Reference Full Function Tube Preamplifier

Normie it look like the Luxman does not have a built in phono do you need a built in phono stage?

Normie, you may want to cast your net a bit further into the two box solution. 

We have heard at a few shows the Zesto gear and they have just done a major redesign of the Leto preamp to the Leto Ultra and they make a number of excellent phono stages at all different price ranges from $4,700-$12,000.00 so if you are mostly digital you can match your expectations for a good phono stage depending on how far you want to go with analog. 

The Leto Ultra has a very unique feature set and the show report from Stereophile was a rave on their sound quality, the Leto is a $10k preamp and it looks like a great deal for the superb level of sound quality that Zesto is famous for also the design is quite similar to the Luxman it is also a transfomer coupled tube design and it does have remote control. 

The presence control seems like a cool way of warming up bright recordings. 

https://www.zestoaudio.com/leto-ultra/

We are not a Zesto dealer but keep on seeing them at shows and the sound of their systems is always musical and their products are extremely well built and are rave reviewed and are priced very reasonably for reference quality tube gear.

We have put this company on our radar for 2020.

Dave and Troy
Audio Doctor NJ 

Gestalt, sorry we agree with the OP’s dealer. There are tons of outstanding preamplifiers which have managed to sound transparent and have the functions that most people want.

We would never carry a preamp without at least remote volume, as digital as well as analog tracks can vary in loudness dramatically and most people do not want to be getting up every few tracks or every few momments to adjust the volume.

We like the Luxman gear, we heard this preamp with two of their tube monoblocks at the Capitol Audio Fest, and the sound was good but in no way was it amazing especially for these kinds of prices, fit and finish and design and build quality was top notch. Again we are not saying the sound wasn't good, but in no way was the room a standout at CAP.

The other thing is resale value, many people will not purchase a preamp without volume control, yes there will always be guys that will eschew any convenience "to gain a purer sound." but in our experience this is no longer the case. 

Having the convience to remotely raise volume, mute the signal gasp change inputs or engage a tone control or some other cool feature can be easily accomplished, a swtiched resistor volume control works wonders. 


You will point out that these preamps are all sold out, Luxman is a tiny, tiny, company it would not be difficult for them to sell out of any of their products also the Japanese dometic market has probably purchased most of them.

You can look at a Conrad Johnson preamp or a Vac, or possibly a Zesto or dozens of other preamplifiers, we heard the Backert Labs preamps and they were also stunning.

At this point we sell none of these brands we are discussing just making a point.

OP cast your net a bit wider and look at all the possible players and if the Luxman is not easy to audition just move to something that is that meets your needs, at this point in time there are plenty of really superb tube preamplifiers which are very transparent on the market from many, many, different manufactuerers some with phono stage and some which do not.

The issue of transparency in remote volume controls was solved many many years ago.

Hey Gestalt what do we know only 30 plus years in the business, and have sold Lamm as well as Luxman as well as almost every brand in the industry.

Dave and Troy
Audio Doctor NJ
Feel free to call 877 428 2873 or email sales@audiodoctor.com if you would like our take on preamplifiers

Jab we are hardly hawking or wares when at this point we are not selling any of the products we have mentoned, we have O skin in this discussion.

We are not VAC dealers, nor Conrad Nor Zesto nor Atmosphere or Heron, but we have sold in the past Vac, Herron, Conrad Johnson, Luxman and Lamm, so we do have a lot of experience with preamps as well as most high end audio brands.

The issue is that many people dont’t look at the entirety of their purchase or preclude looking at other brands when sometimes brand x not under consideration might be the better of the products for the OP’s application.

As mentioned previously not having a remote volume control dramatically cuts down on the ease of resale as well as practicality of the product.

We will be evaluating Zesto in 2020 at this point we are not dealers as mentioned they are on our radar for 2020 along with a whole host of other products.

Jab we also do alot of homework as well as listening to these products.

Dave and Troy
Audio Doctor NJ