Integrated 2 channel Amps, Yahama A-S3000 vs Luxman L-509X, L-507uXII, L-505uXII.

[OldSchool Days]

Anyone Listening OR and Compared these Amps , Discussion welcome
Yamaha
https://usa.yamaha.com/products/audio_visual/hifi_components/a-s3000/index.html
Luxman
http://www.luxman.com/product/detail.php?id=26
http://www.luxman.com/product/detail.php?id=4
http://www.luxman.com/product/detail.php?id=2

 

[lovinthehd]

Just what would you compare? Features? Power?

 

[Pogre]

Why I'll bet they all sound the same. The Luxman with the blue glowy dials looks pretty cool tho.

 

[KEW]

Too bad that the Yamaha A-S3000 doesn't have the classic Yamaha loudness like is on their lesser amps (like A-S701). Yamaha had the best loudness solution. That is a feature I would bass such a decision on.
Generally speaking, both Luxman and Yamaha know how to make an amp that takes the signal as produced in the recording studio and amplifies it accurately (without audible change). Anything different would be distortion, after all!
Look to adjustment via EQ controls if you want a difference in the sound, the basic amp should be essentially identical.
I know you have probably read articles talking about substantial sound differences, as if they were inherent in the amp, but any such change is negligible compared to the difference from changing speakers or the effect of the room on your sound! (or moving your head or a speaker 6"!)

 

[lovinthehd]

Yamaha had the best loudness solution. That is a feature I would bass such a decision on.

Made me LOL.

 

[PENG]

Why I'll bet they all sound the same. The Luxman with the blue glowy dials looks pretty cool tho.

You think so? L-509X THD 0.06%, Damping factor 370, A-S3000 0.07%, Damping factor 250, huge difference

I'll take the Luxman too, seriously it looks more high end like, and I bet it has fewer ICs used for the purists and discrete fans. Most importantly it is more up to date. The A-S3000 is nice too but a little dated and parts may be hard to find if you need a repair. At this level, at least we are not dealing with AVR derived/based/related integrated amps like those below the A-S1100. I consider the A-S3000 a real integrated amp, with 0 (maybe 0.5%% blood relationship to any of their AVR distant cousins.

I think some of us will get a good laugh reading subjective reviews of either the L-509X or the A-S3000. So if you can spare a 10 minutes, go for it.

https://www.soundstageultra.com/index.php/equipment-menu/871-luxman-l509x-integrated-amplifier#most-read-equipment-reviews

 

[PENG]

Anyone Listening OR and Compared these Amps , Discussion welcome
Yamaha
https://usa.yamaha.com/products/audio_visual/hifi_components/a-s3000/index.html
Luxman
http://www.luxman.com/product/detail.php?id=26
http://www.luxman.com/product/detail.php?id=4
http://www.luxman.com/product/detail.php?id=2

Just curious, why Yamaha and Luxman only?
How about Marantz and Denon that also make "reference" class integrated amps.

The Denon is the heaviest of the bunch, and the least powerful:
https://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=ja&tl=en&u=https://www.denon.jp/jp/product/hificomponents/amplifiers/pmasx1

The Marantz has the best power output specs and is the lightest, due to the switching power supply:
https://www.us.marantz.com/DocumentMaster/US/mz_pm10_specsheet_u_en.pdf

Luxman, Denon, Marantz all have their rated output double down into 4 ohms, but not the Yamaha.

 

[Out-Of-Phase]

You might as well add this one to the mix as well. Why not.

http://rotel.com/product/ra-1592

 

[PENG]

Just what would you compare? Features? Power?

Being old school, I think he meant subjective sound characteristics, just my guess..

 

[killdozzer]

Why I'll bet they all sound the same. The Luxman with the blue glowy dials looks pretty cool tho.

Being old school, I think he meant subjective sound characteristics, just my guess..

I don't think that's the case here. Luxman is a "voicing" company if you wish to call it that. It has a sound signature (a deliberate one).

This is the accurate vs. "warm" type of question.

Him being old school, I suppose he wants the old fashioned VU-meters, so no Rotels. As far as Denon goes, I think they've stopped making this:

 

[PENG]

I don't think that's the case here. Luxman is a "voicing" company if you wish to call it that. It has a sound signature (a deliberate one).

This is the accurate vs. "warm" type of question.

Him being old school, I suppose he wants the old fashioned VU-meters, so no Rotels. As far as Denon goes, I think they've stopped making this:
View attachment 30730

I think you are right about the meters. So no Denon, Marantz and Rotel. They are made amps with VU meters but not for a long time, and rarely on integrated amps.

So I guess McIntosh would quality.

I think Luxman might have "voiced" some of their SS amps to sound like their single ended tube amps, but I expect their newer models such as the L-509X to be neutral/accurate based on the info on their website.

 

[Pogre]

I don't think that's the case here. Luxman is a "voicing" company if you wish to call it that. It has a sound signature (a deliberate one).

This is the accurate vs. "warm" type of question.

Him being old school, I suppose he wants the old fashioned VU-meters, so no Rotels. As far as Denon goes, I think they've stopped making this:
View attachment 30730

A whole other animal there, if that's the case. Not something I would be looking for in an integrated.

The VU meters I like. The blue ones. Part of the reason I love McIntosh too. They make beautiful, well built equipment.

 

[lovinthehd]

Why would anyone want an amp as tone control?

 

[killdozzer]

I think you are right about the meters. So no Denon, Marantz and Rotel. They are made amps with VU meters but not for a long time, and rarely on integrated amps.

So I guess McIntosh would quality.

I think Luxman might have "voiced" some of their SS amps to sound like their single ended tube amps, but I expect their newer models such as the L-509X to be neutral/accurate based on the info on their website.

We should be open for both outcomes. Luxman takes pride in their special "in-house" sound signature. I've never even heard them going for the neutral. But I trust that your assumption is based on something.

 

[killdozzer]

Why would anyone want an amp as tone control?

I'm all for accurate, don't get me wrong, but since you're asking it's like leaving it to the "pros" to tune your amp (regarding it more like an instrument in their world) then match speakers (and here it IS indeed about matching amps and speakers) and listening to your music with a certain tone set-up; the "Luxman tone set-up".

Of course, it's silly to me. You can achieve most of those set-ups with a DSP or a good EQ if you know how to do it. OTOH, I wouldn't know how to do it. If someone gave me a task; here, take this neutral equipment and make it sound like Luxman... I couldn't do it.

 

[PENG]

I'm all for accurate, don't get me wrong, but since you're asking it's like leaving it to the "pros" to tune your amp (regarding it more like an instrument in their world) then match speakers (and here it IS indeed about matching amps and speakers) and listening to your music with a certain tone set-up; the "Luxman tone set-up".

Of course, it's silly to me. You can achieve most of those set-ups with a DSP or a good EQ if you know how to do it. OTOH, I wouldn't know how to do it. If someone gave me a task; here, take this neutral equipment and make it sound like Luxman... I couldn't do it.

Again, I don't doubt Luxman might have voiced certain models in the past (probably long time ago..), but not this one. Take a look of JA's measurements, including the FR, FFT (harmonic spectrums), IMD, THD+N etc. It looks like a very accurate linear class AB integrated amplifier. Harmonics are predominantly 2nd, so the rated 0.06% THD, FBW spells neutral to me.