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I went from Class D to Luxman A/AB - And most of what you think is wrong

Hi everyone,

As most of you know, I’m a fan of Class D. I have lived with ICEPower 250AS based amps for a couple of years. Before that I lived with a pair of Parasound A21s (for HT) and now I’m listening to a Luxman 507ux.


I have some thoughts after long term listening:
  • The tropes of Class D having particularly bad, noticeable Class D qualities are all wrong and have been for years.
  • No one has ever heard my Class D amps and gone: "Oh, wow, Class D, that’s why I hate it."
  • The Luxman is a better amp than my ICEPower modules, which are already pretty old.

I found the Class D a touch warm, powerful, noise free. Blindfolded I cannot tell them apart from the Parasound A21s which are completely linear, and run a touch warm due to high Class A operation, and VERY similar in power output.


The Luxman 507 beats them both, but no amp stands out as nasty sounding or lacking in the ability to be musical and involving.


What the Luxman 507 does better is in the midrange and ends of the spectrum. It is less dark, sweeter in the midrange, and sounds more powerful, almost "louder" in the sense of having more treble and bass. It IS a better amplifier than I had before. Imaging is about the same.


There was one significant operational difference, which others have confirmed. I don't know why this is true, but the Class D amps needed 2-4 days to warm up. The Luxman needs no time at all. I have no rational, engineering explanation for this. After leaving the ICEPower amps off for a weekend, they sounded pretty low fi. Took 2 days to come back. I can come home after work and turn the Luxman on and it sounds great from the first moment.


Please keep this in mind when evaluating.


Best,

E
erik_squires
ricevs
1,543 posts
 

The latest Heisenberg is suppose to be way better than the old Max......same with the Relentless.  The new DAgostino has .003 percent distortion at full power, .03 ohm output impedance, 100K  bandwidth...all with no feedback!!!.....this is staggeringly better than any other Dag amp.  The old Dags measured just so so but some really liked their warm sound.  I have not heard either.....just what I gleam from reading reports from those that have heard.  My point is that you cannot expect SOTA at $2200.  I am sure there are better amps than mine.  How much more you would have to spend?  We shall see. 

Here is an interesting factoid.  The new Relentless amps have binding posts made out of massive brass.......yes, custom massive thangs made up of super lossy material.  Why would you make a "SOTA" contender amp and then put horrible brass connectors on the output.  They could of made them from copper, OFC copper, cryoed OFC copper, PCOCC copper, silver or ?  Remember, this is a quarter million dollars and they are mounting veiled hardware on the output.  I sent them an email about this but I am sure they will pay me no mind.  If they used the latest low mass Furutech or WBT copper or silver connectors they would have mucho better sound.  My binding post bypass system is even better.....but would not pass their "must look sexy" thang.  By the way, they are using $5 Neutrik xlr connectors on the input.  I use the much more expensive and better sounding  Furutech ones.....also better are the Cardas ones.  So, just imagine how much better the Relentless would sound with better input and output connectors.  Do these people really listen? 

Of course, when you get your Relentless amps installed you can bypass the hardware and hardwire.......he he.  However, this is how I listen....I hardwire two feet of custom balanced cable from my modded Oppo 205 to the custom input stage on the modded IceEdge module.  I solder my speaker wires directly to the module and directly to the xover in my speaker.  The first rule of tweaking is: remove everything not needed.

georgehifi's avatar
georgehifi
10,312 posts
 
George,
What amps have you removed the output filters from so you can test your "idea"?
Your kidding, your tweeters wouldn't last a nano second, if you didn't know??.

What we have here creeping up are manufacturers using the threads to promote their new Class-D products, it’s not on guys, there was one removed/banned totally from Audiogon not so long ago, take heed.
tweak1
3,679 posts
 
Gfi
I believe that was Mike Mivera
Funny, I went to his site 2 days ago. Unless you are a prior owner of his kit you cannot get into his site. I emailed him good luck with that. Why he responded, I have no idea, but, he responded  thusly " already have $800000 worth of OEM orders on the go. Along with $200000 of orders from my members. So not going too bad".

Anybody buying it? Not me
bluorion
479 posts
 
For what its worth, I've had SS integrated amps for most of my life. I finally made the plunge this year and upgraded my system. I listened to quite a few preamps and amps and ended up getting a Modwright tube preamp and a Bel Canto amp. Wow! What a difference in sound (to me at least). This is also my first tube piece. I know they're not 'burned in' yet but it's a sweet sounding system so far. If I ever go back to integrated amps, I'd like to hear the Luxmans. Thanks for posting.
georgehifi's avatar
georgehifi
10,312 posts
 
I emailed him good luck with that. Why he responded, I have no idea, but, he responded thusly " already have $800000 worth of OEM orders on the go. Along with $200000 of orders from my members. So not going too bad".
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