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  1. #1
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    My own experience with Luxman D10X

    I would like to apologize English isn’t my native language
    The following is a review of my Luxman D10X CD//SACD/DAC player

    It's been almost two weeks since i received my Luxman D10X after almost a year of waiting.
    the D10X replace Luxman's D08 as the flagship player.

    Player Structure & Features

    The D10X size is quite big – it's taller than the C900U preamp, the player comes in a huge package that weighs about 38 kg, the player itself weighs about 23 kg.

    As usual with Luxman flagship series, you get a loop-less chassis structure, the exterior structure is made of brushed aluminum at the top and the front of rough aluminum using a fine sandblast.

    Unlike the previous generation of the company, Series 10 front with angles replaces the rounded corners of previous series, the device front panel design brings some fresh look.
    The finish as in all the Luxman flagship products is exceptional, the metal thickness and processing quality will definitely bring the owner proud, no bare screws can be found on the front or the side panels. the construction successfully combines massiveness and refinement - Something the Japanese are good at.

    According to Luxman D10X contains improved transport, which according to the manufacturer's statements has been built more massively than the previous generation transport.

    According to Luxman the loading and reading speed of optical media has been improved from the previous generation. Luxman also state about improved power supplies.

    One of the most intriguing things about a new player is without a doubt the D/A converter chips, the BD34301EKV from the Japanese company ROHM. The player has 2 such chips installed for Dual Mono configuration.
    As a company that analog is no stranger to, Luxman claim that the new chip combines top-flight specs with impressive refinement.

    The player reads CD \ SACD discs as well as MQA encoded discs (quite rare).
    DSD playing has 2 analog FIR filter (D1, D2).
    As with other devices made by the company, here too you can change phases in case your pre-amp is European / American.
    In addition to analog outputs (XLR and RCA) digital inputs and outputs (coaxial and optical) can be found through the USB inputs. The player will handle PCM from 44.1 kHz to 786 kHz and DSD from 2.8 MHz to 22.4 MHz (1-bit ). The coaxial and optical inputs are limited to PCM 44.1–192kHz.

    Sound

    The D10X replaced me with another player that also included a converter (Unison Research DUO) and integrates with another converter/streamer I have (Cary DMS-600) that allows me to stream PCM to the D10X
    Optical Media Play - CD \ SACD.

    Anyone who believes that there is no difference between music played from streaming services such as Tidal and Qobuz and music originating from optical media can stop reading here, the difference exists and the D10X reinforces the attitude that the days of optical media as audiophilic media are far from over –for audiophiles at least.

    The D10X has made a noticeable improvement in digital sound quality of my system (my reference is always my analog system – Brinkmann Edison MK2 phono, Brinkmann Balance TT+ Brinkmann 10.5 Arm, Miyajima Kansui cartridge), making instruments and human sounds sound very realistic.

    In recent years we witnessed the decline of optical media sales, the D10X proves that optical media is far from exhausting itself in everything related to sound quality, piano, strings, drums, trumpet, or natural human voice sounds incredible through the D10X.
    Playing music from a CD or MQA CD on the D10X allows you to get a holograph and a large stage while retaining detail resolution and delicacy (excellent micro and macro dynamics) that I didn't hear before from optical players I had so far.

    Even bad recorded albums from 80's New Wave groups such as Yazzo and The Mission) sound incredible on the D10X, without the edgy bright harshness that accompany some of those albums.
    Regarding playing music in SACD format (I have about 70 albums in this format), if the album is recorded well you will get a nirvana experience that is already close to the music that can be obtained from a nice analog setup, the sound ability of this player in SACD is impressive.

    If the SACD recording is mediocre, the D10X manages to extract to "iron" the wrinkles, this will make you concentrate more on the music instead of recording issues (Santana's Abraxas, some of Hendrix's recordings or some of Stevie Ray's albums that are in SACD).

    As a Converter

    The streaming at my home is done through my Cary Audio DMS600 converter/streamer, using the DMS coax port to output signal to the D10X coax input.
    Music comes from streaming services - Tidal, Qobuz or from files stored on NAS server in the home network, due to the use of a coaxial input the signal is limited to PCM 44.1–192kHz (processing for MQA is performed on the Roon Core computer I use )
    In order not to prolong, I can tell you that the D10X retains the same sound characteristics I wrote above - excellent tonality, stage dimensions, resolution, and delicate details.

    The D10X was able to preserve the above even when streaming music from music services, one hand you get the impressive ability of the D10X to dig and extract even the finest details from the files, on the other hand, the D10X knows how to produce exceptional tonality and musicality reminiscent of an analog source.

    Elaborating about the difference between my current converter/streamers and the D10X, it is mainly reflected in the latter's ability to turn music from a digital source into an experience that even analog enthusiasts can enjoy without moving uncomfortably in the seat.

    Complains – Sort of

    Is everything perfect? the answer is of course no.

    • I think it's a shame that Luxman did not go one step further like Playback Designs and equip the player / converter with a streaming component - this would have saved another device, probably you cannot ask for everything.
    • The remote, make no mistake, the remote is great, properly constructed of aluminum, the reception is excellent, but the remote isn’t incorporate buttons for company amplification – meaning you'll have to work your way with 2 remotes.
    • Switching between resolutions – when switching between sample resolutions from 44.1 to 88.2 or vice versa for example, you will hear sounds like a relay click (also exists on other Luxman devices), for me this is the first time I hear such a thing, a bit strange in the digital world but I got used to it quickly.


    Summary

    The music that the D10X can produce is seductive, one that draws the listener into the music. for me the D10X may prove dangerous, as it will make me want to keep listening to music far beyond my free time i have.

    In the last two years, I have listened to quite a few converters in a wide range of prices sometimes at an outrageous price (some costing more the double the price of the D10X), the D10X is a very capable and high-performance audio component that successfully combines old (optical media) with new (D/A converter) while providing an addictive listening experience for those who can afford it.

  2. #2
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    Re: My own experience with Luxman D10X

    I agree with what you said about 80's discs - previously unheard detail, tone and punchy bass is retrieved from discs I wouldn't have thought contained that nuance of digital data.
    Christian

    south: Mark Levinson No. 52 pre, Bricasti M28 amps, Lumin A1, Oppo BDP-205, Pioneer CT-43, Sony SS-AR1 Speakers, Audioquest PCs, Audioquest speaker cables, Audioquest & Iconoclast interconnects, HB Power Design Powerslave Star Galaxy power distributor

    north: Vitus SIA-030, Luxman D-10X, Sony TC-KA3ES, Harbeth 40.2, Siltech cables

  3. #3

    Re: My own experience with Luxman D10X

    Well written, thank you, and I agree with everything you say, the D-10X is incredible, the detail this player retrieves is phenomenal

    Every CD produces goosebumps and every time you think you know an album or a track the D-10X shocks you by revealing nuances you never new where even there

    Tone, timbre, timing etc are superb, the D-10X is by far the best CD/SACD Player I have ever heard

    For those of you that can audition this exceptional player do it, even if you can't afford you buy one, just have a listen, it's well worth the effort

    Deano



    Sent from my VOG-L09 using Tapatalk

  4. #4
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    Re: My own experience with Luxman D10X

    Great review! Very detailed. Did you have a chance to compare it to anything else?


    Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro
    My Systems: http://www.audioshark.org/showthread...481#post158481

    "We can hear everything we measure, but we can't measure everything we hear. Let your ears be your guide."

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  5. #5
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    Re: My own experience with Luxman D10X

    Quote Originally Posted by Mike View Post
    Great review! Very detailed. Did you have a chance to compare it to anything else?


    Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro
    Hi Mike,

    I couldn't directly compare the D10X to other players as it wasn't available at my dealer (actually my D10x is the first and only one currently in Israel).
    I did hear other wonderful players such as playback mpd-8 and Metronome AQWO, both are great players, however, I preferred to take a chance and complete my electronics set from the same company (voicing, timbre etc....), from how things sound at my home i made an excellent decision.

  6. #6
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    Re: My own experience with Luxman D10X

    Wonderful review, thank you! I'm considering the DX-10, but also Esoteric so this was very helpful. I was wondering about the player's output level as it seems quite a bit less than some others. For example, the Esoteric KO1XD outputs 5Vrms through its XLR balanced outputs while the Lux's DX-10 put out 2.4Vrms through the XLRs and only 1.3V in SACD/DSD. Is that an issue at all by itself, or in switching formats or sources?

    Maybe Mike would chime in as he's compared the Luxman DX-10 to other players.

    Thanks again and glad you are happy!

  7. #7
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    Re: My own experience with Luxman D10X

    Quote Originally Posted by Barry View Post
    Wonderful review, thank you! I'm considering the DX-10, but also Esoteric so this was very helpful. I was wondering about the player's output level as it seems quite a bit less than some others. For example, the Esoteric KO1XD outputs 5Vrms through its XLR balanced outputs while the Lux's DX-10 put out 2.4Vrms through the XLRs and only 1.3V in SACD/DSD. Is that an issue at all by itself, or in switching formats or sources?

    Maybe Mike would chime in as he's compared the Luxman DX-10 to other players.

    Thanks again and glad you are happy!
    Thank you Barry for the kind words.
    Regarding the D10X output Vrms, you can definitely hear the volume going down on SACD vs. CD, but with 2 M900U monoblocks amps, this isn't an issue, since i have so much more reserve power on the amps, much more than my Magico S3MK would ever be able to handle.

    If you have enough power youll never be disturbed by this minor issue.

  8. #8

    Re: My own experience with Luxman D10X

    Thanks for the thoughtful review. The Luxman and the Esoteric K-03XD are on my short list for an upgrade.

  9. #9
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    Re: My own experience with Luxman D10X

    thank you for sharing your thoughts.
    2chl : Vincent Sp331MkII, W4S STP-SE Stage 2, Kef 201/2, KEF 140, Vapor Breeze, Lumin, Bryston CD, BHA-1, Quicksilver Headamp, HD650, HD800s, HD820's, Dan Clark 1.1, Focal Stellia, OPPO 203, 105. ( Boxed up: Pass Xa-30.5, VPI Classic, Dynavector DV-20XL, Manley Chinook, Cadenza Bronze)

  10. #10
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    Re: My own experience with Luxman D10X

    Very nice review!
    Mark


    Kharma DB9 Signature
    Pass Labs XP32......incoming
    Pass Labs X350.8
    Esoteric N-05XD
    VPI Avenger with Magnetic Drive
    Manley Chinook Phono Pre
    Ortofon Cadenza Black cartridge
    Kharma Elegance speaker cables
    Kharma Elegance interconnects
    REL Subs

  11. #11
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    Re: My own experience with Luxman D10X

    A couple of weeks ago I received Melco HA-N1Z/2EX-H50 (they really have to start rename products more friendly).
    The Melco is a server and streamer that can output digitally via USB or Ethernet.

    to make a long story short, ever since I stream files to the D10X from the Melco (Tidal, Qobuz, or stored files) I can't take the smile out off my face - the experience is so musically and emotionally involving, I still can't belive that level of performance i get from digital streaming or files playing - so much better than I used to stream data from the DMS600 RCA output to the D10X.

    if you have D10X, you owe yourself to try streaming data to it via the USB input.

  12. #12

    Re: My own experience with Luxman D10X

    I have been saying this for quite some time now, the Melcos network filter is incredible... it noticeably improves any players performance

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My own experience with Luxman D10X

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