Which would you choose; Pass 250.8, arc 75SE or luxman m900u?

I went yesterday and listened to the Luxman m900u amp and c900u preamp. The reason for this second visit to the dealer (Excel Audio in Newport Beach CA) was to determine if I needed to get the c900u preamp or if a lesser preamp with a DAC and room correction would work with the m900u amp. Something like the following preamp:

Anthem STR preamp
Linn SELEKT DSM
Lyngdorf 3400 (using only preamp section of integrated)

Long story short, I have changed my opinion of how to buy a system for my small room. Get the electronics before the speakers. The Luxman gear was so good that even with lesser speakers ($16K vs $5K) the sound was better with the Luxman.

I am even tempted to run the Luxman m900u + c900u with the KEF LS50’s I own if I cannot make a bigger speaker work without DSP. I was totally against using a monitor speaker because I wanted the bigger bass with the floor stander. However, that logic is out the window with the Luxman gear. Everything I played through them sounded special.

you may also want to try the dartzeel amplifier there is one available used here on audiogon (no I am not selling mine)....has the same special solid state but not solid state sounding qualities and if you can pick up used ends up being cheaper than the luxman....unless you can a bargain on the luxman new.....there is a recent newer version of the dartzeel but that is super pricey....the older one is upgradeable but upgrade pricey....anyway food for thought...obviously since you heard the luxman its the safer choice but unless you have bass hungry speakers almost universal acclaim of the dartzeel...btw I also own pass monoblocks 260.8 in a different system and they great too and run about 30 watts class A....I often dont go out of Class A.....can often find a demo version of that through reno hifi for about 11K which is pretty great deal....

Hi @yyzsantabarbara

I own the Luxman 507ux. I totally hear where you are going with this, since this amp did the same for me, but I do suggest that another way to extend your speaker’s range is great room acoustics. 

For a fraction of what you spent on your preamp/amp, I’d spend some money with GIK Acoustics. Great advice, and biggest bang for the buck.


Over and over I’ve heard good room acoustics make speakers sound bigger and better.


Best,

E

Jump on a Pass 250.8 great sounding amp.

@erik_squires I already have the GIK acoustics treatments and they transformed my room in an incredibly positive way. However, I was trying to be audacious and put in a big floor stander into my very small room. Thus the investigation into DSP preamps to go along with the GIK treatments. However, like I mentioned above the Luxman was so good that I will get that first and fit the speakers afterwards. I most likely won’t be able to fit in a floor stander. I will try with a home demo of the Paradigm Person 3F but in the likely case it won’t work there are many monitors that I can select.

So farI have heard the following monitors that would fit my room which I think sound good to great:

Harbeth - https://harbeth.co.uk/special-editions/c7es-3.php
KEF LS50 or REFERENCE 1
TAD ME1

A lot more choices available that I have not contemplated since I have been looking at floor standers prior to my eureka movement with the Luxman’s.

BTW - I have not spent any cash yet on my system. So glad I did not since I would have gone a different way prior to my Luxman audition.