Bewildered

[Enochrome]

Spent some time reconstructing a turntable and when finished plugged it in to my Luxman R-3045 receiver and the phono stage died.

So, I have been without the ability to play records, thus I went back to my dusty old cd collection. Was really satisfied with my cd setup with my AV receiver (Pioneer VSX-919). So, I thought I could settle with the AV receiver as my main amp.

Was going to sell or give away the Luxman, as I had just ordered a Cambridge 640p stage and really used the Luxman for vinyl only.Well on a day I had time to kill i thought I would hook up the cd player ( Sony DVP-NS755V SACD player) just to give the Luxman one last try before getting rid of it.

Wow. What the hell!?!?! It sounds really really good. CD's still sound thin compared to vinyl, but they sound better than I have ever heard them.

I don't get it. Why is this combo through ic's smoking my new AV receiver through digital inputs?

Is it Luxman, or amps back then were better made, the DAC in the Sony, what? I am now dubious about new affordable amps.

Are the new channed British makes comparable to the older mid-fi to hi-fi stuff?

[JohnMichael]

I would try another high level input to see if it still sounds good. Some older electronics had a buffer stage on CD inputs. I think you will enjoy the 640P and I discovered my 640P sounded better when I do not use the subsonic filter.

[Hyfi]

Luxman amps were built solidly and were also usually a higher current than most others in same range. I have not heard one for many years but I was always impressed when I did.

It may not have the bells and whistles of today but it is still a good pc of equipment. Maybe you should look into someone overhauling it a bit.

[JeffreySmith]

Another way to bring some life to CDs if you prefer the analog sound is to find a decent D/A converter. They can be had for a fair price these days.

[Mr Peabody]

I think the Pioneer DAC isn't a lot better than the Sony if at all and the Luxman is overall better for sound quality, so the Sony/Luxman combo sounds better. Keep in mind the Luxman is a stereo receiver that probably cost at least twice what the Pioneer did when the Luxman was new and the Pioneer is built for HT. In other words the two receivers are not really apples to apples.

[basite]

I would try another high level input to see if it still sounds good. Some older electronics had a buffer stage on CD inputs. I think you will enjoy the 640P and I discovered my 640P sounded better when I do not use the subsonic filter.

The 3045 is before the cd era, IIRC... so no CD input there :)

anyhow, Luxman is great gear. I have a Luxman R-800 (the older brother of your 3045), and it is not only extremely well built, and layed out, but it also sounds so darn good. It's a great piece of gear, and by all means use it. :D

oh, and what just happened that your phono stage died?

Keep them spinning,
Bert.

[Enochrome]

Yeah,

I spent a month and half rebuilding this thorens (which I will post soon) and when I went to listen to it in the Luxman, the phono stage delivered no sound. I laughed because by the point that is all you can do :( :) I checked it a couple of days later and then only one channel worked.

On a related note, I started listening to cd's with my Sony plugged into the aux input. After a week, one of the channels was dying in that one as well. From the layout in the back of the Luxman, I think the phono and aux share the same output stage (if that is what it is called?), just because they are laid out separately together than the tape inputs. In that, could this be the reason why they are both going out in similar fashion?

I really want to keep this Luxman going or get something similar of sound and quality.
I have had my eye on the Cambridge 640A, Rega Mira 3, or the Rotel 04-SE and 1520.
Would those be to far in the other direction as the Luxman?

Got my 640p yesterday and will post my impression in the appropriate thread soon.

[basite]

On a related note, I started listening to cd's with my Sony plugged into the aux input. After a week, one of the channels was dying in that one as well. From the layout in the back of the Luxman, I think the phono and aux share the same output stage (if that is what it is called?), just because they are laid out separately together than the tape inputs. In that, could this be the reason why they are both going out in similar fashion?


The phono input goes through a phono pre, and is then sent to the line pre, all the other inputs are sent to the line pre, so if one channel is cutting out on the aux input, it should be on all other inputs too.

usually, it's something really dead simple, dust, oxidation, bad contacts or so, also, over date (dryed out) caps, ... nothing really that hard.

Get some decent contact cleaner, that's where i'd start. I can't find a service manual for the 3045, but usually the lay out is not that hard to follow.

could very well be that since you're using it slightly more now, problems occur with bad contacts and dirt. Check for that first, it's not that hard :)

Keep them spinning,
Bert.