Luxman 590AXII is a Class A Integrated under 10K.
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ramon74 Don’t think anything could touch the Mark Levinson ML2 25w-8ohm monoblocks to a given volume level. https://img.usaudiomart.com/uploads/large/2229206-5c605986-mark-levinson-ml2.jpg https://www.hifido.co.jp/photo/05/504/50446/c.jpg But I would go for something with more in reserve, the Pass Int-60 Class-A/B, still has the 25w or 30w-8ohm of Class-A like all the above ones do. But you have as Stereophile tested up to 79w-8ohms, 125w-4ohm, and 200w-2ohm of Class-B for any big dynamic musical passages, or inefficient speakers. https://www.passlabs.com/products/int-60/ Cheers George |
Luxman has been making excellent class A ss amps for many decades actually longer then Pass labs has been around. maybe even Threshold. If your looking-interested in "vintage" look for a Luxman L-5## series they started early 80's. Best of them was the L560 (100v-220v) one of the last big integrated amps they made before the newer versions you see today. The L560 was 50wpc class A, used a heat pipe so no huge cooling fins, nice wood sides and top but thick alum faceplate very classy looking if I do say so. There was a L530, L540, L560 all the same power just newer (by a year each) as you got higher the L530 and L540 were available in the North American market the L560 only Japan and Europe but that's the one to look for even if you need a step up-down transformer. Pass Labs, Sungden, Levenson (if you can find one used) and Accuphase (over priced in NA imo) are the other big players in Class A, as others have said. All excellent I've had all but a Levenson class A in my system at one time or another and all were great. |
The Luxman 590 bench tested to 90 w into 8 ohm in one of the reviewsCan you post a link to this review please? Not in Class-A, Class-B maybe if the rail volts are higher than for 30w which is unlikely as the heat factor goes up exponentially with higher rail voltage. Doubtful looking at all the other specs from others because then it would be classed as a Class-A/B amp, those piddly small heatsinks couldn’t take it, they look lucky to even take 30W of Class-A. https://ibb.co/BV8CVDC Cheers George |
+1 Krell K300i - $7k + $1k for optional DAC https://www.stereophile.com/content/krell-k-300i-integrated-amplifier https://www.whathifi.com/us/reviews/krell-k-300i https://hometheaterreview.com/krells-k-300i-integrated-stereo-amplifier-reviewed/ I was going to purchase the Krell, but I got a deal on a Constellation component. The Krell is a relatively new/modern component (2019) designed by a seasoned audio engineer. |
Easy...sugden a21se...and it’s far less than 15k. No idea why people think they have to pay that kind of money for a quality product. Just look at the reviews for the sugden a21se and you will see what I’m talking about. I’ve yet to find one negative one and there are a great many reviews. I can attest that its the real deal as I own it. It is also single ended which the luxman is not. And if you want to spend more money unnecessarily, then there are other sugden models above it. |
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I’m a huge fan of anything Balanced Audio Technology (BAT). Their philosophy is a clean, pure sound with huge dynamics and lots of current. They have always been a perfect match for my Apogee planar speakers. You get the best of solid state and tube together. I don’t use an integrated setup. I have a VK-600 (300 watts per channel), which is designed to be two mono blocks in one chassis that only share the front plate, with BAT pack (huge current add when needed) and a VK-5i tube preamp. They are older classics from their early generations (90’s),, but everything they make is built like a tank. Their designer has always been Victor (he’s literally a rocket scientist). I’ve spoken to him on many occasions for advice. I bought both in mint condition used for less than $6k. |
I want to also recommend the new Krell K 300i - My older Krell 400xi died 6 months ago and I replaced it through Krell after it was discovered my 400xi as unrepairable. i push a set of Maggie 1.7i speakers with no issues at all. The new Krell sounds great - better soundstage, better vocals, horns and strings sound very real. I know everyone complains about Maggie lack of base - I added the base panel to my system and biamped it to great effect. The Krell 300 i has an adjustable preamp out. I did not buy their DAC - I stream via a LUMIN T2. Just my two cents. Enjoy the music. |
georgehifi7,414 posts07-23-2020 5:00pmThe Luxman 590 bench tested to 90 w into 8 ohm in one of the reviewsCan you post a link to this review please? Here you are, George. Presumably in A/B after 30W. The 'piddly small heatsinks' are entirely adequate for the amp. http://www.navratilaudio.cz/novinky/Luxman_L590AXII_HFW.pdf |
If anyone is interested in the Luxman L-590AXII, spend some time reading these 2 reviews. In the first review, the lab report shows a power output of 95W/8ohm and 165W/4ohm https://www.luxman.cz/data/test/test-en-l590axii-hifinews.pdf https://www.stevehuffphoto.com/2018/11/25/hi-fi-review-luxman-590-axii-integrated-amplifier-review-b... |
I can only recommend to you to read about my dreamed power amplifier.... Any ZOTL amplifier by David Berning.... The only revolutionary tube amp . new technology.... No heat, lifelong duration tubes.... This is why this tube amp interest me apart from the sound quality....I forget to say competitive price.... I apologize realizing that the OP search is about S.S. technology..... :) |
Nelson Pass is the Class-A master, and he says the Inter 60 has 30w-8ohms of Class-A on it and he uses that size of "external" heat sinks for it to dissipate that heat, and they do run very hot. Then the smaller "internal" heatsinks of the Lux are not dissipating the same amount of Class-A, especially "if" the Class-B wattage into 8ohms is even higher than the Pass Int-60 Things don’t add up with the Lux Class-A figure presented or the Class-B wattage. The higher the rail volts for higher Class-B claimed, then "for the same Class-A bias(30w)", the heat dissipation goes up exponentially. Cheers George |
Great amp the Gryphon, will drive anything and does give a taste of Class-A sound, but it’s an entree and not the main meal like 30w> Class-A could give. When you hear something like the Gryphon Antillion Evo switched between it’s low 25w, medium 50w, and high 150w Class-A modes you know. The Diablo 300 it’s said is around 10w of Class-A. And it has far more heatsinking than the Lux 590axII has. And they run HOT!! https://www.monoandstereo.com/2016/04/gryphon-diablo-300-integrated-amplifier.html say Cheers George |
The Gryphon Diablo 300 should be excellent at its asking price. What is the current retail price of the amp? The last time I checked it is around $16,000 to $17,000 for the basic model. The Luxman L-590AXII is around $9,000 only. The Luxman L-590AXII represents great value for money. It is able to drive difficult loads with its conservative power ratings and in Class A adds a slight advantage over Class AB types. The only cons are the heat it produces and weight, although most quality amps in similar class are usually huge and heavy. |
“Things don’t add up with the Lux Class-A figure presented or the Class-B wattage. “ Hold on. Two independent professional reviews (see links provided above) each benchtested the L-590axii at 90w or higher into 8 ohms and nearly doubling that two four ohms. Any credible disagreement with those findings must do more than the hand waving you are doing, George. If you continue to dispute the detailed findings in those tests, at least post a link to a credible review that shows contrary bench test results. Ie, link to a credible bench test that shows the 590 unable to produce 90w into 8 ohm. |
No I’m not disputing the reviews by two different reviewers on different systems. As for the specs (not full tests as Stereophile do) they don’t prove the amps are not cast from the same mold, but for differing rail voltage, wattage output and bias settings. Fact is any tech will tell you these amps "look" to be the same, save for the different secondary transformer voltage and bias they would have. I understand this is a bit of a pill for owners or retail sellers to swallow, but there it is. 590 https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/1040/6126/products/luxman-l-590axii-integrated-amplifier-luxman-2_714x700.jpg?v=1574670463 509 http://www.luxman.com/asset/product/L-509X/gb3.jpg Cheers George |
What’s a bit of a pill is listening to people’s opinions and theories about things they’ve seen pictures of. That’s a bit of a pill. And by the way, George, the 509X came about after the 590. The fact that they ’look the same’ has zero bearing on the engineering or design of the L-590AX. Point us to some links of all the burned up/failed Luxmans, you know, the ones that you're convinced can't possibly operate properly for any length of time. Gotta be all over the web, don't ya think. Last word is yours, not wasting my time with another ounce of your drivel. Cheers, |
George, Why would it be surprising if they look similar from a 10,000 ft view, which is what each of those images you posted basically is because we can’t see details of any of the circuit boards? All I am talking about is the 590axii anyway and all I am claiming is that it puts out at least 30w class A and based on two independent bench tests at least 90w total into 8 Ohms. FWIW one of the bench tests indicated words to the effect of the 590 operating substantially in class A over that 90w. I’m not sure exactly what that means but anyway the only contention was that it twice tested to 90w (95w in one test if I recall). Even if it is 30w class A and next 60w class A/B, which at a minimum seems to be verified by the only two bench tests we have, that is still great. The comparison to 509 is a separate issue and not one I’m concerned with (maybe others are) |
Not true. Fact is most techs (I’m a EE) wouldn’t make any such assumptions without knowing more about the internals and specifically what components are used to populate the circuit boards - sheesh! Those images tell us very little. iPhone models tend to look somewhat similar too if you ignore important details but ...... |