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:
View attachment 151025
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:
View attachment 151027
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.
) but you feel as if this will last many decades, just as it's 1970's ancestors I cut my teeth on can. It's a treat for the ears too, with absolutely no grain or hardness/harshness. Absolutely delightful as it feeds all the senses.
