Naim/PMC to Luxman Neo Classico II/Omega

Pic?

What source are you using with the Luxman?

I am curious what Headphone amp you were using prior to the Luxman?
I run a number of headphones here (Utopia, Sony Z1R, Grado and several Stax) as well as several headphone amps so I am trying to get a baseline on your point of view.

I had the Luxman P750u here on a several week demo however in the end it went back. The SQ is a different beast (tubes) however and uses a different digital attenuator than the P750u. Impeccable build quality on the Luxmans.

Best
Gregg

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Hi Gregg,
How are you finding your 552/500 after a service and DR-upgrade? ATB Peter

Hi Gregg, my main headphone amp is a dcs bartok. I also used a Violectric V181 for a while. The Luxman has similar levels of detail compared to the dcs but has more bloom, things just sound a touch fuller. It might be an additive but I like the sound.

I went out on a limb and bought the Lux because I wanted to add a headphone amp for vinyl, I just need to figure out how Iā€™m going to incorporate it. Also as it is so small, I can take it upstairs to a headphone system I sometimes use in a spare room.

Here is the ā€œbeastā€

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From the photo the amp looks like military grade as the case appears to be a one piece instead of a separate faceplate bolted to the main case. If itā€™s not used as hifi, this beauty can be an elegant piece of art displayed as decoration.

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Those looking for a headphone amplifier - this nice looking boy was introduced yesterday

Best
Gregg

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Hi Peter
Absolutely spectacular. But then again it should beā€¦ it only took 6 months for break in to complete.

The 500 is the star of the show (imho) - it really seems like a 600 now - a completely new model. Extremely impressive!

Best
Gregg

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It does look superficially nice. Though Iā€™m not sure about the left to right topology. Depending on where the gear is, the tubes might be hidden.

Two things have always bothered me greatly about McIntosh aesthetic: the horrible vulgar (and massive) logo; and the raised knobs that are hard to clean under without Q-tips and are slightly too small.

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I will admit the logo is definitely on the large side :wink:

I heard Macintosh many times. The look doesnā€™t bother me, even the contrary.
But, as a tube amp, it never touched me, I couldnā€™t feel the magic of some tubes as Air tight, Lamm, Conrad Johnson.
The sound was more like an hybrid amp, neither tubes , neither solid state.

It was many moons ago, but even so the memory is still strong. Luxman released a 50w pure class A integrated amp, the L-550 in the mid 80ā€™s. At the time I was running a 42/110 with Kans, (having stepped down a tad from earlier heights), and the Lux was brilliant with the Kans. And georgeous as well.
The model endured for years, I have a friend who is still running his.

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I have to agree about Macintosh. Back in the day here in the US, it was known as a brand for (affluent) doctors, and indeed my brother-in-law, a surgeon, recently went all in for a Macintosh system. When auditioning Mac components at dealers, Iā€™ve been unimpressed, looking at my watchā€¦ But the one exception is the classic 275 power amp, which really does have the magic.

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You donā€™t have a garish logo like that unless you specifically want tell people you have McIntosh the second they enter the room.

The slightly Third Reich ish typeface gives me the creeps too.

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Like @AHT I generally agree, with the C22 and 275 as exceptions.

I heard the MC 275 only associated to an Accuphase pre, so have not an accurate idea on how it can sound with a Macintosh pre. Maybe I would like, donā€™t know.
With the accuphase pre, the combo was too soft and not enough magical.

My comments are from a short session with both McIntoshs driving a pair of Audio Machina speakers. A liquid , tone-rich and powerful sound. Hugely enjoyable to my ears.

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what You think going from Atom to this Luxman SQ-150N setup? I have a pair of Klipsch Heresy.

I canā€™t comment on the difference between the two, as i have never heard an atom. But the Luxman should work well with your speakers. I am really enjoying mine, using mainly with headphones but did have a session with my speakers (Avalon Avatar) 85db so not ā€œidealā€ but at the modest volumes i listen at approx 70-75db they sounded wonderful.

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seems to be is similar to the Leben CS300, I had one for a while and it was superb, before try my beloved 300B, still miss some delicacy with the Leben, and sweetness.

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