Luxman sq507. Daaaaaaang!

[bryan dolan]

Anybody else out there rocking a Luxman sq507? I scored non-functional one, along with a pile of other stuff at a tag sale for $100 (audio karma ain’t just a website…)
All it took was a good cleaning to get it working. I’m listening to it now, and all I can say is holy #*%#!!!! it sounds like buttered sunshine.
I’ve had a few Pioneer SXs, a couple NADs, a Sansui, a Hafler, and a Kenwood in the same setup and I gotta say, at least in my room (small), with my speakers (old mid-range B&W) and my ears (good), the 507 absolutely stomps all of them. It’s not even close. It thumps and sparkles and soars. The solidity, imaging, emotive-ness and separation are incredible. Cowboy Junkies is playing now, and it’s all I can do to keep from weeping like a child.
Anyway, my question is
A: Does anyone know about this unit? Googling brings up a bunch of conflicting info (30 watts? 60 watts? 1969? 1974?). Doesn’t help that Luxman named like half the int amps they ever made 507 something.
B: Why isn’t this thing ranked up among the absolute best vintage equipment? Just rarity, or is it not that great, and it’s just a quirk of my setup that makes it sound so good?

 

[Blue Shadow]

Luxman Vintage Audio Website (hilberink.nl)

Luxman audio products (hilberink.nl)

The full model numbers mean a lot in Luxman speak. Many units made with similar numbers/letters. New CL-1000 is a $20,000 tube preamp (indicated by the L in the model number) and it harkens back to the 1975 C-1000 a transistor preamp of very similar looks, part of their 50th anniversary set with the T-110 tuner and M-2000/4000/6000 power amps.

The SQs are well known for sound quality but Luxman was just starting in the US at the time, so these are not as well known.

 

[cademan]

Hifiengine says 60 watts per channel for a total of 120 watts. I trust Hjfiengine.

 

[mbz]

Vaguely recall two models were made, 1960's SQ507 and 1970's SQ507X even though front face was still stamped SQ507, need to look at rear to see if SQ507X. The 1960's had screws for speaker connectors while the X had mode traditional plastic posts/clips. Got the SQ505X and yeah it punches well above its class. The 507X had more power and...

 

[bryan dolan]

Thanks for the thoughtful replies everyone. Unfortunately, I’m a moron. It’s not an sq507, it’s an L507 (L, but not tube). Says so right there on the back. All it says on the front is “Luxman 507”, so I googled that and identified it as an sq based on looks (the face plates are identical), never suspecting that there were multiple models with the same faceplate and very similar names.
Guess I’m spoiled from collecting more common gear with non-inscrutable (scrutable?) naming conventions.
According to the page Blue Shadow sent (thanks for that!) the sq507 was from ‘69, and the L507 is listed both as ‘73 and ‘79. Guessing mine is ‘73.
Based on other sources, I think the SQ is 60wpc, where the L is 50w.
I also found this video-

Unfortunately, I don’t speak Russian or whatever that is, but looks like the SQ (at least the one that guy has) has a silver faceplate and vinyl veneer, where the L has a champagne face and wood veneer (walnut I guess, though I’m a cabinetmaker and have worked extensively with North American, claro, European, and Australian walnut, but have never seen any walnut quite like this veneer).
Mine has wood veneer and a silver face with spring speaker connections.
Odd that the older model would have vinyl and more power… generally it goes the other way.

 

[Blue Shadow]

That veneer is probably rosewood. Luxman used that on many of their units.

The L alone is what a lot of the integrated amps have as the designation. There few recent L-507 models that should be nice, too. You seem to have a really good one.

 

[bryan dolan]

That veneer is probably rosewood. Luxman used that on many of their units.

The L alone is what a lot of the integrated amps have as the designation. There few recent L-507 models that should be nice, too. You seem to have a really good one.

I was thinking rosewood that’s browned out from 40+ years in the sun. It’s oily and has interlocked grain like a tropical hardwood. Dark stripes too…
I know later models have a faux rosewood that’s actually pretty nice, but I’ve never seen one with real rosewood.
Thanks for you help!

 

[bryan dolan]

Confirmed it’s rosewood. I sanded a tiny bit of dust off the edging on the back and tasted it. The color is gone, but the flavor is still there. Walnut is bitter. Rosewood actually tastes pretty good

 

[Dswankey]

Luxman? is their stuff any good?

I jest, congrats on your new acquisition and welcome to the vintage Luxman club.

 

[Dswankey]

Thanks for the thoughtful replies everyone... it’s an L507 ... I think the SQ is 60wpc, where the L is 50w.

https://audio--heritage-jp.translat...tr_sl=ja&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en&_x_tr_pto=sc

 

[Blue Shadow]

In the later 70s Luxman had a nice rosewood vinyl but also had veneered cabinets, depending on which unit it was.

 

[bryan dolan]

Luxman? is their stuff any good?

I jest, congrats on your new acquisition and welcome to the vintage Luxman club.

Hee hee. Alright, maybe a little bit of a gloat.
I’d heard they were good stuff, but had only heard one before I scored this one. It was hooked up to some kabuki pioneer speakers and all I could hear were the horns.

 

[bryan dolan]

https://audio--heritage-jp.translat...tr_sl=ja&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en&_x_tr_pto=sc

That’s the one! Thanks

 

[theophile]

Thanks for the thoughtful replies everyone. It’s not an sq507, it’s an L507 (L, but not tube).

Have a conversation with one of the moderators and see if they are amenable to changing the title for you.

 

[vitorzoom]

I have a Luxman 503X, less powerful but I believe the pre amp is very similar, just changing the power section. I can say with certainty that it sounds better than the much-acclaimed (at the time) NAD 352, which in comparison to the Luxman has a slightly veiled sound.

 

[ivandezande]

I've had one. Really good sounding unit. Mine was in protection from the epoxy diodes in the amp stage, I would replace those.
There's also lead spacing for film caps in the phono stage.

 

[bryan dolan]

I have a Luxman 503X, less powerful but I believe the pre amp is very similar, just changing the power section. I can say with certainty that it sounds better than the much-acclaimed (at the time) NAD 352, which in comparison to the Luxman has a slightly veiled sound.

That’s funny - I was comparing it to (among other things) my NAD 350, the immediate precursor to yours. I’ve never liked that amp. I’ve tried it in several setups in several rooms, but it always sounds bad to me. I’d get rid of it, but it was my first hifi purchase (along with some JM Labs speakers that I still use in my shop) way back when I was 19.
Incidentally, I’m going to look at a NAD 2600a tomorrow. Planning on using it to drive some 15” Klipsch woofers in a crazy Frankenstein project. Hopefully that Japanese-made vintage with a non-NAD preamp suits me better.

 

[vitorzoom]

I use the Luxman SQ 503X as a preamp, because I need power for my speakers (Yamaha NS 1000). I feel that the weak point of the Nad C352 is precisely the preamp where they probably cut some costs. The power part is ok, comparatively I think it's better than the pre section.
But this is just my opinion.

 

[bryan dolan]

Ah, good to know that the pre is the weak link. No complaints about nad amps - I think my C350 is 80 watts, but it doesn’t seem any less powerful than other 200wpc amps I’ve used. Gotta love that power envelope design.
I’ll be running the 2600a off of an sx626’s preamp, so hopefully that’ll sound more present. I know exactly what you mean when you say “veiled”. That’s the word for it.

 

[Danny28g]

Hi, Luxman released the first SQ-507 IN 1969, followed in the next year by the SQ-507X version, the L series came later after 1973. With proper maintenance they sound extremely good, and are made to last a lifetime, unlike modern amps available nowadays.You can see a full restored SQ-507 here:
youtu.be/4ZNSXemlW04?si=_9Yjm72bpbVW2EOg

My tech changed almost everything in it, the radiators and tranzistors remained, of course the power supply too.He added a speaker relay that did not exist in the original scheme so now the amp is updated to nowadays standards bringing his special sound.