Luxman T-117 Tuner

"$225 or less" for this tuner that retailed for $700 about a decade ago? People still talk about this one, and the RAVE Stereophile review it received.
"$225"? Good luck.
Tuners usually hold their value better then most other components. Why? Because nothing has changed much with FM lately.
The last T-117 we had, which wasn't mint, sold on an AUCTION for almost $400.
This is an excellent tuner, and it is in a different league when compared to most other Luxman tuners (except maybe the 5T50 Lab series).

BTW, if anyone has one in the $225 range, drop us an email, I'll buy it for my own use,
but I sure wouldn't offer anyone $225" for an item that goes for almost $400.

Brian@Hello.lt

Yes, Brian, that is its value unless you sell on an Auction where people who may not have done their research get too emotional and artificially bid up a T117. Very few people research tuner values as completely and nearly daily as I do. I love what remains of the best of FM both its diversity of music and ideas (that is assuming you are not listening to the 95% of stations owned by 2 or 3 corporate interests).

I have found Audiogon.Com Bluebook Service as a good general guide for used equipment price points. Their conclusion as of today for the T117: $180 market price retail.

Regarding you buying one for $225 if there is one anywhere. How does one in reported mint condition for $200 sound?

Here is the ad (better hurry up though) it has been sitting around nearly the 30 days ads run (26 days as of today):

http://gonmain.iserver.net/cgi-bin/cl.pl?misctunr&1007314835&class&3&4&

LUXMAN T-117 MINT CONDITION
Asking $200.00 obo
New Retail $600.00
Condition 8/10 AGS
Days/Views 26 / 475
Ship cost Plus shipping
Ship from 12 lbs from 91205
Ship to USA only
Included No box or manual

About Seller Hchg888 (15)
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Pay Terms Money Order, PayPal

Description
Hello,

I have for Sale a Luxman T-117 AM-FM Tuner.
Unit Is in Mint Condition, without orginal
box or manual. Grading Due to Age Only, Unit
in Perfect Working Order."

That should just about do it.

Cheers!

Hello Simply music, I hate to disagree with you, but the $1500.00 Luxman 5T50, of the 1978 Luxman LRS series, was one of the worst sounding tuners in Lux history. The very best Lux tuners were the 1976 T-110U, T-310, and T-88V. The LRS series represented a large step down in SOUND quality. Ironically, the build quality was outstanding. After that point, Alpine purchased Lux and the McIntosh type of image began to fade. At this point, Accuphase took over as the premier Japanese supplier of Audio. Needless to say, I have owned all of these tuners. The model 117, did not interest me, since Luxman was no longer the company that issued the goods of its illustrious past.........Frank

I owned the Lux T-117 which I bought in mint condition for $150 through AudioMart, a great used equipment journal to subscribe to if your hobby is buying & selling audio equipment. The T-117 was a very good sounding tuner (more like a good analog tuner than a digital tuner sonically). I didn't care for the automatic high blend circuit that self-activated on noisy signals, but it was good sounding, there was some replication of air and it produced a wide soundstage with some depth. It was satisfying enough for me until it was replaced by a 1970's Sansui TU-9900 (picked up for $90, in mint condition, in AudioMart) that was far superior in every respect (soundstage, depth, air, harmonic rightness, etc.)

Hmm. Perhaps we should take a poll. Will everyone who has actually heard a Luxman 5T50 speak? I agree with Bryan here, even though he only said "maybe." Without trying to denigrate someone else's favorite(s), the 5T50 was one of the best sounding tuners in Luxman, and solid state, history. I have one that I bought from a neighbor at a garage sale.