dudley compared it very favorably to his Shindo preamp. It's listed as a Class A preamp in Stereophile. 

@luxmancl38, that sounds awesome. I wish I could read Japanese as I have the work order for the refurb that was done at Luxman in ’13, would be interested to see what all work they did to it. I’d love to compare the two preamps... I have not seen either a CL38 SE nor a CL40 owner in the wild before, I think they are both pretty rare birds. I’m not using a TT, I listen to all digital (FLAC & Tidal via Roon)... Quite happy with the Hegel HD30, it is very smooth and analog-sounding. I did notice the DA-06 over at Higher Note when I read your post and made them an offer on it just for kicks but it seems it has been snatched up. Too bad, I’d have loved to done a head-to-head with the HD30. What is the amp you are using with the CL38 SE?

Bryston 2.5 sst 2 w/a pair of Aerial 5T's. TT a Linn Sondek, Bluesound Node and a Cambridge Audio 752 BD universal player which go through my RME DAC. Apartment dweller so I can't really go big.

@luxmancl38, very cool, I bet it sounds awesome.