Shadowfax
Well-known member
- Thread Author
- #1
I had a decent older system running for years and was skeptical about upgrading because I was a little scared to drop $4K only to find out it was a lateral move. I procrastinated for 2 years until my Amp died and I could not find anyone to repair it without bastardizing it to work again.
After much research, deliberation and demos, I settled on a new Integrated to move away from tubes, simplify my main setup, and again have features and functionality I was without for the last 15 years with my simple but trusty Dual Mono Tube pre with nothing but Volume control. (2 separate knobs, 1 for each channel and No Remote)
If anyone followed my other threads, you know I ended up with a Luxman 505UXII and a Rega P3. Getting back into Vinyl has been a blast aside from trying to re-purchase a ton of albums I sold or gave away in the mid 80s.
The Lux has made my whole CD collection sound better as well as the awesome Phono section it has making both old and new albums sound great.
BUT, the biggest confirmation we can ever get is when the Wife asks you to Turn It Up as the new norm rather than the old norm of Turn It Down. I now come home from work to find her sitting in the living room blasting disks or recently asking me to play some albums.
What a fun hobby this is when your SO is also a music fan and can appreciate good sound. She has consistently pointed out detail, percussion and more that she never noticed as we work our way thru our collection with the new Luxman.
I did keep the VAC pre and put it into my Family Room system with an Odyssey Stratos Plus because I don't want to sell it and it does work and sound very good.
And if you had not heard it before, the new Luxman Integrated Amps are all killer starting at the 505 and better as you move up the chain. The 505 lists for $4500 but can be had from the right source for around $4K and I highly recommend one if your in the hunt in this price range for a unit with everything one could need.
Truth be told, I have yet to touch the Tone Controls at all and find Line Straight to be the preferred setting for almost all listening. A few times I tried the Loudness but rarely engage it.
After much research, deliberation and demos, I settled on a new Integrated to move away from tubes, simplify my main setup, and again have features and functionality I was without for the last 15 years with my simple but trusty Dual Mono Tube pre with nothing but Volume control. (2 separate knobs, 1 for each channel and No Remote)
If anyone followed my other threads, you know I ended up with a Luxman 505UXII and a Rega P3. Getting back into Vinyl has been a blast aside from trying to re-purchase a ton of albums I sold or gave away in the mid 80s.
The Lux has made my whole CD collection sound better as well as the awesome Phono section it has making both old and new albums sound great.
BUT, the biggest confirmation we can ever get is when the Wife asks you to Turn It Up as the new norm rather than the old norm of Turn It Down. I now come home from work to find her sitting in the living room blasting disks or recently asking me to play some albums.
What a fun hobby this is when your SO is also a music fan and can appreciate good sound. She has consistently pointed out detail, percussion and more that she never noticed as we work our way thru our collection with the new Luxman.
I did keep the VAC pre and put it into my Family Room system with an Odyssey Stratos Plus because I don't want to sell it and it does work and sound very good.
And if you had not heard it before, the new Luxman Integrated Amps are all killer starting at the 505 and better as you move up the chain. The 505 lists for $4500 but can be had from the right source for around $4K and I highly recommend one if your in the hunt in this price range for a unit with everything one could need.
Truth be told, I have yet to touch the Tone Controls at all and find Line Straight to be the preferred setting for almost all listening. A few times I tried the Loudness but rarely engage it.
