Upgrade? Luxman M-900u and C-900u from Pass X250.8 - Simaudio Evolution P-8

if you use natural sounding but linear electronics and the sound is boring you’ve put a system together the wrong way. might be cables but more likely the speakers. there’s nothing inherently ‘warm’ or ‘euphonic’ about this luxman pair. that’s an industry wide issue where we audiophiles think something is going to sound a particular way without actually hearing it in our own setup. Anyone that thinks these units are colored(as we used to say) haven’t heard them in a good set up. 

I had a C900f and now have an ARC Ref 6. I would never go back to Luxman. It is refined but way too soft and dull IMHO. I know it's all system dependent and YMMV but I find Pass (had 250.5 amp) and ARC much more transparent and 'accurate'. In term of resell value, I had a hard time selling it on used market and had to swallow a big drop in price. I have been very disappointed since prior to buying my Luxman preamp I had heard only good things about them. My dealer is no longer selling their products.

From a support standpoint, I had to contact Luxman for technical questions and despite many attempts to talk to them, I never got an answer. I heard similar complaints from dealers selling Luxman products. So it's only my -poor- experience dealing with them and others may have better stories to share but clearly I doubt it's the level of service you get from brands like Bryston or Pass Labs.

I had similar experience with L505Ux, it was too soft for my liking and the vocal were suppressed, I used with Totem Model 1 and tried with Scansonic MB2.5 at dealer(during trade in)..
I did asked tried contact Luxman Japan and no response.
However I am using their Tube Power Tube amp MQ-88 which is far better than Solid state counterpart in terms of Vocal and clarity

Any of you guys ever hear the Soulution 530 Integrated? 

There is no real comparison between Audio Research or Pass Labs and Luxman. Luxman is light years ahead, in terms of pure sound, transparency, delicacy, airy, linearity across the whole band, and the amazing ability to drive all speaker impedances with ease.
I have never heard components so good like Luxman or Accuphase. Simply, for me, they are the best audio money can buy.
I owned many luxman or accuphase gear. Actually I own Luxman C-900u and M-900u and the only separates that rival them are Accuphase’s top of the line monoblocks.
Except only one Accuphase power amp, I have never heard a power amp so good like M-900u. And the preamp is simply the best preamp I ever heard.