I want to use a Luxman R-115 as a preamp for a Sansui AU-555A.

dpg3

Well-Known Member
I want to use a Luxman R-115 as a preamp for a Sansui AU-555A I just bought.
I want to do this so I can have remote volume control.
Is the Luxman as a preamp, going to change the sound of the AU-555A?
Where do I hook the pre-out from the Luxman to in the Sansui, would it be the Main Input?
69859-luxman_r115_stereo_receiver.jpg 2779-Sansui-AU-555Ab.JPG
 
Your Luxman is not going to "change" the sound of your Sansui.
Your Sui is going to amplify whatever the Lux is outputing.
There are two ways you can do this. You can hook the Lux's pre-out
directly into the Sui's main-input (after removing the jumpers) and
by-pass the Sui's tone-control (pre-amp) section, except for the volume
control. You can also hook the Lux's pre-out to the Sui's 'Aux' jack and
keep the Sui's tone control. The first option uses the shorter signal
path.
 
BTW: Your Luxman has an amplifier by-pass switch (signal processing).
In the "ön" position, it by-passes the amplifier section which is not required
when using the Lux as a pre-amplifier. This way too, the pre-amplified signal path
is kept shorter and unaffected by the power section of the Lux.
 
BTW: Your Luxman has an amplifier by-pass switch (signal processing).
In the "ön" position, it by-passes the amplifier section which is not required
when using the Lux as a pre-amplifier. This way too, the pre-amplified signal path
is kept shorter and unaffected by the power section of the Lux.

Thanks for all your information, I'll be setting it up later today, hopefully it sounds great.
 
If you read the manual for the AU, available on HFE https://www.hifiengine.com/manual_library/sansui/au-555.shtml you will see that plugging in the preamp output of the Lux to the Main Input on the AU, you bypass everything on the AU except the speaker switch. This will give you the preamp of the Lux with the power amp of the AU so the it will not be all Sansui sound but a mix. Should do what you want.

Note that you should be using the Pre Outs on the Luxman as the signal processor outputs are fixed level outputs and might drive the Sansui to full output. You can see this in the block diagram of the R-115 circuit in the OM again available on HFE.

If you use the signal processor outputs, those do not use the tone, filters or volume controls, it is just the same output as the tape output with a separate switch for activation on the front panel of the Lux.

Correct way: Luxman Pre Out to AU Main In. Volume down on the Luxman, Speaker selected on the AU. All controls on the Luxman except speaker selection which is on the Sansui. Turn up the volume slowly to verify stuff is working, try the front panel controls on the Lux.
 
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If you read the manual for the AU, available on HFE https://www.hifiengine.com/manual_library/sansui/au-555.shtml you will see that plugging in the preamp output of the Lux to the Main Input on the AU, you bypass everything on the AU except the speaker switch. This will give you the preamp of the Lux with the power amp of the AU so the it will not be all Sansui sound but a mix. Should do what you want.

Note that you should be using the Pre Outs on the Luxman as the signal processor outputs are fixed level outputs and might drive the Sansui to full output. You can see this in the block diagram of the R-115 circuit in the OM again available on HFE.

If you use the signal processor outputs, those do not use the tone, filters or volume controls, it is just the same output as the tape output with a separate switch for activation on the front panel of the Lux.

Correct way: Luxman Pre Out to AU Main In. Volume down on the Luxman, Speaker selected on the AU. All controls on the Luxman except speaker selection which is on the Sansui. Turn up the volume slowly to verify stuff is working, try the front panel controls on the Lux.
Thanks so much for your information, I will use this when hooking up the Lux and Sansui!!
 
I hooked up just the AU-555A tonight to my Mirage 250 speakers and the combination sounded amazing. I really like this little Sansui amp. Reminds me of the AU-777A I had years ago. I'll hook it up through the Lux tomorrow. Three Sansui amps now think I'm addicted, AU-4900, AU-7900.
 
I may argue that the 555A preamp is the special part of the 555A (although that old cap-coupled main section is nice too). Try the luxman by all means, but don't expect it to be the same when you replace one preamp with another.
 
I may argue that the 555A preamp is the special part of the 555A (although that old cap-coupled main section is nice too). Try the luxman by all means, but don't expect it to be the same when you replace one preamp with another.

Haven't hooked the Lux up yet, probably in a week or so, right now enjoying the sound of the 555A. I know the sound maybe different, I'll know soon enough.
 
Decided to hook up the Lux tonight, the sound is a bit different but not "that" different, I can live with it. The convenience of having remote volume with the Lux as preamp is a huge plus. Also the remote controls all the components which I like. I have to admit I really love this small Sansui amp and Lux combo.
 
Your Luxman is not going to "change" the sound of your Sansui.
Your Sui is going to amplify whatever the Lux is outputing.
There are two ways you can do this. You can hook the Lux's pre-out
directly into the Sui's main-input (after removing the jumpers) and
by-pass the Sui's tone-control (pre-amp) section, except for the volume
control. You can also hook the Lux's pre-out to the Sui's 'Aux' jack and
keep the Sui's tone control. The first option uses the shorter signal
path.
If I used the Sansui's 'Aux" jack, would I keep more of the Sansui sound or as you said earlier it wouldn't really matter?
 
I’d go with some Yamaha NS-1000 speakers.....

You know that Luxman is probably one of the best receivers ever made. I’d hang on the that and make it a center piece of a great system. Add a C-7030 because of its sound also and there cheap....
 
I have to admit I really love this small Sansui amp and Lux combo.
We might too, but all we have to go on are the pictures of the ass of each unit, not a nice frontal view.

Guessing you are Luxman Pre out to Sansui Power In. If you got from the Lux Pre out to the Sansui Aux In you will be going through the Sansui preamp and adding its distortions to the sound. Adding more to the signal path. Give it a try and see if you like that sound.

The problem with that method is leaving the Sansui at a set volume setting, give or take. Then the remote on the Lux will be useful. I would expect you need to get to half on the Lux but I would set the system up to use just over half the Lux volume to get full volume and set the Sansui volume control to accept that.

I would be very careful about what you are doing with the volume of the Sansui up most of the time. Of course, with experience, you will learn where to set the Sansui volume control for best integration of the two preamps.
 
I’d go with some Yamaha NS-1000 speakers.....

You know that Luxman is probably one of the best receivers ever made. I’d hang on the that and make it a center piece of a great system. Add a C-7030 because of its sound also and there cheap....
I do know what a great receiver the Luxman is, thanks for your other suggestions.
 
We might too, but all we have to go on are the pictures of the ass of each unit, not a nice frontal view.

Guessing you are Luxman Pre out to Sansui Power In. If you got from the Lux Pre out to the Sansui Aux In you will be going through the Sansui preamp and adding its distortions to the sound. Adding more to the signal path. Give it a try and see if you like that sound.

The problem with that method is leaving the Sansui at a set volume setting, give or take. Then the remote on the Lux will be useful. I would expect you need to get to half on the Lux but I would set the system up to use just over half the Lux volume to get full volume and set the Sansui volume control to accept that.

I would be very careful about what you are doing with the volume of the Sansui up most of the time. Of course, with experience, you will learn where to set the Sansui volume control for best integration of the two preamps.
Here is a picture of the Sansui AU-555A, I know it looks rough but sounds great. I'll have a picture of the Luxman later. Thanks for the info on the "Aux In" option, might try that later, think I'll stick with the "Luxman Pre Out to AU Main In" option you mention earlier for now.
IMG_0557.JPG
 
We might too, but all we have to go on are the pictures of the ass of each unit, not a nice frontal view.

Guessing you are Luxman Pre out to Sansui Power In. If you got from the Lux Pre out to the Sansui Aux In you will be going through the Sansui preamp and adding its distortions to the sound. Adding more to the signal path. Give it a try and see if you like that sound.

The problem with that method is leaving the Sansui at a set volume setting, give or take. Then the remote on the Lux will be useful. I would expect you need to get to half on the Lux but I would set the system up to use just over half the Lux volume to get full volume and set the Sansui volume control to accept that.

I would be very careful about what you are doing with the volume of the Sansui up most of the time. Of course, with experience, you will learn where to set the Sansui volume control for best integration of the two preamps.

Picture of the Luxman.
IMG_0572.JPG
 
I prefer the sound of Luxman to Sansui any day. Also the Luxman has an excellent amp section. Luxman was said to be equal in design and build to McIntosh, at that time.
I like them both, I did not know about the McIntosh comparison, good to know.
 
That tagline for Luxman, the McIntosh of Japan was an early mention from the 70s when they made some fantastic gear, beautiful, powerful and excellent sound quality. Following the Hi-Fi Golden Years, ending with the flat faceplates, sans knobs and the introduction of the complete systems from one maker, you know the glass-fronted stand with all the gear and a pair of speakers just as tall, same vinyl wrap and sold as a system, Luxman was sold to Alpine and the comparison/tagline sort of lost it validity. I mean McIntosh went on their merry way doing the McIntosh thing and Luxman did all sorts of things, gear of different colors the black era, the champagne era and getting sold a few more times. Now Luxman is in the hands of a group that wants them to be a top notch manufacturer and they make great gear that sounds good and costs a bundle, again the equal of McIntosh but on a much smaller scale. But they will never have the McIntosh corporate concern for everything they ever made. Although McIntosh supports most of their gear there are some units they can not repair. With Luxman, it is more like there are a few products they can and will repair and I'd say all of them were made this century. All the old paperwork for the older gear was lost in the ownership changes.
 
That tagline for Luxman, the McIntosh of Japan was an early mention from the 70s when they made some fantastic gear, beautiful, powerful and excellent sound quality. Following the Hi-Fi Golden Years, ending with the flat faceplates, sans knobs and the introduction of the complete systems from one maker, you know the glass-fronted stand with all the gear and a pair of speakers just as tall, same vinyl wrap and sold as a system, Luxman was sold to Alpine and the comparison/tagline sort of lost it validity. I mean McIntosh went on their merry way doing the McIntosh thing and Luxman did all sorts of things, gear of different colors the black era, the champagne era and getting sold a few more times. Now Luxman is in the hands of a group that wants them to be a top notch manufacturer and they make great gear that sounds good and costs a bundle, again the equal of McIntosh but on a much smaller scale. But they will never have the McIntosh corporate concern for everything they ever made. Although McIntosh supports most of their gear there are some units they can not repair. With Luxman, it is more like there are a few products they can and will repair and I'd say all of them were made this century. All the old paperwork for the older gear was lost in the ownership changes.
Thanks for the great information on Luxman and McIntosh!!
 
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