Luxman 509x vs Hegel H390

The ML 585 is the second favorite integrated amp that I have heard and could afford to buy at that time. My favorite was the KRELL K-300i which I bought and sold to get a KRELL 175XD stereo amp. I just sold that XD amp to raise funds to buy another more powerful XD amp in the near future.

I preferred the ML 585 and the KRELL K-300i integrated to the Luxman 509x and the older Hegel 360. I was told by a ML dealer that the older ML 585 sounds better than the new ML 5000 series integrateds, though the new ones have a better internal DAC.

Maybe I am miss-reading your post but the K-300i was the very first XD amp. It was the gateway drug for me to move up 1 rung up on that lineup (175XD) and MAYBE I can afford to move to the top with the new KSA i400.

That amp maybe going up in price due to rising costs of the metal casework (some supplier bad faith going on there). Anyways, if it all works out, I will have KEF Blade 2 Meta with the KSA i400. Both the 300i integrated and 175XD stereo amp I sold need more power for the Blades in the room I will put them in.

BTW - There are 2 300XD on USAM for around $7K and under. This amp would work great for me, and I will get this if I cannot afford the i400.