Luxman 509x Review

[Mike]

https://www.stereophile.com/content/...OGv26xRBzZX.01

I sure love mine! Amazing with Harbeth.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[joeinid]

Excellent review! Looks like a great integrated.

[nile49]

My 590aX was pretty awesome. I expected to have it for much longer but there was a real benefit to having more power during my foray with Magnepans. Now that I have moved to high efficiency speakers I miss it. I think this would be even better. Amazing and wonderfully complete products (packaging, features, build, remote, etc.).


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[bonzo]

Thanks. Just to clarify, Mike, for your Harbeth or Tannoy like speakers, the m900u is still a better choice than the 509, or does it not matter?

[hellrider77]

Still not sure whether 509x or 590ax mkII. Having listened to 509x driving Triangle Magellan Quators left me with mixed feelings. On vinyl (Luxman PD-171A + E.A.T. Jo N°5 MC cartridge & EQ-500) sounded superb spinning a direct-to-disc sampler. One of the best I've heard, and I've heard some $$$ setups over the years.
Switching to D-08u as a source, the sound was a bit aggressive and shrill with recessed soundstage, that was nowhere near what I remember hearing almost a year ago with 590ax mkII on my Marten Django L's, but Triangle and Marten are nowhere near in their philosophy so my comparison is way off.
Don't get me wrong, it was a beautiful presentation but I was expecting the smooth liquid Luxman sound...
I have to pay more visits to my dealer as phase matching and proper integration of D-08u in a system is paramount, I just plugged-in the D-08u without paying attention to any detail....

[GreginNH]

hellrider77-you will get the desired sound with the L-590AX MKII. It outperforms the 509X by a noticeable margin.

[hellrider77]

GreginNH - you might be right, but I must hear them side by side on my Martens. It wont't be long until I do.

[nile49]

Though it sounds like the 590aX Mk II improved upon the previous iteration in this regard, I would still expect the 509x to trounce the 590 in its transparency. Obviously the sounds of each are well differentiated and there will be compromises either way. I believe the best choice will be very system dependent. The 590 should be well suited for the Martens. Should be a fun demo!

Edited.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[4N6]

Would absolutely love to hear this amp. Just read a review which compared it to the 590aX-II. Basically described what I guessed it would...the Class A amp is warmer, richer, but with less detail and transparency. I think what is said above is correct, really different flavors and system dependent.

The 509, however, sounds like it would be a fabulous partner for my Elipsa SE's.

[Evo-No-Revo]

I have a Luxman L-509-X I am using with the Lumin X1. I have a pair of Von Schweikert Audio VR5 SE. The VSA speakers work best bi-amped. I was wondering if I can connect another amp to the Luxman and use the 509-X amp for the upper mids and tweeter module and connect another amp to the Luxman's Pre Outs (or however) and use it at the same time to power the bass module of the VR5? It would be nice to power the lower bass module with a good Class D amp(s).

I kind of figure that probably presents issues but I have never look into any sort of setup like this

Thanks for any input.

[Jack]

Sure you can if you can get your hands on one that has the ability to control the gain like the plate amps used on subwoofers. Look on the GR Research site or talk to Danny Ritchie. Also look at the new Hypex Fusion amps that Clayton is using to do just that on his new Spatial models.

[Evo-No-Revo]

Thanks Jack. I knew gain was going to be an issue. I know of some Channel Islands Audio D-200 MkII. They have a gain setting of 32 or 26db. I have no idea how to tell if that works with the Luxman or the VSAs.

I will call Channel Islands tomorrow and see what they have to say. I am pretty confused as to what has to work with what.

I am going to speak to VSA tomorrow as well.

[Jack]

I would call Danny as well as powered bass modules with high efficiency mid and tweeter drivers is the basis for all of his larger tower speaker designs. Though most of designs are eventually sold as flat pack kits he does assemble multiple copies for testing before selling them and takes the assembled and finished versions to shows. His amps also have gain and crossover controls.

[bluegrassphile]

hellrider77-you will get the desired sound with the L-590AX MKII. It outperforms the 509X by a noticeable margin.

Aren't we talking apples and oranges here? Isn't the 590 class A?

[bluegrassphile]

Would absolutely love to hear this amp. Just read a review which compared it to the 590aX-II. Basically described what I guessed it would...the Class A amp is warmer, richer, but with less detail and transparency. I think what is said above is correct, really different flavors and system dependent.

The 509, however, sounds like it would be a fabulous partner for my Elipsa SE's.

Mike's recommending it (the 509X) to go with the Harbeth Super HL 5 Plus speakers for my future system. Should be an excellent combo for my average to smallish (11' x 27') room. Can't wait to audition both the Luxman and Harbeths.

[hellrider77]

Aren't we talking apples and oranges here? Isn't the 590 class A?

Actually no, the 590 is Class A up to the specified power rating (30/60W in 8/4ohms) after this point, according to lab measurements they are pretty much class AB: 95/165W into 8 and 4 ohms (97/180/303W into 8/4/2 ohms peak) for 590AX MkII and 155/255W into 8 and 4 ohms (183/342/507W into 8/4/2 ohms peak) for 509x, all less than 1% THD. In real life, measurements aside, 590 is able to better control difficult loads (tested on Marten Django XL) while sounding more refined at the upper extreme of comfortable listening sound pressure level. At least this was my first hand experience in dealer showroom.
As much as I wanted to better like the new 509x, it was just not up to the rest of the integrated Luxman line. Before any decision, I would advise anyone interested into top of the line Luxman integrated to listen 590AX MKII against 509x.

Of course, the Django XL's are killer speakers for integrates (separate power amps or even mono-blocks are better suited to the task) and my above statements should be taken with reasonable amounts of cautiousness.

In the end, I could not justify the Luxman gear costs (read "almost broke") and went with another brand SACD/DAC and amplifier combo from another reputable Japanese manufacturer but came without bragging rights enclosed in the package, they must have misplaced it. Measurement-wise is somewhere in between the two amplifiers but with less than 0.01% THD.

Still drooling over Luxman gear though.....