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Luxman L-509X

pma

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This is Luxman L-509X integrated amplifier and it really looks good and measures well

L-509front.jpg


L-509.jpg


Stereophile measurements
https://www.stereophile.com/content/luxman-l-509x-integrated-amplifier-measurements

Manufacturer's web info
http://www.luxman.com/product/detail.php?id=26
 

Serg

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I'd love to see measurements on this piece... or the 507. Just gorgeous!
 

Wes

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needs a rose gold faceplate and some green lights
 

itsikhefez

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Anyone here have comments on the measurements performed by Stereophile ?
I am looking to simplify my separates system and thinking strongly about the Luxman L-507uXII .. which performance and measurements I assume will be similar to the L-509X.
 
OP
pma

pma

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Measurements of 509 are good enough. I have not seen measurements of the 507, so no comment on this type.
 

itsikhefez

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Thank you for the quick reply. I am looking for a solidly engineered product without glaring faults, which Luxman seem to be doing properly.
Overall the topologies of the 507 and 509 are very similar so the performance should be close.

I don't need ultra specs (I actually have a Benchmark DAC3 + AHB2) but rather trying to simplify my setup. The Luxman has a ton of features that I'm interested in, such as -- A/B speaker output, pre-out for separate amp, MM+MC phono, remote control, resistor ladder volume attenuation .. etc
 

Serg

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I’d also like to know… I have a 507 on order. Very attractive amp with great features were the reasons I decided for it… oh and the meters!
 

itsikhefez

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One thing I don't understand complete is the line input sensitivity spec, which is 180mV.
Is that for full output power before clipping (i.e 110W) ?
If so, that seems fairly low as most sources will output around 2V ... does most of the signal get thrown away?

Luxman aren't special in this regard, I've seen similar specs in the 180-250mV range for other integrateds that I've been looking at from Yamaha, McIntosh etc
 

Vini darko

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One thing I don't understand complete is the line input sensitivity spec, which is 180mV.
Is that for full output power before clipping (i.e 110W) ?
If so, that seems fairly low as most sources will output around 2V ... does most of the signal get thrown away?

Luxman aren't special in this regard, I've seen similar specs in the 180-250mV range for other integrateds that I've been looking at from Yamaha, McIntosh etc
Input sensitivity should be the minimum input voltage you can still get rated power output from the amplifier with. At least that's what I think it means in this instance.
 

itsikhefez

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Interesting ... but the gain is usually fixed. So what happens if using a standard DAC that outputs 2V for 0dbFS ? Does it attenuate the signal even before the preamp stage?
 

Vini darko

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Interesting ... but the gain is usually fixed. So what happens if using a standard DAC that outputs 2V for 0dbFS ? Does it attenuate the signal even before the preamp stage?
I'm honestly not sure. Reading the blurb I see they have some kind of digital(?) Volume control for the analog preamp gain stage. So you should get really good channel matching even at minimum volume. However I suspect there will be only till 11oclock on the dail usable with 0dbfs input.
All intergrated amplifiers should have a 20db muting circuit for fine volume control imo. Suprised not to see one on an amplifier at this level.
 

itsikhefez

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The volume control is analog and electronically switches between resistors that act as a voltage divider.
Agree that should be very accurate and a big plus for this design compared to some manufactures that still use $13 ALPS blue pots in expensive amplifiers. To my understanding the transitions are fairly smooth so you can still have good control in the lower volumes.
That is one of the main reasons I am looking at this Luxman.

I used a similar design in my DIY preamp, an AMB alpha10....
 

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restorer-john

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A good performing integrated amplifier. I'm not sold on the electronic micro driven volume. Overly complicated and highly likely to be the failure point down the track:
1630539007407.png


The main volume control is a motorized Alps blue twin gang, but it's likely that will be read by A/D lines by the micro and translated to control of the electronic volume board above. That way, they can control what looks like all 4 (left hot/cold, right hot/cold).

The power stage looks also a bit unconventional with likely some distortion adjustment pots trimmed in the factory:
1630539662363.png


Notice the four trimpots. Usually you'll have 2, bias and offset. We have two groups of two on the board edges. Now they could be coarse and fine for bias and offset, but judging on where they are, I think we've got some direct distortion cancelling topology with high f and low f THD trim perhaps.

Also, a ton of headers for off board connections for a single channel amp module. Normally you'd need +/- main rails, maybe +/- front end rails (which this appears to have), input signal +/-, maybe some mute signal for the relay, some temp, overcurrent signals and a hot speaker out.

And the speaker relays. Why aren't they using MOSFET switches like Accuphase (and @pma)?

Other than a nice thick brushed aluminium case, I don't see nearly US$10k in this thing. I've got 1980s integrateds built way better than this Lux.
 
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Ingenieur

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Interesting ... but the gain is usually fixed. So what happens if using a standard DAC that outputs 2V for 0dbFS ? Does it attenuate the signal even before the preamp stage?

the spec is at 100% volume
The 180 mV is the line input
The power amp needs 1.1 V for 100%
preamp gain ~ 1.1/0.180 ~ 6.1 x or 15.7 dB
The volume attenuates before the preamp gain section.
If 2 V a lot of V drop across the resistors
If only 0.180 V full volume little R and drop

you could put the volume at 100% with 2 V and the power amp would see 12.2 V, ie, overloaded and the circuit protection would kick in.
 

MarcT

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With a MC phono input gain of 53 dB, how high output MC cartridge would you have to use?
 

itsikhefez

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The spec says 0.3mV for MC cart (that is for full output power).

I recently bought an L-507uX II that uses the same phono stage (likely). I have only tried MM but have an OC9-XEN that I will try soon.
Regardless though I doubt the amp would have trouble getting VERY loud with an MC cart that outputs less than that.
 

MarcT

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The spec says 0.3mV for MC cart (that is for full output power).

I recently bought an L-507uX II that uses the same phono stage (likely). I have only tried MM but have an OC9-XEN that I will try soon.
Regardless though I doubt the amp would have trouble getting VERY loud with an MC cart that outputs less than that.
I'm sure it would, but with some high efficiency speakers there might be a risk of audible hiss from them at low volume.
 
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