Announcement End Game Amplifier

[bigfish786]

So, after a few weeks of not quite knowing what to do with my hifi, I had looked at options of new and used, thought I’d secured some used Leema gear only to be let down by the seller. I began looking at new stuff again and kept going back to the very over budget amps of Luxman. Could I stretch myself to the 505? I was. Undecided. I looked at the 507, this was expensive but looked so good. I thought as it was being replaced I could find a bargain. I looked and looked and came across the 509x with a significant saving. This thing blows my whole budget out the water and halfway up apology mountain. Hope my understanding wife becomes very understanding quite quickly.
So, I’ve ordered a Luxman 509x amplifier. I’m hoping this is it for me. This is big money so it had better be bloody amazing!
Looks like the Meridian CD player i borrowed a few weeks back is going to be staying with me a little longer than I expected. It does sound great though.
Looking forward to getting this hopefully at the beginning of next week sometime.
I never ever Dreamed of getting hifi at this level, but you only live once. 😊😊

 

[jamesrfisher]

Lucky you. Does look very special. Hope it works for you. PS I'm jealous

 

[Gray]

I never ever Dreamed of getting hifi at this level

You didn't say how much you're paying.
Maybe you're trying not to think about that 👍

 

[bigfish786]

I’m still shocked at the money I’ve spent. Luckily the wife hasn’t asked….yet! I may have to sleep on someone’s sofa for a few days till she calms down 😂😂
I paid £6769 for the amp, so a decent price compared to the original price of £9300. But yeah. Not cheap.
That’s a brand new unit being sent from Luxman.

 

[robdmarsh]

It's weird how with really high end items like this prices definitely seem not to be fixed but are "flexible". With lower end gear the discounts appear pretty quickly if you are patient. You wonder how these manufacturers and distributors can make any profit forecasts. But anyway, haggling is always worth it, especially in these cash strapped times.

 

[bigfish786]

I just checked around and found a unit for £6999 then found a retailer that would price match and beat the difference by 10%.
The deals are out there, you just have to find them.

 

[Gray]

That’s a brand new unit being sent from Luxman.

Excellent, I thought you were having to go S.H.
Nice discount - hope it's 'the one'

 

[nopiano]

Fabulous! I was only looking - idly - the other day after reading that the newest L-507Z model is £8,000 at the terrific value on 509X models.

In the long run, this is surely a great buy. Just hope your wife doesn’t sell it for what you told her it cost!

 

[Al ears]

Hope you really enjoy it.
A while ago this would have been my end game amplifier, that or an Accuphase, but then lack of work kicked in.....

 

[plastic penguin]

I've only heard the entry-level Luxman from about 10 years ago. It was fantastic, and it was powering Wilson Benesch Discovery speakers - mind blowing.

 

[skinnypuppy71]

Hey Big fish, enjoy...it's not every day you get to even hear a amp like that, never mind owning one.....I don't really know what my end-game amp is yet....Pure class A? valve?, top end Japanese stuff....it's very difficult to get to listen to it all, but I'm looking forward to your thoughts.

 

[twinkletoes]

I think luxman i are one of the brands that will end up making you money in the end, or at least keeping its value, especially if its one of there more speciality pieces.

its certainly a hand-me-down piece..... hopefully, you'll love it!

 

[nopiano]

I’m a bit slow in the uptake, but of course Luxman is part of IAG (since 2010, is it?), so you’ll maybe need some Mission 770s to complete the system!

 

[daytona600]

Good luck with the Luxman and years of enjoyment
Live for the present , Shrouds don`t have pockets

 

[plastic penguin]

I'm very envious. To me Luxman and Accuphase are hard to beat add that price point. Add in the dancing VU meters and that's hi-fi heaven.

 

[WayneKerr]

Always adored Luxman kit but way out of my price range. It's been a bit of a bumpy journey for you so hope that you have finally found your end-game amp and it plays nicely with your speakers. Fingers crossed for you.

 

[plastic penguin]

Always adored Luxman kit but way out of my price range. It's been a bit of a bumpy journey for you so hope that you have finally found your end-game amp and it plays nicely with your speakers. Fingers crossed for you.

Luxman certainly are a special piece of kit, and like you, it's way outside of my pay grade.

However good the amp, if you don't demo, it's a huge gamble with speaker matching.

 

[bigfish786]

Luxman certainly are a special piece of kit, and like you, it's way outside of my pay grade.

However good the amp, if you don't demo, it's a huge gamble with speaker matching.

i agree. Big gamble indeed.
I’ve spent a lot of time with my speakers, tweaking the sound, I removed some excess sound deadening from inside. I’ve replaced a midrange driver that was always faulty. It was stiff as hell, you could literally hear the life behind sucked out of the music. I’ve lowered them on the spikes, and adjusted their position till I was happy with them. And right now, I think they sound the best they’ve been.
hopefully the Luxman and Meridian CD along with the Marantz turntable will make beautiful music together. Well, as beautiful as Metal can be 😊

 

[WayneKerr]

Always adored Luxman kit but way out of my price range. It's been a bit of a bumpy journey for you so hope that you have finally found your end-game amp and it plays nicely with your speakers. Fingers crossed for you.

Whilst I adore them I couldn't own one... they don't appear to come in black

 

[plastic penguin]

i agree. Big gamble indeed.
I’ve spent a lot of time with my speakers, tweaking the sound, I removed some excess sound deadening from inside. I’ve replaced a midrange driver that was always faulty. It was stiff as hell, you could literally hear the life behind sucked out of the music. I’ve lowered them on the spikes, and adjusted their position till I was happy with them. And right now, I think they sound the best they’ve been.
hopefully the Luxman and Meridian CD along with the Marantz turntable will make beautiful music together. Well, as beautiful as Metal can be 😊

Genuinely hope it all gels together. If it does, as we hope, that'll be some sonic ride.

When I heard the Luxman with the Wilson Benesch speakers I was all gooey-eyed.

 

[plastic penguin]

Whilst I adore them I couldn't own one... they don't appear to come in black

Hint: B&Q.
😁

 

[bigfish786]

the last dealer i was in said that 90% of the stuff they sell is in black. personally, i've always preferred the silver colour.
had Arcam, Rega ,Leema, Moon and Marantz all in silver before. i'd like to see an all Aluminium/steel version of the Rega Saturn 3. i would be tempted by that.

 

[Gray]

I removed some excess sound deadening from inside. I’ve replaced a midrange driver that was always faulty.

Removed from within the speaker?
How can it have been excess?

And the driver you replaced - are you sure the refit had nothing to do with your out of phase issue?

Are you even 100% certain that you're actually in phase - as you need to be - before the new amp lands?

 

[Al ears]

Whilst I adore them I couldn't own one... they don't appear to come in black

thank god for that....

 

[bigfish786]

Removed from within the speaker?
How can it have been excess?

And the driver you replaced - are you sure the refit had nothing to do with your out of phase issue?

Are you even 100% certain that you're actually in phase - as you need to be - before the new amp lands?

hi Gray,
I had done a little reading up on the subject, and apparantly the stuff they fill the speakers with makes them appear bigger?? how? i dunno, but my speakers were suffering from a lack of bass, so i removed some, not all of the stuffing in the hope they would breathe a bit better, and i'd actually get the bass i was expecting from these huge things, it cleared a way to the front facing port, and probably made the speakers sound a bit "smaller" as they weren't being overpowered by the stuff inside. the overall effect has been quite surprising. for the first time in a year, i am happily sat in front of them, and enjoying their output, without a puzzled look on my face, i think it was excessive as there was no clear space behind the drivers, it literally was packed front to back with wadding. whatever it is i have done, it has worked. I am still confused regarding the phase issue i had, but everything is wired up correctly, i don't know if i'd accidentally wired them out of phase, then somehow corrected them, but i think that was using a different amp. i'm using an Arcam A70 till the Luxman turns up, and i've been very happy with its synergy with the triangles. it doesn't hurt that the cd player is quite good too.
i will see how good it is in a few days time.
its going to be with me for a while yet, as i've blown my budget on the amp, so a New CD player is going to have to wait a while.
the driver i replaced was more to do with the soundstage, it was robbing it of space and depth. it sounded constrained and very grainy. i no longer have those issues. Triangle build quality was a bit of a let down, but they did send me replacement drivers, but i shouldn't really have had to do that. maybe its because they were built in China, or just not a product they were promoting heavily. but whatever, i'm in a really good place with them now.