Luxman vs Esoteric

I'm afraid I've only heard Esoteric in hotel rooms and I was not moved.
I am a big Luxman fanboy and currently own an integrated. The characteristics which myself and reviewers usually touch on in a liquid midrange with balanced extension in the bass and treble.


Best,
E

"- is it safe to buy class A amp of that age ? "

It depends on how it's been treated previously... if played regularly but not left on all the time & placed in a cool environment, go for it!

- which of the two would be the better choice ?

That's very personal; I would go for the class A, but I find Esoteric a tad on the dry side. Both amps are very well engineered IMO.
Generally speaking, however, I find both your options very expensive!

There is no shortage of outstanding used components available well below 7.5-8k euro... and new stuff at that price as well (musical fidelity nuvista 800 comes to mind...).
Good luck!