Would a Luxman C900u be overkill for an MQ-88SE?

[JSQT]

My new MQ-88SE was delivered from Luxman America yesterday - apparently there's only one more SE left if anyone wants it

While it's far too early to comment on the sound, like anything Luxman manufactures, it's an absolutely gorgeous work of engineering and design. It will be replacing the Rogue CM2 in my main system (Rogue goes back to the office system).

Now I'm in a bind about preamps.

I went back and forth last night with my vintage CL40 valve amp (fully restored) and the pre section of my 509X. I'm finding so far that each have their compromises.

The sound I'm chasing is the detail and dynamics of the 509X with the emotion and 3D depth of the CL40... right now there's a bit of a trade off between the two. The 509X as a pre (I understand it's basically the C700u?) sounds sharp and detailed, the instruments are nailed down across the entire front stage. But the musical performance doesn't seem to pour into the room... it is definitely a "descending backward behind the speakers" soundstage that looks deep into the performance rather than a "surrounding you in the room" performance that extends outward beyond the speakers.

The CL40 DOES pour the music into the room. You can hear the dimensional space around the instruments and the sound has a certain mercury-like liquidity that wraps you up in the music. However the downside to the CL40 is that it doesn't have the precision and detail of the 509X.

Perfect example is Diana Krall's "Devil May Care." The piano intro where she is doing the fast walking up and down the keys with both the left and right hand sounds locked-in and lively and dynamic on the 509X. The piano also sounds like a real damned piano, every key and note rings like a bell and has great attack. When her vocal comes in with the brush drum behind her, you can hear space between her vocal and the brush drum, and the brush drums sound like bristles hitting the snare. A very "hi fidelity" presentation indeed.

On the CL40, that same walking across the left and right hands is more alive, it bounces and dances into the room and raises the heart rate a little bit. When the double bass strikes the 3 note intro as the snare comes in, it is placed 3-4 feet into the room and comes as a surprise. The rides and crash cymbals are in the room.

But when the vocal comes in, it's a little less life-like, a little more closed-in, and there's less separation between the voice and the brush drums. Rather than hearing the clear distinction on the brush and snare, there's much more hash in the snare - it's almost hard to tell it's a brush on a snare rather than a rhythmic sound effect.

So I am considering 2 things - one would be the CL-38uC or SE (if still available) to have the same lifelike presentation as the CL40 but with (hopefully) more detail and dynamics than the vintage CL40 can offer.

The other would be going all-in on the C900u, which I am in love with the idea, but is quite pricey compared to the amp itself. Hoping that it would have more of the dimensional qualities I'm looking for with everything that the 509X does but better.

But I wonder if, with the C900u being true balanced and the MQ-88SE being single ended, is this overkill... would I be spending a premium for the audio equivalent of jewelry on the C900u and still not get the sound I'm looking for.

The other option opens a rabbit hole I don't want to go down, which would be experimenting with things like Linear Tube Audio MicroZOTL preamp, Backert Labs Rhumba, etc and hoping to find what I'm chasing. I strongly suspect those other options in the $5K price range are going to be more 509X and less CL40.

Finally there is the option of the Rogue RP-7 or RP-9... while I really like the Rogue CM2, the notorious hum and noise of Rogue has me ruling that out completely.

I'm interested in hearing any opinions!

Thanks!

[Shadowfax]

I am waiting for Bob to get back from vacation as he "might" service my Counterpoint amp again. He lives a mile from me and his original service shop was at his home. He builds some nice Pre-Amps so I would love to hear if Backert Labs work.

[Jack]

The Backert's have a trial period so I would give Bob a call and talk to he or Andy.

[JSQT]

Thanks, so it sounds like the Backert Labs would truly be along the lines of that "precise but tube imaging" sound I'm looking for, moreso than the C900u or CL-38SE... I have gotten some advice elsewhere that says I may just want to move up to the MSB Discrete DAC and use that as a preamp for the MQ-88SE but I have read (probably on this forum) that no DAC no matter how high-end sounds as good as a great preamp.

[JSQT]

Does anyone know if when buying direct from Bob, is there any wiggle room on the Rhumba Extreme pricing?

[audio.bill]

I'd respectfully suggest that any responses about potential discount pricing be kept private via PM rather than in public posts.

[JSQT]

No problem - wasn't looking for any specific advice on deals, just didn't know the protocol of working directly with a manufacturer vs buying from a dealer and I didn't want to insult anyone. Nothing else needs to be said!

Thanks

[audio.bill]

No harm by asking and I don't think you did anything improper. Just thought that anything more specific about discounts should be kept private.

[JSQT]

Thanks Bill, I also have emailed Backert Labs for more information about their preamps.

Surprising turn of events today - the Qutest I ordered came in over the weekend and I finally got a chance to demo it in my main system with the 509X and MQ-88SE... turns out it is (to my ears) an upgrade from the DA-06 I had in the chain. Now the DA-06 is going into my office with the Rogue CM2, and the Qutest is staying in the main system - it did make the 509X's pre sound better in all of the aspects I mentioned in my original posts.

Now I am considering the M Scaler to go along with the Qutest, and not as worked up about the preamp after all. But I am interested in hearing the Rhumba Extreme.

I think it's all a matter of synergy, between the high efficiency horns of the La Scala and the solid state pre of the 509X and the tube magic of the MQ-88SE... it's amazing how every aspect of the chain affects the overall sound character of the system.