I guess it all began back in 1972 when, to my parents' dismay, I raided my bank account to purchase my very first "stereo record player"...a Healing 12+12 (watts). I'd also just bought The Small Faces Ogden's Nut Gone Flake LP (resplendant in its round tobacco tin album cover) at my small home town's community fair and I was busting to spin it. I quickly caught the "hifi bug" and progressed to separates via brands including Sansui, Electrovoice (EV2), NAD (legendary 3020), Dual, Dunlop Systemdek (t/t's) Quantum (pre/power amp), Denon (int amp), Dali (6's), Acoustic Research (AR310 HO), Nakamichi (cassette player), Yamaha (1st CD player) and Harmon Kardon (surround receiver).

I returned to the "2-channel purist hifi fold" in 2016 after a perplexing deviation to the 'dark side' of 5.1 surround, frustrated with only partial success in trying to integrate the visual with the auditory. It seems I much prefer segregation!

From a paltry initial investment of around $2K that got me a Cambridge Audio SR80 receiver, Topaz CD player, and superseded Mission 794SE speakers, my system has evolved along with the level of investment (still quite humble in comparison to many on this forum!)

 

Amplification: 20w of class a "bliss" - Luxman L550AX ii Integrated

SACD/Streaming:  At least I can say I own one piece of Mark Levinson - ML No 5101 SACD/CD Streamer/DAC

USB iTunes Library Player: Yamaha NP-S303 digital connection to ML 5101's DAC

Vinyl duties: Thorens TD309 turntable with Goldring 2300 MI Cartridge

Speakers: Spendor D7.2 on IsoAcoustic Gaia III

Cabling: Atlas Hyper 3.5 speaker cables, Atlas Hyper XLR interconnects, Atlas Equator T/T cables, Robertson Audio Cables digital/coax

Power conditioning: IsoTek Polaris, & Evo Initium

Headphones: Focal Elear

My listening environment is probably a little on the small side at 3.2 x 4.2M, so the Luxman's dial rarely ventures past 10.30...

Edited October 28, 20214 yr by Philharmonic
added headline detail

Your Spendors seem to have a 5 ohm impedance for a lot of their frequency range - so they cannot be classified as an 'easy' spkr to drive.

 

However, the specs on your Luxman L550AX ii say it 'doubles down' into 4 ohms - which is a very good thing ... so I am sure it drives them quite well.

 

I would, however, suggest that an amp with more power (which can also 'double down' into 4 ohms) would improve your SQ.

 

Andy

 

Thanks for your expert observations and input Andy...on the amp front I might go Mark Levinson 5000 series or Pass Labs INT 60...one day 🐵

Great looking system Phil. Seems well thought out and I bet it sounds very good.

Don’t forget to tag @Amber Technology and follow them to be in with the chance to win some cd’s and vinyl. 

Thanks Pops110...still trying to get the hang of tagging and following...have been social media averse for many years now...

58 minutes ago, Philharmonic said:

Thanks for your expert observations and input Andy...on the amp front I might go Mark Levinson 5000 series or Pass Labs INT 60...one day 🐵

 

I think the Pass INT 60 amp would be fantastic with your spkrs!    But unfortunately ... not cheap.  

 

Andy

 

Nice lookin system Phil. I see you're in Warrnambool, I'm in Terang,

G'day Warren...I'll have to do some research to see what your set-up consists of. If I was to do anything 

further to my system it would be a Pass Labs INT-60...I see you have a Pass Labs pre-amp. Do you have a preferred dealer? I use Steve Bennett HiFi (Ken) in Geelong and HeyNow HiFi (Geoff) in St Kilda

Cheers, Phil

Nice gear man 😎 love the Luxmans. 

Thanks Ash...Luxman stuff is so well built and much of it harks back to the 70's with that  VU meter retro appeal. Plus their stuff sounds great!

Good system @Philharmonic - as a previous owner of the same Luxman amp and 4 ohm speakers I think you have no need to upgrade to something bigger. Wanting to is a different story however!

Thanks Hydrology...soon after my original post another forum member commented my amp would struggle with the "predominantly 5 ohm load" of my Spendor D7.2's. I happen to like the Luxman/Spendor combo and it has "another level of detail' above the PMC Twenty5.23's I was running up until quite recently.

I see you have the Wharfedale Elysian 4's! (drool)

A little large for my listening space but from what I've read a pair of 2's are mighty tempting...and their stands look great!

Phil

Nice.   I run an older Luxman 700x (also 20 watts) into low efficiency bookshelf speakers in my "office".  In a small room, it does well, and as you say, never goes past 10:30.