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
1 Like
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 Iām 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.
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 itās not used as hifi, this beauty can be an elegant piece of art displayed as decoration.
1 Like
8 Likes
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
1 Like
It does look superficially nice. Though Iām 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.
1 Like
I will admit the logo is definitely on the large side 
I heard Macintosh many times. The look doesnāt bother me, even the contrary.
But, as a tube amp, it never touched me, I couldnāt 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 80ās. 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.
1 Like
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, Iāve been unimpressed, looking at my watchā¦ But the one exception is the classic 275 power amp, which really does have the magic.
1 Like
You donāt 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.
4 Likes
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, donāt 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.
3 Likes
what You think going from Atom to this Luxman SQ-150N setup? I have a pair of Klipsch Heresy.
I canāt 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 āidealā but at the modest volumes i listen at approx 70-75db they sounded wonderful.
1 Like
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.
1 Like