Q for any Luxman L-509X owners

Good to know that Luxman beats the much more expensive Naim, despite @audiotroy protestations 

Hi,

I got my luxman L509x last April and am very happy with it, it drives my Dynaudio Sapphires well and have heard more detail and soundstage improved a lot.
I have a question though, I have a michell gyro dec SE edition and a Denon DL 103r cartridge, and when using the luxman's MC phono stage I find that I need to put the volume quite high, has anybody experienced this,

Cheers and greeting from sunny Malta

I know the dealer that Greggnh was talking about. And to intimate that John the owner doesn't know what he's doing is laughable. I've been dealing w/him for about 25 years. He's one of the top KEF and Paradigm dealers in the country. Paradigm last year awarded him dealer of the year. Your not the only chef's on the planet.

Just to confirm, the "Separate" button on the Luxman remote DOES work, you just have to do a hard press. Really enjoying the convenience since I discovered this tiny operational detail.

Gregh you are missing my point it is not about getting into a pissing match with you or anyone else, it is about blanket statements, like sure the dealler knew what they were doing with X Y or Z.

The point we were trying to get across is Naim is not like any other brand of audio gear their philosophies are different, even companies who make products with external power supplies, nobody does the star ground through the external power supply concept which Naim does in their higher end separates and very few high end American wire companies make din to din cables.

At Innovative audio 20 years ago and discovered Nordost Nordost cables we had them make a custom din to din cable for Naim took out the crappy Naim cables and all of a sudden the Naim gear had a real image with the Naim cables it was flat sounding.

Then there is the different power supplies you can run a Naim NAC 272 preamp/dac with its internal power supply or 3 different power supplies when used with a XPS 2 a $6k power supply the sound of a 272/250 amp package goes from very good to an entirely different level of macro dynamics, soundstage depth and liquidity.

Many Naim dealers don’t use upgraded power cords or use the inferior Naim powerline power cables,or don't believe  in  conditioners either hence the stupid belief in passive strips can only be used with Naim gear.

We have a customer with a Isotek sigmas with a Syncro power cord and all wireworld power cables 272/250/xps 2 combo with a pair of ATC SCM 40 loudspeakers and this $30k system blows the doors off of many much more expensive systems playing classic rock on this system you would swear you were in the studio it is that realistic.

So to recap, many Naim dealers don’t have the experience with the brand and believe that only Naim cables must be used.

Many Naim dealers don’t use aftermarket power cords or power conditioners.

Many Naim dealers show products with the wrong or without power supplies on certain products.

We would invite you to visit our store and hear our reference Naim setup with a DR 300/NAC 282/NDX 2/Supercap and an XPS2 power supply wired up with Wireworld speaker cable with AQ power cables, we think you would be mightly impressed.

We are also not saying the Luxman gear isn’t great it is, it is just that you may not have really heard the Naim.

We have also found that AQ cables are not necessarily the best match with certain components as they tend to spotlight higher frequencies for Naim other than the Din to Din cables or Din to XLR we use a custom Wirewold RCA to Din plug.

We have found that the new AQ power cables are fantastic and work wonders with Naim which power cables were being used?

Also which Naim components were in that $28k stack?

Like we have said before it is about synergy yesterday we did a home demo of Paradigm Persona 3F with a Naim 272 preamp/dac and a 250 dr no external power supply, Wireworld Silve Eclipe speaker cable, custom Platinum Wireworld inteconnect, an Audio Magic power conditioner and 2 AQ Hurricane power cables and the sound was fantastic, not a hint of brightness, huge soundstage, very deep bass and great dynamics on the little Persona 3F in a big room.

The sound was so good, the client decided to upgrade to the Persona 7F on the same Naim stack.

High end audio is like fine cooking you have a lot of variables and the same dish prepared differently from 3 world class cheifs will still taste differently you will prefer one given the choice but they will all be unique in certain attributes.

Dave and Troy
Audio Doctor NJ

@audiotroy you sure like to argue.  Your initial comment also made reference to speaker cables.  Those were Audioquest Redwood.  

Sorry for mis-speaking on the interconnects.

Anyway, I have no desire to enter into a pissing contest with you - which seems to your preferred way to interact with many of us on this forum.

Really Gregh aq does not make din to dln cables and most Naim retailors use nac 5 speaker cables as the impedance mismatch can be wrong.

This means Naim interconnects maybe other aq cables perhaps?

Naim cables suck,  which Naim components did you audition?

As per your comment on dealers knowing what they are doing  not necessarily. Naim is not your typical brand their higher end seperates run through specially designed din cables, also which power supply is used or not used and many retailors of Naim dont use power conditioners either with Naim. Naims own cables are not that good so to really gct Naim to perform is a bit more complex.

@audiotroy - LOL   Of course not!  All top of the line Audioquest cables and interconnects driving your beloved Persona 9H and KEF Blade 2.  Do you really think my retailer would be that stupid to mis-match components and cables?  It is rather presumptuous of you to assume this.  

Again - it did not sound better than my Luxman set up. 

Brgg what is your price range?

Greginnh,  with Naim how did you hear it, with the crappy Naim speaker cables that the dealer was telling you was the only cable you can use and the crappy standard naim din to din cables that are given away freely with Naim?

We are a Naim dealer and we sell quite a number of high end brands, T+A, Micromega, Krell, NAD, Unison Research. Coda.

We love the Naim sound and a properly setup Naim reference stack will challenge many other very high end brands, we use Wireworld cabling inteconnects and speaker cable with Audioquest power cables and Naim gear sounds amazing, using the standard Naim cables you lose all the advantages that he gear can do for you. 

Most dealers use the very mediocre Naim speaker cable as the amp was designed to see a certain impedance load, we had naim make us custom adapters to enable us to use the Wireworld cabling with Naim and the sound is to die for.

Dave and Troy
Audio Doctor NJ Naim dealers

 The T + A gear is simply out of my price range..`.perhaps on the used market at some future point.  Would be interested to hear it tho, if I'm ever in the area.

I also auditioned the Naim gear.  Their $5,000 power supplies take them to the level they should be heard at.  

I had a $28,000 Naim stack at home for a week.  It didn’t sound better than my Luxman.  As much as I wanted it to, it didn’t. 

Bgrrgrr, 

we would welcome you to visit our shop we are one of the very few dealers in the country with both the Blades and the Persona 9H, in the same room in the same store.

We also sell many of the world's best integrated amplifiers,from Naim, Micromega, Unison Research, Krell, T+A.

We were Luxman dealers and their equipment is very good the T+A gear was far superior. 

You may also want to consider some of the newer high value seperates the Anthem STR amp and preamp are a $10k package which includes  a 400 watt amp, a preamp, a dac and the STR preamp has room correction it is a fantastic package for $10k and the pair does sound really good with both the Kefs and the Personas.

The Naim Nac 272 dac/preamp plus a Nap 250 also sounds incredible with the Personas and Kefs and at $13k it is still a very affordable package.

We are waiting for our K300i Krell integrated which is $8k has a 150 watt class A power and a very good dac, people who have heard it were raving over it. 

Dave and Troy
Audio Doctor NJ
dealers for Kef, Paradigm, Anthem, Coda, Kef, T+A, Naim. 

@greginnh  Thanks for the reply. Haven't heard the Blades tho read very good things about them . Harry at VPI owns them and he speaks very well of them. 

Guess it's time for a road trip to do some auditions!

@brrgrr  The L-590 AX II has plenty of headroom beyond the sweet 30WPC of Class A power.   Not sure why Luxman doesn't publicize this as they go up to 180 watts +/- in A/B.   I had owned the L-590 AX and due to my mental disorder called "Audiophilia Nervosa", I embarked on an 8 integrated amplifier quest with included  Plinius, Accuphase, Esoteric, Gato, Gryphon and back to Luxman.   The story is a bit more complicated but suffice it to say that the L-590 AX is the integrated I regret selling the most.  The L-590 AX II is even better.

I auditioned the Persona 9H and the Blade 2 in the same room with the same gear.   I was not impressed with the 9H and the Blade 2 sounded much better (to me).  It was really as toss-up as to whether to go back to the 590 or try the new 509.  You really can't go wrong with either one.

As for the Esoteric, I owned the F-05 Integrated - I was not impressed.  Not in the same league as Luxman.

yup JBL and Luxman have good synergy

greginnh....Did you by chance try the L-590 x2 with your Blades before choosing the 509?
I'm curious if it has the power needed to drive a speaker like that. 
Considering them both for a Paradigm Persona 9H match, and trying to get some advice , as hearing them is not feasible unless a long road trip occurs, and I'd like to avoid a wasted one. 
Also interested in the Esoteric integrated amps.

Thanks

I just ditched my Mcintosh ma9000 and traded it for a Luxman 509x... Wow. Just wow. So much more stage and passion then the ma9000. Macs are pretty as hell but this Luxman 509x really performs beautifully. Im driving JBL 4429's and it's really making them sing. Great combination. 

I’m driving KEF Blade 2 speakers with my L-509X.  I’m very happy with both. 

Ok thanks guys. I have Legacy Signature SEs and the Luxman is on my short list for a SS integrated to purchase.

slightly off topic, what speakers do you guys use with it, and how does
the amp sound?

I'm using legacy focus se and it sounds incredible. 

Also, can confirm the "long press" DOES work for the Separate button on the remote... awesome! Now I can switch over to my CL-40 tube pre without walking across the room.

I'm using Klipsch La Scala IIs and in my opinion they're a great match with the 509X. 

The LS IIs already have pretty stunning dynamics and smooth mids, as well as solid control of the bottom end. The L-509X complements all of those characteristics with passages that seem to literally move with dynamic expression. 

Big, spacious, expressive sound... I think you have to hear it for yourself, I wouldn't know what you're benchmarking it against, but for me the La Scala IIs are a pretty great fit for the 509X.

Here's a video I took of the "1812 Overture" with the 509X and La Scala IIs:

https://youtu.be/sB_wChJ0RlI

slightly off topic, what speakers do you guys use with it, and how does the amp sound?

Thanks for further details on this. I'll have to check tonight if it works by holding down the button for 1 second.. I don't think I've done a "long press" on the button before but that would make sense!

And manual for remote.
Separate switch (SEPARATE) Separates the pre-amplifier and main-amplifier each other. off : Uses this unit as a normal pre-main amplifier. on : Feeds external signals from the MAIN IN terminal on the rear panel to the main-amplifier section. • Holding down this switch for 1 second toggles the separate switch on and off. The separate indicator lights up when the separate switch is on.

This is from manual.
Separate switch (SEPARATE) Separates the pre-amplifier and main-amplifier each other. off : Uses this unit as a normal pre-main amplifier. on : Feeds external signals from the MAIN IN terminal on the rear panel to the main-amplifier section. • Every pressing of this switch toggles the separate on and off. The separate indicator lights up when the separate switch is on. When the separate switch is set to on, the volume control of this unit cannot adjust the volume of the speakers connected to this unit. Volume adjustment shall be performed at the input device side such as the control amplifier connected to the MAIN IN terminal. Entry of direct output into the MAIN IN terminal from a CD player or other devices that cannot adjust sound volume constantly provides a full power state and accordingly results in the risk of speaker damage. For such input devices, be sure to use a control amplifier equipped with the sound volume adjustment function as a relay, generate sound through the speakers with volume lowered, and adjust the volume to your favorite level. When arranging the wiring, be sure to turn off the power of this unit

Separate indicator (SEPARATE) Lights up when the separate switch is on. The subsonic, monaural and loudness can be toggled only from the accessory remote control (RA-17).

Probably to make sure the button on the remote isn't activated accidentally with nothing connected. If you have to make a conscious effort then you know a preamp is connected.

Thanks for checking it out for me. I wonder why that button doesn't work? I'm using a tube preamp occasionally and it's a bit of a hassle to walk across the room and push that button on the front of the unit.  

Just want to let you know that mine is the same.