Luxman L507 Z

Introducing a radical re-design.

Replacing the L-590 and L-507uXII models wasn't easy. They sold in great numbers and have been successful in their class in Europe, Asia and America

Luxman is looking at the 100th anniversary of its founding in 2025, and has renewed the amplifier circuit topology which has been used in their amplifiers since 1999. With improvements we achieve a more realistic, fresh reproduction - rich in musicality.

A new feedback engine 

Feedback is widely used in amplifiers to reduce distortion, but can have negative side effects. In fact a badly designed amplifier can measure well - using lots of feedback - but sound hard and unlistenable.

Luxman already uses minimum feedback in a topology they call ODNF* 

* ODNF is an abbreviation for Only Distortion Negative Feedback.

How to further improve?

Introducing LIFES

By repeatedly auditioning and rigorously scrutinizing and combining the selected parts, we have achieved the highest performance and quality suitable for use in Luxman's next-generation components. In LIFES Version 1.0, by simply reconstructing the entire circuit, we succeeded in reducing the number of parallel elements while improving performance. The distortion during amplification has been reduced to less than half. The output stage adopts a 3-stage Darlington 3-parallel push-pull configuration, and achieves complete power linearity performance of class AB 110W + 110W (8Ω) and 220W + 220W (4Ω). With a large output comparable to that of a separate power amplifier, it realizes a natural and relaxed sound full of energy, and drives  speaker systems of all characteristics.

We say: Amplifier designers are constantly working to achieve absolute purity in amplification. For those that take an interest we thought it may be of value to do a brief explanation that follows:

 

What is Darlington?

Here is what the simplest single-ended regular amplifier circuit looks like: 

Here is a Darlington amplifier: Two transistors are used together.

What are the benefits of Darlington transistor configutation?

• It offers very high current gain in comparison to single transistor.
• It offers very high input impedance.
• It uses few components and hence can be used for easy circuit designs.
• It can amplify signal to larger extent.
• It allows designers to drive more power applications by few mA of current source.
• It is very sensitive to current.

With fewer components the amplifier can effectively reach into the lowest level nuances and reproduce the ambience of a recoding. A higher level of "presence", a "bloom" around instruments is a result. 

Next; improving dynamics through a High inertia power circuit

The power supply unit, which requires instantaneous current supply and voltage stability according to the undulations of music, is a combination of a highly regulated EI type custom power transformer and a newly developed large-capacity block capacitor (10,000 μF x 8). 

We say; We see an approach that the highest end Japanese separates use. Look carefully at power amps from Esoteric or Accuphase to mention just two, and you will see very similar power supply design. Bravo Luxman, for bring the L-507Z at a relatively modest price compared to others.

Reviews

From the street:

”Class-A amplifiers is becoming more and more difficult to attain CE approval status”

As the world heads more in the direction of “green”, class-A efficiency (or lack of), becomes an issue in some parts of the world. From the Luxman Corp (Japan) point of view, the new L-507z (Class-AB with L.I.F.E.S. technology) is their answer. 

Essentially, the new L-507z replaces both the L-507uXII and L-590aXII.  

From Reviews:

"Luxman L-507z: Purest tonality under $50k?"

HiFi Plus read the review

 

"The Next Generation of Awesome"

Jeff Dorgay, Tone 

"Relaxing with Elvis Costello's Painted From Memory on the turntable, it's almost tough to believe that the source is an integrated amplifier, not a $100k rack full of separate components and a $30k loom of mega cables." 

read the review in Audiophile Magazine

"Classic Design, Freak Clarity" 

Specifications

• Rated output   - 110W + 110W (8Ω)  220W + 220W (4Ω)
• Input Sensitivity / Input Impedance     PHONO (MM): 2.5mV / 47kΩ PHONO (MC): 0.3mV / 100Ω LINE: 180mV /47kΩ BAL.LINE: 180mV / 79kΩ MAIN-IN: 1.05V / 47kΩ
• Output voltage   - PRE OUT: 1V
• Frequency Response - PHONO: 20Hz to 20kHz (within ± 0.5dB ) LINE: 20Hz to 100kHz (within -3.0dB)
• Total harmonic distortion  - 0.007% or less (8Ω, 1kHz) 0.03% or less (8Ω, 20Hz to 20kHz)
• S / N ratio (IHF-A) - PHONO (MM): 91 dB or more/ PHONO (MC): 75 dB or more
• LINE: 105 dB or more
• Volume control - New LECUA 1000
• Amplifier circuit  -  LIFES 1.0
• Output configuration - Bipolar 3 parallel push-pull
• Power transformer  - EI type 560VA
• Damping factor  - 300 (by EIAJ current injection method)
• Tone control - BASS: ± 8dB at 100Hz  TREBLE: ± 8dB at 10kHz
• Power-supply voltage  - AC110V (50 / 60Hz)
• power consumption  -  300W / 86W (no signal ) 0.4W (standby)
• External dimensions  - WxDxH  17 1/4 x 7 1/16 x 17 7/8" 440mm x 454mm x 178 mm
• Depth includes front knob 20 mm and back terminal 27 mm
• Weight   25.4kg (main body), 29.4kg (standard packaging)
• Remote control (RA-17A)
• warranty - 3 years

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