Luxman vs. Accuphase

Routeman21: Have you made a decision on purchasing a Luxman or Accuphase integrated amp? Are you looking at Class A or Class A/B integrated amps? What models are you considering?

I contacted my local Accuphase retailer and he ONLY carries Accuphase Class A amps and does not carry the E360 or the E-250 (these are still expensive for me). The Accuphase Class A amps are $15,000+ and that is over my budget. The local Luxman retailer suggested I come in for a demo of the Luxman L-550ax using my Sonus Faber Auditor M speakers and I plan to this Friday. I am not convinced I want to sell my Ayre AX-7e amp but it should be interesting to listen to the Luxman unit. Since I need two balanced inputs, I will need to consider the Luxman L-590ax (or L-590a II) since it has two balanced inputs. They had a pre-owned Luxman L-590a II but it sold before I could get there. If I made a change, most likely, I would buy a pre-owned model at a lower price.

I am on the fence and cannot decide if the Luxman Class A amps would be a huge improvement over my Ayre amp. I want to audition an Accuphase so I need to look for another Accuphase retailer. Hopefully, the Luxman demo on Friday will help me decide.

Hgeifman: I decided on a Modwright KWI-200 integrated amp for $5000.00 brand new. I paired it with an Ayre C-5XEmp which is used with low mileage. The Modwright has a little over 100 hours on it so my true evaluation remains to be heard. So far I'm very impressed. I've never heard a Luxman or Accuphase A or A/B amp so I cannot compare to the Modwright.

I have the top of the range integrated Luxman 509u, class AB, 120W (but they seem much more) and I'm very happy, I think it will be my last amp.

Luxman class AB integrated are more neutral, dynamic, with great driving capabilities, they have a great control of the woofers and a very deep bass.

Maybe Accuphase class AB int.amps are more "musical", but they cannot give what I wrote above.

My 509u can easily drive the B&W 803/802D, I don't think Accuphase integrated can do the same.

I heard the new class A Luxman 590AX (it replaces the 590AII), 30W but still able to drive the 802D (Luxman demoed both 590AX and 509u with that speakers @ Tokyo International Audio Show), it gives less dynamics and control, but a lot more warmth than the 509u.

The 590AX (read the Audiodrom review) can be compared with the more expensive Accuphase E560.

All Luxman integrated have a good phono section (MM/MC) the Accuphase don't have.

Hgeifman,

Since you will take your speakers to the dealer why not taking also your electronics there and do a direct comparison. Your Ayre integrated is very good, and I do not see a reason to hurry things up. Take your time listen to as many integrated amps as possible and wait for the best bargain. (A few years ago, when I bought my Accuphase combo, I have actually compared the E-550 vs. the entry level Ayre integrated. The comparison might not have been fair for the Ayre, i.e. top-of-the-line Accuphase vs. entry-level Ayre, but nonetheless... With my speakers, i.e. Micro Utopia Be, the Accuphase was better than the Ayer, but the Ayre sounded very very good too. I could have live with it.)

Regarding prices, as Nagoya pointed out earlier in this thread, Accuphase prices are crazy outsize Asia. However, you should be able to get a healthy discount from the retail price, I'm thinking 20-25%. (I am saying this because in the Netherlands quite a few Accuphase dealers offer very good discounts, e.g. 30% off, around Christmas and Ester). Maybe that is also the case with the Luxman components which seems to be more earthly priced and consequently seem to be a better bang for the buck.

Biggy79,

Some of your comments above are simply incorrect. At least that is my experience. Any Accuphase integrated can drive without problems the B&W 803 speakers (not that anybody here asked this). Also, the E-408/450/460 models will make the 802D B&W speakers cry like babies. So did my E-550 integrated (30 class A watts into 8 ohms), which was in full control of the woofers, but just as you have mentioned not the best choice for dynamic music, e.g. big bands or orchestra music with large dynamic variations. Of course, you are right that the Accuphase do not come out of the box with a phono section. You have to buy one of the available option boards which again cost a ton.

Regards,
Paul

Paul: As recommended above, I listened to the Luxman L-550ax integrated using my Sonus Faber Auditor M speakers and my Ayre CX-7eMP CD player. My immediate response was that the Luxman amp sounded much better than my Ayre AX-7e Integrated amp. I was very surprised and shocked since I was not expecting to hear this much difference. I heard more detail, the voices were clearer and it sounded great. We played voices, classical and jazz from six CD's. After listening for a while, we switched out the Luxman for my Ayre AX-7e integrated amp. Wow, what a difference. I immediately noticed that with the Ayre the music was not as clear, not as open and it sounded dull. We then switched back to the Luxman. We again listened to the same CD's and the same tracks to ensure I was hearing the same musical source. It is hard for me to describe sound but the music sounded much better with the Luxman then my Ayre. Everyone hears different things but I heard a clarity, musical detail and openness that I did not hear with my Ayre amp.

My retailer did not have a Luxman L-590ax amp in stock so we talked about it instead of the L-550ax. Of course, he said it would be much better than the L-550ax but it costs $10,500 and that is too expensive for me. I am sure the L-590ax would be another level of sound improvement but it is out of my price range.

I guess the question is what am I going to do. I was very impressed with the Luxman L-550ax integrated amp. I was concerned about its 20 wpc rating but the retailer said to forget the wattage rating. During listening, I increased the sound volume and we never entered the red zone on the amp. It was loud (very) and still sounded very good. I am going to think about it for while and then make a decision. My gut reaction suggests I am going to buy the Luxman L-550ax amp.