Luxman L505u . . . why not?

Nolitan: I don't know whether this is helpful to you, but I've spent a lot of time comparing OLD (pre-1984) Luxmans, tubes, integrateds, and solid-state against Accuphase and some others I mentioned previously.

I found all Accuphase I listened to sounded detailed but "flat" and "dead," without musical energy, in comparison to all the Luxmans I listened to.

I have neither heard nor seen an LFD yet.

There is also wide variation among the Luxmans, however.
The sound I like best comes from the 503x, 504, 507, and SQ38 (all pre-1984). The older all-tube Lux such as MQ60 (mine was a 1969 model) that I had for a while didn't quite cut it against these models, sounding "thin" in comparison.

I tried these through many speakers (Yamaha NS1000x, B&W 805N, Rogers LS2a at home, and McIntosh XRT25, Wilson Benesch, and even a pair of Quad ESL-989s! at the local shop), and over a wide range of music as well, on CDs played through my Njoe TJoeb Superb.

Hi Nolitan. I agree with Jimthewebguy. I have owned the accuphases (e405, e408) the luxmans (L525(model 1987), L505u, L507u). I now have the L507u. I have this one for about 2 weeks, and I stil let it burn in for a while.

The difference between the luxmans and the accuphases is, like jimthewebguy said, the accuphases give a beautiful detailed 3-dimensional sound, but it is a bit cold to my ears. I found the coldness very fatiguing. It can sound a bit harsh and therefore not relaxed to listen to.

The luxmans give a full, rich and musical sound. They always have power to spare and this sounds very relaxed. Even the L505u with 100 W/ch had much more control over the speakers then the accuphase e408 with 180w/ch.

I have listen to these amplifiers with bns soundcolumn III and mission 753 freedom speakers. Both are very neutral sounding speakers

Back to Luxman CD players, Mark Toronto-416

I am not expert on CD players, although I really love the one I've got, so
while I was in the nearby shop yesterday I asked the guys in there for you. They are local Japanese hard-core audiophiles running the local branch of one of Japan's top-notch used audio dealers. The main guy wasn't there, but the two younger guys I talked with both seemed taken aback by my question about "how are Luxman CD players regarded in Japan." They quickly whisked me over to a rather funky-looking 1989 model, which they said together with its HUGE DAC was the top one in Japan that year. Besides that, they were under the impression that Japanese typically prefer Onkyo or Accuphase CD players.

Tomorrow I'll go back to the shop to pick-up some stands for my new B&W 805s, which I'll be using as second speakers. The used TAOC stands are being delivered from the shop's Tokyo store to my local one. The main store guy, who knows LOTS, will be there, and I'll get his opinion about how Luxman CD players are regarded here for you.

By the way, I went to the shop yesterday mainly to listen to a wonderful and rare amp called a "Leben CS300X," which was designed by one of Luxman's top amp designers who (like many others, apparently) left Luxman when Alpine took it over in 1984. For comparison, I played a range of music through my trusty old Luxman 507 and some (stinky) Diatone speakers. I didn't bring my Njoe Tjoeb CD player, so was stuck listening through a vastly inferior LINN Magik-CD. If anyone would like to hear my opinions about the (1978?) Luxman 507 compared to the Leben CS300X, please ask.

Many thanks Jim! I would love to know how the new Luxman cdps (especially the D-06 & D-05) are regarded in Japan.

I have seen and listened to one of their integrated amps, and they are a work of art, both physically and sonically.

Regards,

Mark

Hi Jimthewebguy, I'd love to read about the comparison between your luxman and the lil leben. I have yet to hear a luxman, but I've heard the leben you mention.
Thanks
Chas