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My Problem with Luxmans R series

retrex said:
Yep, one NIB, three in good to excellent condition, and one which I bought dead to the world, brought back to life, and then recapped with audio grade caps. It is currently the best sounding thing in my collection, amp-wise, including a host of well respected separates. I still have to install the Tone Defeat switch from the R115 into it. I am going to redo the preamp section resistors with MF and look to replace the Opamp, already replaced, with something else to see if I can improve the one weak point in the R117, the preamp section.
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Nice!!!! I'm quite envious, if you ever feel over burdened and want to unload one of those bad boys keep me in mind.
 
retrex said:
I believe the R117 is stable down to 2 Ohms at 700W, I'm not sure about the R115. I use Magnepan speakers, which are current hogs, and the receiver barely warms.
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Interesting, barely warm with Magneplanars. I use a couple Luxman MB3045s on Magneplanars and these amps get very hot from initial turn on. Sound excellent but corner of the amp one would not want to touch. Maybe 300°F on the last two tubes.
 
rotini said:
Interesting... You would think the M117/M-03 would be superior - I wonder what the differences are in the power amp sections - perhaps ...
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I don't know if this is why but I understand that the R117 is a current driven amplifier and the M117 is a voltage driven amplifier. Someone with more tech knowledge can maybe offer an opinion. If I had to guess though, I would say it is the Toshiba transitors. They are counterfeited so they must be darn good. I was lucky to find a source that supplied me with real deal when I did the rebuild.
 
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Blue Shadow said:
Interesting, barely warm with Magneplanars. I use a couple Luxman MB3045s on Magneplanars and these amps get very hot from initial turn on. Sound excellent but corner of the amp one would not want to touch. Maybe 300°F on the last two tubes.
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Same here when I use my Yaqin MC100B. I only use it during the Winter months because it puts out too much heat, 4 KT88s. I get the benefit of having an amplifer and a room heater all in one.
 
Fiscal cliff, sure......but that didn't stop me from buying a Luxman R-1070! Nice cabinet, looks like the chassis has never been out. All the lights work and they are BRIGHT .... don't need a Xmas tree this year. I'll just stand this 1070 on end and but and angel on top.

Fiscal cliff, sure....but that didn't stop me from buying a Luxman R-1040! I found this one real cheap, also never been out of the cabinet (needs two dial lamps), but the FM reception! Wow! I'm pulling in stations 80 miles away witha RS dipole 300 ohm.

I saw an R117 on the bay for $350(?). Don't know if that's still there. I'm too busy playing wth my new toys ---er, gear. Just couldn't pass up the 1070 for a bargain price (to me, anyway -- 2 bills). Works near perfect. A little DeOxit job ahead...
 
I picked up a mint condition (cosmetically) R-3055 the other day. I thought i tested it as working at the store but what I thought to be FM static was a bad transistor that I had to order from China. Really cool though...big ass transformer, liquid cooled, rubycon caps, beautiful rosewood case. It also needs a power switch which is proving difficult to find.
 
I can't agree enough, dr*audio! Thanks!
And alex_c, those are powerful and nice little monsters, but as you say, the power switches are scarce. Somebody on this thread might have a suggestion. Good luck!
 
Luxman R-1050 started me out at all this!

Father-in-law grabbed it on it's way to the trash years ago at the law firm he works at (he's a janitor). Gave it to me w/a pair of Technics speakers.

Combo blew me away.

Nowadays the Lux pulls kitchen duty sending 50 beautiful watts to a pair of Athena bookshelves. Still sounds and looks kick-ass. Too bad little hands of my stepsons' years ago ripped out the tuning dial string whilst I had her open to replace a couple bulbs.

Oh well. I don't listen to the radio anyhoo.


:)


Matt
 
Out of the trash! And that can be the beginning of a beautiful relationship! I luv, luv, luv my R-1050 (probably more than any of the others ---why, I don't know, but just sounds sweeter). It DOES kick ass! Yeh, my 1050 had a hard life, because the dodo epoxied the knobs on for some gawdawful reason -- or no reason. Now it's working after lots of hours and scavening knobs and replacing rotary switches. Beautiful sound. Hey, if you need a pattern for restringing the dial cord, I've got the picture/drawing. Not as hard as you might think. Let me know if you want it and some dial cord. Ripping out the dial cord would make be say JesusChrysler (best aka on here!) too.
 
JesusChrysler said:
Too bad little hands of my stepsons' years ago ripped out the tuning dial string whilst I had her open to replace a couple bulbs.


Matt
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The SM on hifiengine has a diagram for the tuning string. Should be easy enough to figure it out with help from AK to find the right string to use, replace any springs that might have jumped ship or other hints needed to fix it.
 
Thanks guys, perhaps I will check it out... Sometimes my ancient Technics CDP is cranky about making music for me.


:)


Matt
 
JesusChrysler said:
Thanks guys, perhaps I will check it out... Sometimes my ancient Technics CDP is cranky about making music for me.


:)


Matt
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I have photos too of the stringing. It's not too bad to do. With the parts I have here, you're welcome to them (including springs if they have escaped somehow). Good luck!:thmbsp:
 
Thanks again.

Problem is, my toddler is wicked into "Daddies Stereo's"....

Had a tube amp out for five minutes the other day and he threw Hot Wheels at it and broke all the tubes...

Luckily (amazingly, actually), HE didn't get hurt but I cut myself picking up broken glass.....

Ahh I love my children!


:)


Matt
 
Your toddler's got an eye and an arm. Pitching might be in his career someday and from your avatar, he's got his eye on that woofer. Get the slivers out of your hand and get back to solid state listening!
 
Hi good people. This is my first foray into Audiokarma.
I'm looking at getting my first Luxman - an R800EII. Any thoughts on this? are there any Pro's and Con's that I should be considering? Thanks in advance.
 
I've owned all of the R-10XX models from the 1040 to 1120, and most of the black plague-era stuff. I owned four of the R-117s at one point, but I'm down to one working example of that model. Plus several R-113s, R-114s and R-115s. That black series has been much less reliable for me, well, at least the R-117 has. All of them sound great, even the M-117/TP-117 combo (for the life of me, I can't hear any real difference between that combo and the R-117). I'd say the R-115 is just about the best bang for the buck that you can get in 2 channel sound. Great Luxman house sound, good remote, often priced under $400. I still have three M-117s and three TP-117s for power hogs.
 
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